How to get online in China as a visitor — roaming, airport SIM cards, eSIM options, and a careful note on what works and what doesn't.
Before you land, understand one thing: many apps and websites common outside China — Google, Gmail, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube — are restricted in mainland China. Planning your connectivity before arrival is the single most useful prep step, because once you are on Chinese mobile data you may not be able to download the apps you suddenly need. Here is how visitors actually get online.
For maps and messaging inside China, use local apps: Amap (Gaode) or Baidu Maps for navigation, and WeChat for messaging and payments. Google Maps is unreliable on the mainland. Western social apps generally need an alternative route to load, which is where the options below come in.
The simplest option is to enable international roaming on your existing number. You keep your normal phone number and apps, and many carriers now include or sell China day passes. The downside is cost and sometimes throttled speeds. Confirm roaming and data rates with your carrier before you fly — and make sure roaming is actually activated, not just available.
Both Beijing Capital (PEK) and Daxing (PKX) airports have kiosks selling local SIM cards (China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom). You must show your passport — registration is mandatory. A local SIM gives you full-speed Chinese data at local prices and is the most reliable everyday choice. Top up via the carrier's app or at convenience stores.
If your phone supports eSIM, several global providers sell China data profiles you can install before you travel. Coverage, price and reliability shift often, so read current reviews and pick a plan with Mainland China coverage (some 'Asia' plans exclude or throttle it). Install and test the eSIM profile while you still have home internet, then activate on arrival.
Because many foreign sites are restricted, some travellers look for VPN apps. Unlicensed VPN services are restricted under Chinese law, and free ones are often unreliable or unsafe. The most dependable plan is to arrange roaming, a local SIM, or an eSIM before you arrive, and to download everything you need — apps, offline maps, translation packs — while you still have unrestricted internet.
If you found this useful, these cover the next question most visitors ask:
Chinese SIM cards — including airport tourist SIMs — must be registered to your passport, so bring it to the kiosk and expect the process to take 10–15 minutes with a photo of you and your passport taken on the spot. Two consequences follow. First, a SIM bought at the airport works immediately, but a SIM bought later from a convenience store or China Mobile branch may require a staffed registration desk, which is harder to find at night. Second, topping up is not automatic: tourist SIMs are usually sold as fixed 7, 15 or 30-day data packages, and if you run out you may not be able to extend without help from a carrier shop. Buy the package length that covers your whole trip, with margin, rather than assuming you can top up online — most carrier apps require a Chinese ID or local payment method to recharge.