Getting around
What should I do in the first hour after landing in China?
Last updated 2026-06-02
Your first-hour checklist
- Switch on your eSIM or data and open your map or a messaging app to confirm you're connected. If apps don't load, toggle airplane mode off and on, or connect your VPN.
- Have Alipay or WeChat Pay ready — confirm a card is linked.
- If you want a cash buffer, withdraw a small amount at a bank ATM or exchange a little; you won't need much.
- Pull up your hotel address in Chinese (an offline screenshot is ideal).
Getting to your hotel
- Use the official taxi rank or DiDi — skip anyone who approaches you inside the terminal.
- If it's daytime and your luggage is light, the metro is cheap and traffic-proof.
- Show your hotel's Chinese address to the driver, or set it as a DiDi saved address.
Don't overdo day one
Test your setup on something small — a bottle of water at a convenience store confirms your payment app works before you're relying on it at dinner. Then eat something easy near your hotel and rest. You'll explore tomorrow.
Your next step
Next: plan your airport-to-hotel route
Tell the PVG → Hotel Planner your arrival time, luggage, and hotel area and get a route, the taxi/DiDi/metro tradeoffs, and the address reminder. Save it to your Arrival Plan.
Open the PVG → Hotel PlannerKeep reading
Related questions
Planning the whole trip?
Build your China Arrival Plan.
Start with your first city, then save payment, internet, arrival, and final-check recommendations into one return link.
Payment-app support, visa rules, and connectivity change. Verify time-sensitive items with official sources before departure.