Your First 24 Hours
A step-by-step for landing day, from the fingerprint kiosk to your first bowl of noodles.
Photo: Siyuwj · CC BY 4.0
The first day is the one that goes wrong, usually because something that should have been done at home was left until arrival. If you have set up your payment apps and your connectivity before you fly — see those two guides — the rest of this is straightforward.
At the airport
- Fingerprint kioskBefore immigration, if you are aged 14–70. Scan your passport, place four fingers then the thumb, take the slip. Under a minute.
- Arrival cardHanded out on board or available in the hall. You need your first hotel's address — have it ready.
- ImmigrationForeign passports have their own lanes. If you are entering under the 240-hour transit scheme, look for the dedicated counter and have your onward third-country ticket open on your phone.
- Baggage and customsGreen channel unless you are declaring. Bags are usually X-rayed on the way out.
- ConnectivityYour eSIM should activate automatically. If you are buying a local SIM, the counters are in arrivals and need your passport.
- TransportHead for the metro or the official taxi rank. Ignore anyone who approaches you inside the terminal.
Getting into the city
| Airport | Best option | Time / cost |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing Capital (PEK) | Airport Express to Dongzhimen | 25 min, ¥25 |
| Beijing Daxing (PKX) | Daxing Airport Express | 30 min, ¥35 |
| Shanghai Pudong (PVG) | Maglev to Longyang Rd, then Metro 2; or Metro 2 direct | 8 min at 300 km/h, ¥50; or 60 min, ¥8 |
| Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) | Metro Line 2 or 10 | 30 min, ¥5 |
| Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN) | Metro Line 3 | 45 min, ¥8 |
| Chengdu Tianfu (TFU) | Metro Line 18 | 45 min, ¥10 |
| Xi'an Xianyang (XIY) | Airport metro line | 40 min, ¥16 |
| Hong Kong (HKG) | Airport Express to Central | 24 min, HK$115 |
The first-hour checklist
- Confirm your phone has data and that your payment app opens and shows a QR code
- Withdraw ¥500–1,000 from a bank ATM in arrivals as a cash backup
- Screenshot your hotel address in Chinese characters if you have not already
- Set your phone clock to Beijing time — the entire country runs on UTC+8, including Kashgar, 3,000 km west
- Check into your hotel with your passport so the police registration is done automatically
Beat the jet lag
China is 7–8 hours ahead of Western Europe and 12–13 ahead of the US East Coast. The standard advice applies and works: get outside into daylight on arrival day, stay up until at least 21:00 local, eat on local mealtimes, and do not nap for more than twenty minutes. Most people are functional by day two and fully adjusted by day three.
A good first evening
Pick something outdoors, walkable and undemanding — you will be tired and your booked sights need clear heads. In Beijing, walk Jingshan Park at sunset for the view over the Forbidden City's roofs, then eat in the hutongs. In Shanghai, the Bund after dark and a bowl of noodles. In Xi'an, cycle the city wall at golden hour and eat your way down the Muslim Quarter. In Chengdu, a teahouse in People's Park and then hotpot.