Why can travelling in China be Complicated for foreigners?
China has a well-developed domestic tech ecosystem, but it can be challenging for foreign travellers to navigate—especially when it comes to payment methods. However, once you understand the ins and outs, you’ll find it an extremely convenient place to live and travel: from hailing a taxi to ordering late-night food or essentials, from asking someone to run errands to pre-ordering your bubble tea, almost all services are at your fingertips at a very affordable price. QR payments, powered by Alipay or WeChat Pay, speed up checkout whether you’re at a night market or an upmarket department store.
Many people prefer to travel independently rather than with tour groups, but it can be difficult
to adjust to a new set of apps and ways of life in a foreign country.
That's why we launched the China Concierge service.
We're here to answer some of the most common
questions about travelling in China, such as:
- Is my travel plan realistic?
- How do I get from A to B?
- How do I book high-speed train tickets?
- How to I make payments
- How do I book restaurants or other services (e.g. bubble tea or a spa)?
- How do I navigate without Google Maps?
Think of us as your local friend: for a one-off fee, we'll help you plan your trip to China, book essentials, and provide in-destination support.
What is the China concierge service?
Foreign travellers often follow the classic loop: Beijing - Xi'an - Chongqing/Chengdu - Shanghai. While this route offers many iconic sights,
its focus on mega-cities means missing out on much of the country's beautiful landscapes and incredible wildlife.
Our planning services include:
- Packaged national park & reserve tours , as well as customised route planning with transport options.
- Help you set up all the apps needed when travelling in China, such as:
- Payment apps (essential, especially if you plan to visit local food markets)
- Taxi-hailing apps
- Maps and navigation (Google Maps requires a VPN and is not always accurate, especially outside major cities)
- Food and essentials ordering (optional)
Plan
Book
Our in-destination support includes helping you book train tickets, restaurants, or other services. If you have any questions while in China, or need any assistance, we are just a text away.
How does it work?
Fees
We charge a one-off fee of £15 and a £50 deposit. The deposit covers any small expenses that may arise from your booking needs. If none is used, it will be refunded at the end of the trip or service period. We accept all major currencies and use real-time exchange rates. Please note that we reserve the right to charge extra for groups over 6 people.
Train booking
For train bookings, we require a 50% deposit upfront, with full payment due 48 hours after ticket purchase. For trains departing within 48 hours, full payment is required upfront. Please note that trains in China are real-name authenticated and linked to your passport. Therefore, if you would like us to book trains on your behalf, we will need your passport details. Some train tickets are not released until one month before the departure date.
Contact
When you are in China, you can reach us for any in-destiantion support via WhatsApp, WeChat, or iMessage.