Reference shelf · 旅行工具

A reference drawer for China trip setup.

A compact directory for forms, app setup pages, booking utilities and edge-case rule explainers. Use it for quick lookup after you know what you are trying to solve.

Updated 8 Jul 2026· 14 resources· Reference sorted

Bookmark the link you will need at the counter.

This page is intentionally more index than essay. It gathers the pages readers tend to reopen when filling a form, installing an app, booking a ticket or checking whether a route has an extra rule layer.

For narrative advice, use the guide library. For a final tick-box pass, use the checklist. For a specific tool or rule explainer, stay here.

Open departure checklist

ID spelling

Keep passport names and numbers consistent across tickets, rooms and attraction bookings.

Local address

Save the first lodging name in English and Chinese where possible.

Offline proof

Keep screenshots of bookings, QR confirmations and support contacts.

Connectivity

Bookmark the setup page that matches your phone and carrier situation.

Peak dates

Check public-holiday pressure before committing to intercity travel.

Paperwork and rule references

Use these when you need a form-specific explainer or a rule page to check against your own itinerary.

Visa & Entry

Compare entry routes, proof requirements and the places where itinerary details change the answer.

Rule check

China Arrival Card

Preview the fields travellers commonly need at the border, including address and contact details.

Form prep

China Pre-trip Checklist

Use the tick-box version after the background reading is done and only confirmations remain.

Final pass

Apps and setup pages

Install, verify or bookmark these before you need them at a counter, station gate or restaurant table.

Internet & VPN

Understand the full connectivity stack, including roaming, local access, blocked services and backups.

Phone setup

eSIM for China

Compare data-only options and activation timing for phones that support eSIM installation.

Data plan

Alipay for Foreigners

Walk through foreign-card linking, identity prompts, merchant limits and backup payment choices.

Wallet setup

Hotel Registration

Check how foreign-passport registration works and what to ask a smaller property before booking.

Lodging check

Booking and route utilities

Use these when a route has become practical enough for tickets, transfers and base-area choices.

Book China Train Tickets

Understand ID-based boarding, booking channels, station timing and what happens at the gate.

Rail booking

Getting Around China

Compare intercity and local transport choices without treating every leg as the same problem.

Transport map

DiDi in China

Prepare ride-hailing, pickup wording and the cases where taxis or metro are simpler.

City movement

City Route Picker

Choose bases by role, day count and travel friction rather than attraction count alone.

City sorting

Region and border research

Open these when the trip leaves the standard city-to-city pattern and may need permits, agencies or border timing.

Xinjiang for Foreigners

Separate ordinary city travel from border-zone questions and route-specific restrictions.

Xinjiang planning

Tibet for Foreigners

Understand the tour structure and permit layer before comparing agencies or routes.

Tibet planning

Overland China

Research land borders, vehicle entry, guide requirements and the timing buffer overland trips need.

Border planning

Need a full explanation?

The resource list points quickly. The itinerary planner slows down for trade-offs, night counts, city order and rail timing.

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See a stale link?

Send the page URL, the broken or outdated claim, and where you saw the newer information. We verify before changing modified dates.

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This page is a navigation aid for travellers. Some linked guides contain sponsored or affiliate links, disclosed on the relevant page; commercial relationships do not decide the sequence of this resource list.