Best China Travel Apps: 16 Must-Have Apps for Foreigners in China

When strolling in Beijing's hutongs or the Bund in Shanghai, foreign tourists can solve all their travel needs by just taking out their mobile phones. From scanning codes to pay for street food, checking subway routes in real time, to booking tickets for popular attractions and translating the names of special dishes on the menu, a series of local Chinese apps make foreign travel easy and comfortable. These smart tools are like portable guides, helping to overcome language barriers and cultural differences, allowing you to experience authentic Chinese life more deeply.

List of the Best Travel Apps in China

China Payment Apps

Alipay - Simplify Your Life / AlipayHK

Alipay is China's leading digital payment and lifestyle service platform. Foreign tourists can use international credit cards after binding them at millions of merchants in China, supporting functions such as scan code payment, transportation, and ticket purchase for attractions. The advantages are wide coverage, and the App interface supports English, which is suitable for short-term travel. However, some advanced functions require a Chinese mobile phone number or bank account, and cross-border transfers are restricted.

WeChat Pay

WeChat Pay is a built-in payment function of WeChat that integrates social and financial services. Foreign tourists can use convenient functions such as taxi hailing, food delivery, and ticket booking through the mini program. It is simple to operate and seamlessly integrates with the WeChat ecosystem. It supports 17 other languages, ​​including English.

China Transport Apps

DiDi(滴滴): Ride Hailing in China

DiDi is the most popular taxi-hailing app in China, providing a variety of travel options such as express, private cars, and taxis. Foreign tourists can use the international version of DiDi or bind Alipay/WeChat Pay to call a taxi. It supports English interface and destination input, which is very convenient in major cities. However, it may be difficult to call a taxi during peak hours, and drivers in remote areas may not be familiar with English addresses.

Railway 12306

12306 is the official ticket booking platform of China Railway, where high-speed rail and ordinary train tickets can be purchased. Foreign tourists can purchase tickets online after registering with their passports, and support direct entry with electronic tickets, eliminating the trouble of queuing for tickets. Although the interface is available in English, the ticket purchase process may be slightly complicated for foreigners using it for the first time. It is recommended to familiarize yourself with the operation in advance or seek help. Tickets for popular routes will be tight during holidays, so it is best to plan your trip in advance.

China Navigation Apps

Baidu Maps

As one of the most commonly used navigation apps in China, Baidu Maps provides accurate route planning and real-time traffic information, covering streets and attractions across the country. However, there is no English version yet. Foreign tourists can use the Chinese interface for search and navigation, which is particularly suitable for finding local restaurants and tourist attractions. The app also integrates taxi and shared bicycle functions to make travel more convenient, but information may not be updated in a timely manner in some remote areas.

AMap Global (Gaode Map)

Gaode Map is known for its detailed Chinese map data and intelligent route recommendations, which is particularly suitable for self-driving travellers to plan the best driving route. There is also an English version for foreign tourists to use. Although the Chinese version has more functions, the basic navigation function is also useful for foreign tourists, which can help find the nearest bus and subway stations and popular tourist landmarks. The real-time bus arrival reminder function in the app is particularly useful in large cities, but the full English experience may not be as smooth as that of local users, and some niche locations need to be searched in conjunction with Chinese pinyin.

China Travel Apps

Trip.com: Book Flights, Hotels, Trains

As an international travel service platform, Trip.com provides a one-stop booking service for air tickets, hotels, train tickets, car rentals, and attraction tickets & tours. Foreign tourists can easily complete reservations using the English interface, support multiple international payment methods, and find travel packages designed specifically for foreign tourists. However, some local speciality hotels and activities may have relatively limited choices on this platform.

Ctrip (携程)

Ctrip is China's largest online travel service platform, covering almost all domestic hotels, flights and travel products. Although it is mainly for Chinese users, foreign tourists can also book various services through the international version of Trip.com App, and often get exclusive discounts and packages. The local travel information on the platform is very comprehensive, especially suitable for in-depth exploration of various parts of China, but some functions and service descriptions may not have complete English translations, and translation tools are needed to assist in understanding.

