THE CHINESE DIGITAL KIT
The 19‑page survival guide for independent travellers in China – Alipay, WeChat Pay, VPNs, eSIMs, DiDi, 12306, and more.
Already buying a route pack? The Chinese Digital Kit comes included, free, with every ROAM route pack — you don’t need to buy it separately. This standalone listing is for travellers who already have their own itinerary sorted and just need the practical layer underneath it.
The Appendix That Makes Everything Else Work
A route pack tells you where to go and when. This tells you how — how to pay, how to get online, how to book trains, how to order food, and how to navigate a country where the digital infrastructure works completely differently from what you’re used to.
China blocks many of the apps you rely on every day. Once you land, it’s too late to download what you need. This guide is built to be read and set up before you fly.
Who It’s For
Anyone travelling independently in China — whether you’re using a ROAM route pack, your own itinerary, or a trip you’re still planning. If you’re not on a fully guided tour with a local operator handling payments and logistics for you, this is the guide that closes the gap.
What’s Inside — 9 Sections
- Alipay & WeChat Pay — step-by-step setup with a foreign card, no Chinese bank account required
- VPNs — NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, Astrill, and more. A compared, ranked list of what actually works in China in 2026, and what doesn’t
- eSIMs — Saily, Ubigi, Holafly, Airalo, Jetpac. Which providers bypass the firewall without a VPN, and which don’t
- 12306 — booking China’s national trains in English, passport verification included
- DiDi — China’s Uber, set up and ready before you land
- Metro QR codes — skip the ticket queue in every major city
- Food delivery & other useful apps — maps, translation, messaging, and more
- Quick reference — essential Chinese phrases and emergency numbers, ready to show without speaking
- Troubleshooting Playbook — the exact fix for the most common ways things go wrong: failed payments, VPN drops, DiDi verification issues, lost passports, and more
See a real page before you buy
Here’s the full Troubleshooting Playbook quick-reference table — free, no purchase required. See it here →