Shanghai Essentials: Payments, Maps, eSIM and Setup

Set up Alipay 设置支付宝

• Before you fly
• No Chinese bank needed
• Passport verification
• Test after landing

A foreign phone number and eligible international card can work. Finish identity and card verification before departure; test with a small merchant purchase only after landing.

A linked card can pay eligible merchants but does not turn into a local balance. If payment fails, record the exact error, check the selected card and contact the issuer before retrying.

1. Pack / prepare: Keep your passport, SMS-capable home number and card issuer verification method available; tell the issuer you will use the card in China.
2. On your phone: Install Alipay, register with your own number, complete Identity Verification, then open Bank Cards and add one eligible international card. Follow the labels shown in your version.
3. In person: At the first staffed shop, buy something small. Tap Pay if the cashier scans your code, or Scan for the merchant QR; verify merchant and amount before confirming.

Address to show

我的支付宝不能付款，请帮我看一下。

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Before departure

Official resource: Official foreign-visitor payment guide — Updated July 24, 2026; use the linked current Alipay tutorial and recheck fees or limits before a large payment.

Set up Weixin Pay 设置微信支付

• Before you fly
• Second payment rail
• Merchant payments
• Foreign card limits

Set up Weixin Pay only after one primary payment route works. It is useful as an independent merchant-payment backup, but foreign-card accounts may not support transfers, red packets or balance top-ups.

A card showing as linked is not proof every merchant will accept it. Complete identity verification, use a different card if possible and keep Alipay or cash ready.

1. Pack / prepare: Keep your passport, SMS-capable number and issuer verification available. Choose a different card from Alipay if you want a genuinely separate backup.
2. On your phone: Open Me → Services or Pay and Services → Wallet → Cards → Add a Card, then complete the identity and card prompts shown for your account.
3. In person: Make one small merchant purchase after arrival. If it fails, save the error and switch payment methods instead of repeatedly resubmitting.

Address to show

我的微信支付不能付款，请帮我看一下。

Fits

Before departure

Official resource: Official Weixin Pay international-card guide — Tencent explains international-card setup and the distinction between merchant payments and other wallet functions.

Choose roaming, eSIM or a local SIM 网络方案

• Before you fly
• Data route
• SMS route
• Access rules vary

Choose two separate capabilities: data that works immediately and a number that can receive bank or app security texts. A travel eSIM is often data-only.

Whether an eSIM routes traffic outside mainland China, includes calls or reaches particular services depends on the plan. Many travel eSIMs route through a foreign carrier, so foreign apps and sites may work without a separate VPN — but read the provider’s current terms rather than assuming “China eSIM” answers all three. Download an offline Chinese–English translation pack before departure so translation keeps working without any network.

1. On your phone: Confirm the phone is unlocked; compare roaming/eSIM plans for data routing, tethering, calls and SMS—not just gigabytes. Install before departure without deleting the activation code.
2. Pack / prepare: Keep the home SIM and its roaming settings available for security texts. Screenshot the hotel’s Chinese address, booking and Wi-Fi instructions.
3. In person: After landing, load one local map and send one message. If you need a mainland number, take your passport to an official carrier store and test data, calls and SMS before leaving.

Address to show

我想办一张SIM卡。

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Before departure

Official resource: Official Shanghai SIM walkthrough — The official process requires passport real-name registration for a local SIM.

Power, plugs & power banks 充电与移动电源

• Before you fly
• 220V input
• Carry-on only
• CCC for domestic flights

Most modern phone and laptop chargers accept 100–240V, but check the printed input label. Plug shape and voltage are separate questions.

Power banks cannot go in checked baggage. For a mainland domestic flight, check the current CCC mark, recall status and airline capacity rules; a foreign CE mark is not a substitute.

1. Pack / prepare: Read each charger label for 100–240V input and pack the physical adapter needed for your plug. Bring one known-good cable.
2. Pack / prepare: Keep the power bank in cabin baggage. Before any mainland domestic flight, verify a clear CCC mark, readable capacity and no applicable recall.
3. In person: At security, place the power bank where it is easy to inspect and follow the airline’s current use rules. Do not rely on a rental bank as your only power source.

Address to show

请问，这里可以充电吗？

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Before departure

Official resource: Official power-bank flight check — Official Shanghai summary of current CAAC domestic-flight checks.

Confirm accommodation registration 酒店、民宿与住宿登记

• On arrival
• Hotel handles it
• Private stay within 24h
• Save proof

A hotel normally registers you when it scans your passport. At a private home or non-hotel stay, the host or guest must complete registration within 24 hours of check-in.

