First Week in Beijing Guide for Foreigners

Practical first-week guide covering SIM/eSIM, payments, Trip.com, Didi pickup points and translation tools for foreigners in Beijing.

Open Foreigner Help

Practical Steps

SIM / eSIM / Roaming

Check whether your phone supports local SIM or eSIM in China. Short trips may use roaming or eSIM; longer stays usually need a local SIM.

Alipay / WeChat Pay

Before linking cards, contact your issuing bank or fraud department and file a travel notice. Alipay can also support metro, bike sharing, ride-hailing and tickets.

Trip.com Travel Hub

Before booking hotels, check the real distance from airports and railway stations. Beijing stations and airports can mean very different travel times.

Didi Pickup Points

Didi is easy; pickup points at airports and stations are the hard part. Screenshot the pickup point, translate signs and confirm location with the driver by text.

Translation Tools

Translation tools are essential infrastructure. Prepare text translation, photo translation and bilingual address notes.