Free from ROAM

The Troubleshooting Playbook

When something goes wrong in China, you don’t want to search five different websites for an answer. This free quick-reference guide gives you the practical fixes in one place.

Free download · No purchase required
Why it exists

Most travel problems aren’t big. They’re badly timed.

Your VPN stops working just when you need a map. Alipay refuses your card at the counter. Your eSIM won’t connect. Your DiDi driver is waiting somewhere you can’t find.

These are small problems — but when you’re standing in a Chinese city trying to solve one of them, they suddenly become the only thing that matters.

The Troubleshooting Playbook exists for that moment: a clear place to look, a practical sequence to follow, and less panic when something doesn’t work.

What it covers

Six problem areas. The fixes you need first.

The playbook focuses on the practical failures most likely to interrupt an independent trip.

01 Payments Alipay or WeChat Pay verification failures, rejected cards, frozen payments and common payment problems.
02 Internet VPN connection problems, apps that won’t load and situations where the VPN says connected but isn’t working.
03 Connectivity eSIM connection problems, missing signal and difficulties receiving the codes you need.
04 Transport DiDi pickup and payment issues, train-booking problems and common foreign-passport issues with 12306.
05 Navigation Getting around when your usual maps or translation tools aren’t available.
06 Emergencies Practical emergency information for situations such as losing your passport or needing medical assistance.
Inside the playbook

Built to be used quickly.

This isn’t a long travel essay. It is a quick-reference tool designed for the moment you need an answer.

Payments Troubleshoot verification and foreign-card problems.
VPN Work through the most common connection failures.
eSIM Check the settings and connection when your data disappears.
DiDi Resolve pickup, payment and verification problems.
12306 Practical guidance when train booking doesn’t go as expected.
Translation & Navigation What to do when your usual tools stop being useful.
Lost Passport Immediate steps and useful emergency information.
Medical Help Key emergency information to have available.
Quick Reference Designed to be scanned rather than read from beginning to end.
Get the free guide

Keep the fixes with you.

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