Registration follows the place you actually stay. Do not assume a booking platform has submitted it; save the accepted record or use the nearest police service window if self-service fails.

1. In person: At a hotel, present the passport used to enter China and ask reception to confirm foreign-guest registration is complete.
2. In person: At a private or non-hotel stay, ask the host to complete registration with you within 24 hours and provide the exact address and host information required.
3. On your phone: Use Shanghai’s official accommodation-registration service, review passport and address data, submit and save the accepted record. If rejected, go with the host to a police service window.

Address to show

我需要办理住宿登记，请帮我一起完成。

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At every check-in

Official resource: Official accommodation-registration service — Current Shanghai rules and online/in-person registration routes.

Maps & Chinese addresses 地图与中文地址

• On arrival
• Amap multilingual
• Search Chinese names
• Save exact entrances

Use Amap for current walking, public-transport and pickup routing; Apple Maps is a usable fallback on iPhone. Keep the Chinese name and street address because English searches can return the wrong branch.

Google Maps may load through some connections but place data and routing can be incomplete or offset. For hotels, malls and stations, verify the entrance or exit—not only the center pin.

1. On your phone: Install the current Amap before departure, choose your language and save the hotel plus tomorrow’s first stop using their Chinese names.
2. In person: After landing, open the hotel pin, compare it with the written Chinese address and ask staff to mark the correct entrance and DiDi pickup point.
3. On your phone: For every trip, check walking route, metro exit or curbside pickup separately. Screenshot the final Chinese destination before leaving Wi-Fi.

Address to show

请帮我在地图上标出入口。

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First 30 minutes

Official resource: Official multilingual Amap guide — July 2026 guide to multilingual search, saved hotels, navigation, local recommendations and emergency information.

Foreign cards, ATMs & cash 外卡、ATM 与现金

• On arrival
• Match network logos
• Choose RMB carefully
• Keep the receipt

Direct card acceptance is strongest where the checkout displays your network logo. For cash, use a bank ATM that shows the same logo as your card.

Your issuer and the ATM can each charge fees or impose limits. Read the entire currency-conversion screen; if the result is unclear or the card is retained, stop and contact both banks.

1. On your phone: Enable overseas transactions, confirm the PIN and withdrawal limit, and save the issuer’s international support number before using an ATM.
2. In person: Use a bank ATM displaying your card network. Choose RMB, read every fee and conversion screen, and cancel anything you do not understand.
3. In person: Take card, cash and receipt before moving away. If the card is retained or no cash appears, photograph the ATM details and call its bank plus your issuer.

Address to show

请问，这台ATM可以用外国卡吗？

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On arrival

Official resource: Official card and cash guide — Current official guidance on acceptance logos, ATMs and currency exchange.

Shanghai Metro: first ride 上海地铁：第一次乘车

• Getting around
• Tap foreign card
• Same card out
• Staffed fallback

The simplest first attempt is Tap to Ride with one eligible contactless card. Use that same physical card or device to exit.

A transport QR is useful for frequent rides but not required for the first one. If tapping fails, buy a same-day single ticket at the staffed service center with an international card.

1. On your phone: Save the destination’s Chinese station name, line number, final-station direction and exit number before entering.
2. In person: Tap one eligible contactless card once at entry and the exact same card or device at exit. Follow line numbers and final-station names, not compass direction.
3. In person: If rejected, stop tapping different cards and ask the service center for a single ticket. If already inside, show staff the card or ticket used to enter.

Address to show

请问，我可以用外国银行卡买地铁票吗？

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First metro ride

Official resource: Official Shanghai Metro guide — Updated June 29, 2026 with Tap to Ride, staffed ticket sales and QR options.

Your first DiDi ride 第一次叫 DiDi

• Getting around
• Foreign number can work
• Pin the pickup
• Check plate + phone digits

Use DiDi’s international interface or the service inside Alipay. The difficult part is usually the pickup pin, not entering the destination.

Drivers may ask for the last four digits of the registered phone number. Watch in-app messages, verify the plate and resolve toll or parking adjustments inside the same order.

1. On your phone: Open DiDi or Alipay’s DiDi service, confirm the registered phone number and payment method, then paste the destination’s Chinese name.
2. In person: Move to a legal, visible pickup point before ordering. Compare the map pin with the street, then check car model and full plate before boarding.
3. In person: Give the last four phone-number digits if asked, follow the trip in-app and review the final fare before paying. Keep the order if you need support or left property behind.

