# First Time > Everything worth knowing before you land: what to book first, what to skip, and the mistakes first-time visitors actually make. 16 guides - [Water in Beijing: What to Drink, Where to Refill, and Why the Room Has a Kettle](https://12001.net/guides/beijing-drinking-water-guide/) — Beijing tap water meets a strict national standard at the plant, and nobody here drinks it straight from the tap anyway. What the hardness means, how to use the kettle, what a bottle actually costs, the free refill points most visitors walk past, and whether ice, toothbrushing and baby formula are safe. - Markdown: https://12001.net/guides/beijing-drinking-water-guide.md - [Beijing Emergency Numbers: Who to Call and What Happens Next](https://12001.net/guides/beijing-emergency-numbers-who-to-call/) — 110, 120, 119 and 122: which Beijing emergency number fits which situation, what the dispatcher will ask, what an ambulance costs on the official tariff, and the paperwork insurers demand. - Markdown: https://12001.net/guides/beijing-emergency-numbers-who-to-call.md - [Beijing Hotel Check-In and Your Room: What to Expect, Step by Step](https://12001.net/guides/beijing-hotel-check-in-what-to-expect/) — Passports for every guest, deposits, 大床房 versus 双床房, the card slot that runs the lights, 220 V power, the six toiletries Beijing hotels no longer put out, and how check-out really works. - Markdown: https://12001.net/guides/beijing-hotel-check-in-what-to-expect.md - [Lost Your Passport in Beijing: The Recovery Steps That Actually Work](https://12001.net/guides/beijing-lost-passport-what-to-do/) — Police report, passport loss certificate, embassy, replacement visa — the four steps in the order that works, what each office asks for, and how to get through the days in between. - Markdown: https://12001.net/guides/beijing-lost-passport-what-to-do.md - [Lost Something in Beijing: How to Get Your Phone, Bag or Wallet Back](https://12001.net/guides/beijing-lost-property-what-to-do/) — Phone left in a Didi, bag left on the metro, wallet left at the airport: the four Beijing lost-property channels, the hotlines that actually answer, and how to collect an item after you have already flown home. - Markdown: https://12001.net/guides/beijing-lost-property-what-to-do.md - [Overcharged in Beijing: How to Complain and Actually Get Your Money Back](https://12001.net/guides/beijing-overcharged-how-to-complain/) — Overcharged, mis-sold or taken for a ride in Beijing? The four complaint channels that really answer — 12345, the 12315 platform, 12328 and 12326 — plus the evidence that turns a complaint into a refund. - Markdown: https://12001.net/guides/beijing-overcharged-how-to-complain.md - [Public Toilets in Beijing: Where to Go, What to Expect](https://12001.net/guides/beijing-public-toilets-guide/) — Beijing's public toilets are free, signed and everywhere — but mostly squat, mostly without paper. Here is the sign to look for, the search order that works, and what to carry. - Markdown: https://12001.net/guides/beijing-public-toilets-guide.md - [What a First Trip to Beijing Actually Costs: A 2026 Budget Breakdown](https://12001.net/guides/beijing-trip-budget/) — Real numbers for a first-time visitor — hotels, food, transport, tickets, the Great Wall day and the extras nobody budgets for — in yuan and dollars. - Markdown: https://12001.net/guides/beijing-trip-budget.md - [What to Wear in Beijing: A Season-by-Season Packing and Dress Guide](https://12001.net/guides/beijing-what-to-wear-packing-guide/) — Beijing swings from sub-zero wind on the Great Wall to 35°C summer humidity. What to actually pack, season by season — plus the temple and mosque dress codes and what is cheaper to buy on arrival. - Markdown: https://12001.net/guides/beijing-what-to-wear-packing-guide.md - [Beijing in Winter: Ice Festivals, Frozen Lakes and Surviving Sub-Zero Sightseeing](https://12001.net/guides/beijing-winter-travel-guide/) — Winter is Beijing's quiet season: crisp blue skies, frozen lakes, and glowing ice festivals — if you pack right. Here's how to enjoy the city at -10°C and below. - Markdown: https://12001.net/guides/beijing-winter-travel-guide.md - [Booking Beijing's Big Sights: Real-Name Tickets, Passport Entry and What Sells Out](https://12001.net/guides/booking-beijing-attractions/) — How reservation actually works for the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the National Museum and the parks — when tickets are released, which channel takes a foreign card, and the Monday rule that wrecks itineraries. - Markdown: https://12001.net/guides/booking-beijing-attractions.md - [China's 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit: Who Qualifies and How to Enter via Beijing](https://12001.net/guides/china-visa-transit/) — A plain-English guide to China's 10-day transit visa-free policy, the unilateral 30-day visa-free list, and how foreign travellers enter through Beijing. - Markdown: https://12001.net/guides/china-visa-transit.md - [First Time in Beijing](https://12001.net/guides/first-time/) — Everything you need to sort out before and during your first trip to Beijing — visas, payments, transport, language and etiquette. - Markdown: https://12001.net/guides/first-time.md - [Beijing Info Center for Foreign Visitors](https://12001.net/guides/foreign-guest-info-center/) — Everything a first-time foreign visitor to Beijing needs, organised around your real trip timeline — visas, payments, internet, getting around, and where to stay. - Markdown: https://12001.net/guides/foreign-guest-info-center.md - [Jet Lag and Your First Day in Beijing: An Arrival-Day Plan That Works](https://12001.net/guides/jet-lag-first-day-beijing-plan/) — A gentle, realistic arrival-day itinerary for beating jet lag in Beijing — light exposure, easy walking, early dinner, and an early night, with practical tips for first-time visitors. - Markdown: https://12001.net/guides/jet-lag-first-day-beijing-plan.md - [Pre-Flight Checklist for China: Set These Up Before You Fly](https://12001.net/guides/pre-flight-checklist/) — The 30-minute prep that saves hours in China — apps, data, payments, documents and where to stay. - Markdown: https://12001.net/guides/pre-flight-checklist.md --- Source: https://12001.net/guides/topics/first-time/ © KOULING Hotels