Pre-Trip Checklist Builder

What the checklist actually covers

Pick your passport and the builder assembles a timeline ordered by lead time, because the expensive mistakes are the ones with deadlines: payment apps want setting up weeks out (card verification can stall), an eSIM needs buying before your home Wi-Fi disappears, train tickets for holiday weeks sell out 14 days ahead, and the apps that matter — Alipay, Amap, a translator — are all easier to install at home than over airport Wi-Fi. Each item links to the guide that walks you through it, and visa items adjust to what your passport actually needs: 30-day visa-free travelers get a different list than 240-hour transit users.

The plane is too late for half of these; the arrivals hall is much too late. Work through the list a few weeks out and the airport becomes the boring part. Want it in your inbox instead of a browser tab? The email button sends the whole thing — nothing else, no newsletter ambush.

Frequently asked questions

When should I start preparing for a China trip?

Two to four weeks out is comfortable. The only items with real lead time are a visa (if your nationality needs one — about a week) and setting up payment apps, which is easiest to finish before you leave home.

What's the one thing most first-timers forget?

Setting up Alipay or WeChat Pay before arrival. China is effectively cashless, and doing the card-linking and SMS verification on home Wi-Fi saves a stressful first hour at the airport.

Do I need a VPN?

Many travelers buy a travel eSIM that routes data through an international gateway, so familiar apps and maps work on arrival without extra setup. We cover the connectivity options in our eSIM guide.