First time in Shanghai? Start with practical setup.

Quick setup for first-time visitors. Install apps. Set up payment. Move around with less stress.

1) First Things First

  • Set roaming or eSIM before you fly.
  • Need help? Buy a local SIM at the airport.
  • Pack a power plug adapter and a power bank.
  • Install Google Translate offline.
An Android phone or iPhone is enough for almost all travel needs. Some foreign apps may not work well on local networks, so prepare a VPN and local app alternatives.

2) Plan your Travel

  • Amap Global logo Amap Global: similar to Google Maps or Apple Maps for routes.
  • Trip.com logo Trip.com: similar to Agoda or Tripadvisor for bookings.
Save routes and bookings in one app.

3) Mobile Payment

  • Alipay logo Alipay: similar to PayPal for QR or NFC payments.
  • WeChat Pay logo WeChat: the most widely used messaging app in China. WeChat Pay is built in for QR payments.
Apple Pay and credit cards are accepted, but not everywhere.