Address to show

请问，您在上车点吗？

Fits

First ride

Official resource: Official DiDi walkthrough — Official screen-by-screen guide covering language, pickup, plate check, messages and payment.

Choose your Shanghai base 选择上海住宿区域

• Before you fly
• Exact pin beats district
• Metro exit matters
• Match the trip you want

For classic sights and simple transfers, start around People’s Square; for cafés and walking, compare Jing’an Temple or the plane-tree streets; choose the Bund for a specific view and Lujiazui for Pudong business or venues.

District names cover large areas. A hotel marketed as “Jing’an”, “Bund” or “French Concession” may be far from the part you imagine. Exact entrance, room orientation and late-night route matter more.

1. On your phone: Pin your three fixed sights, airport or station and evening plans. Shortlist two areas that reduce repeated cross-river or cross-city trips.
2. On your phone: Route from each exact hotel entrance to a useful metro exit; then check recent reviews for noise, lift access, air-conditioning and the room type’s real view.
3. In person: At check-in, confirm registration and ask staff to mark the correct entrance, nearest lift-equipped metro exit and DiDi pickup point. Save the Chinese address offline.

Address to show

请问，酒店离地铁站步行多久？

Fits

Before booking

Restaurant ordering, allergies & tipping 餐厅点单、过敏与小费

• On arrival
• Correct branch
• Written allergy
• No routine tip

Restaurants may use a paper menu, table QR or server; follow the venue rather than forcing one method. Tipping is not normally expected.

For a serious allergy, show written Chinese before ordering and ask staff to confirm with the kitchen; translation alone cannot guarantee cross-contact safety. Check table number and total before paying.

1. On your phone: Save the correct branch and queue method. Prepare a Chinese allergy card naming the ingredient, reaction risk and cross-contact concern.
2. In person: At the entrance, confirm party size and wait time. Before ordering, show the allergy card and ask staff to confirm with the kitchen.
3. In person: Order through the method staff indicate, then verify table and amount at checkout. Do not add a tip unless you deliberately choose to; check any listed service charge instead.

Address to show

我对花生过敏，请帮我和厨房确认。

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Every meal

Temple etiquette 寺庙礼仪

• On arrival
• Active place of worship
• Follow posted rules
• Ask before photos

A temple is an active religious space, not a costume set. There is no single photography rule for every hall, so signs and staff at that temple decide.

You do not need to imitate worship. Keep out of prayer lines, do not touch ritual objects and do not photograph worshippers closely without permission.

1. On your phone: Check current opening or reservation notices and save the temple’s Chinese name plus “请问，这里可以拍照吗？”
2. In person: At the entrance, dress and speak respectfully, read the photo and incense signs, and let worshippers approach halls first.
3. In person: Inside, stand clear of prayer lines, never touch ritual objects and ask before close portraits. If a sign or staff member says no photography, put the phone away.

Address to show

请问，这里可以拍照吗？

Fits

At temples

Phone dead or missing 手机没电或丢失

• Problems
• Hotel as base
• Lock first
• Keep offline address

First work out whether the battery is flat or the phone is missing. A staffed hotel, station or shop is safer than borrowing a stranger’s phone for payment recovery.

If missing, protect the device, SIM and payment accounts before retracing every step. Never sign in to a wallet on a stranger’s device or scan an unknown recovery QR.

1. In person: Go to your hotel or another staffed place, show the saved Chinese address and ask for a charger so you can separate a dead battery from a missing phone.
2. On your phone: From a trusted device or browser, mark or lock the phone, then contact the carrier and card issuers to protect the number and payment access.
3. In person: Give staff the last known place and time plus a callback number. Use the DiDi order for lost property or call 110 for theft; use your separate card or cash to return.

Address to show

我的手机丢了，请帮我打这个号码。

Fits

Problems

Medical help 紧急就医

• Problems
• 120 emergency
• Location first
• Insurance + payment

Call 120 for a medical emergency. Start with the exact location, then symptoms, consciousness and callback number; ask hotel or venue staff to call if language is slowing you down.

Visitors may be asked for payment at the hospital. Carry insurer contact, medication list and a card when immediately available, but never delay the emergency call to collect documents.

1. On your phone: Call 120, or show staff the Chinese help phrase. Give the full address or nearest landmark before describing the condition.
2. In person: State the main symptoms, whether the person is conscious, what happened and a callback number. Send someone to meet the ambulance if possible.
3. Pack / prepare: Take regular medicines or a medication list, passport copy, insurer contact and payment method only if immediately available. Do not delay urgent care.

