First 24 Hours in China — Free Printable Starter Pack

1 · Before you fly

Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a card in your own name. The name on the card must match your passport exactly, character for character — that mismatch is the most common reason a foreign card fails to bind. (Alipay guide · WeChat Pay guide)
Switch on overseas / China transactions in your own banking app before you leave. If your bank blocks the region, the first payment declines and looks like an app problem.
Plan your data. An eSIM or a physical SIM bought at the airport both work; the question is whether your phone supports eSIM and whether you need a local number for bookings. (SIM card guide)
Carry a backup payment. One physical card plus a little cash covers the cases where a QR payment fails.
Screenshot your hotel address in Chinese. Hand it to a driver instead of trying to pronounce it.

Rule	The number	Why it matters
Foreign-card payments to WeChat Pay / Alipay	No fee up to RMB 200. Above RMB 200, 3% of the whole amount.	A 300 RMB payment costs about 9 RMB, not 3 — the fee applies to the full amount, not just the excess. Above 200 RMB, tapping your physical card is usually cheaper.
ATM withdrawals with a foreign card	RMB 3,000 per withdrawal (Bank of China's published single-transaction limit)	Your own bank sets the daily and yearly limits and the fees on top. ATMs accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex and UnionPay.
Tax refund when you leave	11% or 8% depending on the goods' VAT rate · minimum RMB 200 in one tax-refund shop, same day	The rate follows the goods, not a flat percentage, and the refund agency deducts a handling fee.
Train tickets	Released 15 days ahead	On trunk routes around holidays they sell out within minutes — book the day they open, on 12306 itself.
Short stopovers	240-hour visa-free transit for eligible nationalities and ports	It is tied to the region your entry port allows — leaving that area breaks the permit.

Full sourcing for each of these (Bank of China, the central bank's cash policy, 12306, the refund scheme) is on the linked guide pages.

All 50 phrases, with audio and a printable list: 17talk.org/free. Practise them as flashcards without an account: 17talk.org/learn.

Your hotel front desk is your first stop — they can call, translate and write down what you need in Chinese.
Feeling unwell: pharmacies and hospitals, what to say, and what to bring — What to do if you get sick in China.
Card or app declined: switch to the physical card or cash, and check whether your bank blocked the region — cash guide.
A hotel says it cannot register foreign guests: that is not allowed — what the rules actually say.