China Food Apps

Meituan (美团)

Meituan is China's most comprehensive local life service platform, providing one-stop services such as food delivery, hotel reservations, attraction tickets and taxis. Foreign tourists can use the basic functions through the Chinese interface, which is particularly suitable for finding nearby food and discounted packages, and can also view real-life photos and user reviews of restaurants. In-depth functions and service descriptions are mainly in Chinese, and may require the help of translation tools to fully understand.

Ele.me (饿了么)

Ele.me focuses on food delivery services, covering restaurants and snack bars in major cities across the country. Foreign tourists can bind international credit cards for payment, overcome language barriers through the picture ordering function, and track the location of deliverymen in real time. Although the operation interface is relatively simple and intuitive, non-Chinese users may have difficulty understanding special notes and merchant promotions.

Dianping: Discover Good Places

Dianping is the Chinese version of the food review platform (available in English), providing detailed restaurant ratings, user reviews and per capita consumption references. Visitors can use the location function to discover popular restaurants nearby, view food photos and recommended dishes uploaded by real customers. Although the platform content is very localized and authentic, English support is limited, and it is best used with translation software. Some coupons may require a Chinese mobile phone number to collect.

China Translation Apps

Pleco Chinese Dictionary

This professional Chinese learning tool has a powerful Chinese-English dictionary and OCR recognition function built in, which can translate text content such as menus and road signs in real time. Foreign tourists can use its handwriting input and pronunciation functions to quickly look up new words, and the offline database is particularly useful when there is no network. The paid version provides a more complete library of example sentences and grammatical analysis, which is suitable for travellers who want to learn Chinese in depth. The basic version can already meet daily communication needs.

Google Translate

Google Translate supports instant camera translation and voice dialogue functions for Chinese and English translation, which is convenient for quickly understanding environmental information in places such as shopping malls and stations. Although a VPN is required in China to use all functions, its phrasebook and offline package can help solve basic communication problems. The translation accuracy is good for simple daily expressions, but complex sentences may deviate, and it is best to use body language such as gestures to assist communication.

China V P N Apps

Astrill VPN Client

Astrill is a VPN service application that helps users break through network restrictions and access international websites. Foreign tourists can use it to connect to common platforms such as Facebook and Google when travelling in China to keep in touch with family and friends. The application provides multiple server nodes to choose from, and the network speed is relatively stable, which is suitable for business travellers who need to handle work emails or use foreign social media. However, VPN services are strictly regulated by laws in China, and you must pay attention to comply with local regulations when using them. The connection may be unstable during certain periods of time.

China Social Apps

WeChat (微信)

WeChat is China's most mainstream social application, integrating chat, payment, and mini-programs. Foreign tourists can communicate with locals through WeChat's translation function, and use mini-programs to find nearby restaurants, call taxis, or buy tickets for attractions. Although the interface is available in English, some functions such as Moments and public account content are still mainly in Chinese, and may require the assistance of translation tools. In addition, the WeChat payment function requires binding an international card or a Chinese bank card to fully use it.

rednote (小红书)

This emerging social note-taking application allows users to share travel experiences and local life tips. Foreign tourists can discover niche attractions and authentic food recommendations here, and get intuitive travel inspiration through pictures and short videos. The application supports English, which is convenient for international users to communicate. In recent years, many foreign users have downloaded Xiaohongshu, posted their own notes, and communicated with Chinese netizens in English in the comment section.

China Travel Apps FAQs

What are the best Chinese hotel booking apps?
Popular choices include Trip.com (English), Ctrip (携程), Meituan (美团), and Qunar (去哪儿) for finding and booking accommodation across China.

What apps are allowed to use in China?
Mainland-approved apps like WeChat, Alipay, Didi, and Meituan work best, while many international apps (Google, Facebook etc.) require VPN access.

Which apps are most commonly used in China?
Essential apps include WeChat (multi-function), Alipay (payment), Didi (transportation) and Meituan (restaurant/takeout).

What's the best China public transport app?
Amap (高德地图) and Baidu Maps offer comprehensive public transit routing, while Metro Man provides subway-specific navigation.

Are there any English navigation apps that can be used in China?
Apple Maps works fine, Amap has an English version, and Google Maps (requires VPN) or Maps.me (offline) can be used as a supplement to the Chinese map app.

Where can I download China app APKs safely?
Official app stores (Apple App Store, Huawei AppGallery) or trusted third-party stores like APKPure for Android users.

China Travel Guide