Address to show

我不舒服，需要去医院。请帮我打120。

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Emergency

Official resource: Official Shanghai emergency guide — Official steps for 110, 119 and 120 and the information dispatchers need.

Lost passport 护照丢失

• Problems
• Report
• Consulate
• Exit-entry follow-up

Treat a lost passport as a three-agency process: police or exit-entry loss report, your consulate’s replacement document, then Chinese exit-entry formalities.

Your consulate replaces the travel document; it does not automatically replace your Chinese visa or entry record. Update accommodation details when the new passport number is issued.

1. In person: Report the loss promptly and obtain the official loss report. Keep any copy of the passport, entry stamp, visa and police case details.
2. On your phone: Contact your country’s consulate in Shanghai and follow its current replacement or emergency-document appointment instructions.
3. In person: Take the replacement document and loss report to Shanghai Exit-Entry Administration for the required stay or exit formalities, then update accommodation registration with the new number.

Address to show

我的护照丢了，需要办理遗失证明。

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Emergency

Official resource: Official lost-passport procedure — Shanghai’s official sequence: loss report, consulate replacement and exit-entry follow-up.

Wallet or bank card lost 钱包或银行卡丢失

• Problems
• Freeze first
• Preserve transactions
• Use separate backup

Freeze or lock missing cards before searching for the wallet. Then review recent authorizations and move daily spending to a backup kept in another place.

Removing a card from a wallet app is not the same as freezing the physical card with its issuer. Keep case numbers and transaction screenshots for disputes and insurance.

1. On your phone: Use the issuer app or international number to freeze every missing card, then screenshot recent pending and completed transactions.
2. On your phone: Remove or suspend affected cards in Alipay and Weixin Pay without deleting the whole account; switch to the separately stored card or cash.
3. In person: Ask the last venue and hotel lost-and-found, then call 110 if stolen. Record issuer, police and insurance case numbers in one place.

Address to show

我的银行卡丢了，需要挂失。

Fits

Problems

Payment failed or charged twice 支付失败或重复扣款

• Problems
• Check status
• Do not rapid-retry
• Keep order IDs

A red error on one screen does not always prove no authorization exists. Check both the merchant order and card/wallet transaction status before paying again.

If the result is pending or duplicated, use a different method for any new purchase and keep the merchant name, time, amount and order ID. Disputes need evidence from both merchant and issuer.

1. On your phone: Open the wallet transaction and bank app; compare merchant, amount, time and status. Screenshot the exact error and order number.
2. In person: Ask the cashier to check the merchant order before you retry. If unpaid, use a different method once and keep both receipts.
3. On your phone: For a duplicate or unresolved pending charge, contact the merchant first, then wallet support and card issuer with the same evidence. Do not delete the transaction history.

Address to show

这笔支付状态不清楚，请先帮我查订单。

Fits

Problems

Official resource: Official visitor payment guide — Use the current wallet support links and payment hotlines listed in the official guide.

Police or theft 报警与盗窃

• Problems
• Safety first
• Call 110
• Get a case record

Move somewhere safe before protecting property. Call 110 with location, time, what happened, suspect details if known and a callback number.

Shanghai 110 can provide foreign-language support. Ask how to obtain the case record or police report for your insurer, issuer or consulate.

1. In person: Move to a safe staffed place, do not confront anyone and ask the venue to preserve relevant receipts or camera footage.
2. On your phone: Call 110: give exact location first, then incident time, missing items or suspect description and a reachable callback number.
3. In person: Protect phones and cards, list missing property and ask the responding officer how to obtain the report or case record. Save it for every follow-up.

Address to show

我要报警，我的东西被偷了。

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Emergency

Official resource: Official Shanghai police-call guide — Official guidance on 110 language support and the details police need.

Closure, storm or missed train 闭馆、暴雨或误车

• Problems
• Confirm source
• Protect next leg
• Rebook in order

First decide what actually failed: the venue, local transport, your booked train or the weather. Check the operator or booking order rather than relying on a map listing.

Protect the next fixed item before filling the empty time. For a missed train, do not buy random duplicate tickets until station staff or the booking platform confirms the change/refund options for that order.

1. On your phone: Check the venue’s official account, Shanghai transport or weather notice, or the original train order. Screenshot cancellations and the booking rules shown.
2. In person: If already at a station or venue, ask staff what is operating and what the current ticket allows. Protect the next hotel, train or flight before choosing a substitute activity.
3. On your phone: Change or refund through the original booking channel when possible, save confirmation and choose a nearby indoor or flexible backup only after the next fixed leg is safe.

Address to show

我误车了，请问这张票可以改签吗？

Fits

Problems