How to Get a Chinese Phone Number

A Chinese phone number is essential for travel in China. You need one for restaurant reservations, food delivery, DiDi (Chinese Uber), Alipay payments, and many local services.

Why You Need a Chinese Number

Many tourists assume their foreign number will work. In practice, a huge number of services require a Chinese mobile number:

• Restaurant bookings — most reservation systems send SMS confirmation
• DiDi — China's ride-hailing app requires a phone number
• Alipay / WeChat Pay — mobile payment needs SMS verification
• Hotel Wi-Fi — many hotels send Wi-Fi codes by SMS
• Food delivery — Meituan and Ele.me require a Chinese number
• Attraction tickets — some parks and museums need a local number for booking

Without a Chinese number, you'll be relying on hotel staff for everything, which limits your freedom.

Option 1: Buy a Physical SIM Card

You can buy a SIM card from China Mobile, China Unicom or China Telecom at:

• Airport kiosks — available at major airports (Beijing, Shanghai)
• Official stores — located throughout cities, but staff often don't speak English
• Convenience stores — some carry SIM cards, but activation can be complicated

Pros: Works with all Chinese services Cons: Registration requires passport, queues can be long, staff may not speak English

Option 2: eSIM with Chinese Number

An eSIM is the most convenient option for tourists:

• No need to visit a store
• Includes a Chinese phone number
• 20GB of data for 30 days
• Works for WhatsApp, Google and Instagram (roaming bypasses firewall)
• Delivered to your hotel — just scan a QR code

Pros: Easy setup, no store visit, includes both data and phone number Cons: Requires an eSIM-compatible phone

Option 3: Roaming with Your Home SIM

Your home carrier may offer international roaming in China. This works for calls and texts, but:

• Your foreign number won't work for Chinese services that require a local number
• Good as a backup, but not a primary solution

Which Option Is Best?

Our Recommendation

For most tourists, an eSIM with a Chinese number is the best combination of convenience and functionality. You get data, a local number, and firewall-free internet in one package.

TripSim delivers eSIM and physical SIM cards directly to your hotel. 20GB data, 30 days, with a Chinese phone number.

Learn more in our China eSIM guide or compare VPN vs eSIM options.

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