China

What can travelers expect in China?

Beijing shows off the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, Shanghai the contrast between colonial architecture on the Bund and skyscrapers in Pudong, Xi'an the Terracotta Army built as a burial offering for the first emperor, and Guilin the cone-shaped karst mountains along the Li River. Domestic flights of 1.5 to just over 3 hours connect the cities.

This page summarizes regions, the best time to visit, entry requirements (as of September 2026), health matters, and the advisories from the relevant foreign ministries.

Sources: Auswärtiges Amt · FlightConnections

What is China like as a travel destination?

The four stops on an eastern China route differ markedly in character: Beijing is the political and historical center, with wide boulevards and imperial complexes; Shanghai is a global financial hub with Art Deco facades and skyscrapers; Xi'an is a former imperial capital and starting point of the Silk Road, with a Muslim-influenced old town; Guilin is a rural region of rice terraces and karst peaks.

Internet services such as Google, WhatsApp and many Western news sites are blocked; travelers who want to use them need a VPN set up before entering the country, though its reliability varies. Widely used local alternatives include WeChat for communication, Baidu Maps or Amap for navigation, and Didi for taxis.

The busiest travel period is the Golden Week holiday around the National Day, during which, according to state authorities, hundreds of millions of people are on the move within China; train tickets sell out within minutes and hotel prices in popular cities can multiply.

Which cities are worth visiting on a China tour?

Beijing

The capital sits at roughly 44 m above sea level in northern China and was the seat of the Ming and Qing emperors. The Forbidden City at its center comprises more than 70 palaces and over 9,000 rooms and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987; Tiananmen Square adjoins it directly to the south.

About 70 km northwest lies the Badaling section of the wall, reachable in 1 to 1.5 hours by car and the most-visited stretch of the Great Wall; quieter but similarly distant, with steeper stairs, is Mutianyu in the northeast of the city, for which 1.5 to about 2.5 hours by car should be budgeted depending on traffic.

Further highlights include the Summer Palace on Kunming Lake, the Temple of Heaven, where emperors prayed for good harvests, and the hutong alley districts around the Drum and Bell Towers, best explored by bicycle rickshaw or on foot.

Shanghai

Shanghai sits near sea level at the mouth of the Yangtze and, with well over 20 million residents, is one of the largest cities in the world. On the Bund, the former colonial-era waterfront promenade, stand bank buildings from the 1920s, while on the opposite Pudong side skyscrapers such as the Shanghai Tower and the Oriental Pearl Tower line the Huangpu River.

In the old town lies the Ming-dynasty Yu Garden, with ponds, pavilions and zigzag bridges, surrounded by the bustling Yuyuan bazaar district. The French Concession, with its plane-tree-lined streets, boutiques and cafés, shows a quieter, more European side of Shanghai.

Xi'an

Xi'an sits at roughly 405 m above sea level in inland China and, under the name Chang'an, was China's capital across several dynasties as well as the starting point of the Silk Road. The fully preserved Ming-era city wall can be walked or cycled around its roughly 14 km length.

About 40 km east of the city lies the Terracotta Army, discovered by chance by farmers in 1974: more than 8,000 life-size terracotta soldiers, horses and chariots created to protect the first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, in the afterlife, of which around 2,000 have so far been excavated.

In the Muslim Quarter around the Great Mosque, one of the oldest in China, food stalls run by the Hui minority serve hand-pulled Biang Biang noodles and lamb flatbread; in the evening, Beiyuanmen Street turns into a bustling street-food market.

Guilin

Guilin sits at roughly 153 m above sea level in the southern province of Guangxi and is the starting point for the karst landscape along the Li River. The roughly 5- to 6-hour river cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo passes hundreds of cone-shaped limestone peaks, the same ones depicted on the 20-yuan banknote.

Yangshuo itself is a smaller town surrounded by rice terraces, caves and cycling routes; West Street, with its cafés and climbing outfitters, is the starting point for bamboo raft trips, bike tours and climbing excursions into the karst cliffs.

Sources: UNESCO World Heritage Centre · Wikipedia · Asia Odyssey Travel · China Discovery

When is the best time to visit China?

Beijing and Xi'an: continental climate

Average daily highs and lows, and monthly rainfall. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station BEIJING - CAPITAL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (25 km, 35 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station JINGHE (19 km, 411 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020.

In Beijing, daytime highs climb above 32°C in July amid high humidity, while the winter months of December to February bring dry, cold conditions with highs around 3 to 6°C and lows well below freezing. Xi'an follows a similar annual pattern, with somewhat milder winters thanks to its more sheltered location in the Guanzhong Basin.

Shanghai and Guilin: humid subtropical climate

Average daily highs and lows, and monthly rainfall. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station HONGQIAO INTL (13 km, 3 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station LIANGJIANG (27 km, 174 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020.

Shanghai is muggy and warm from June to September, with highs around 30 to 32°C and the most rain in June and July (the Meiyu rainy season); from August to October, the tail ends of typhoons can occasionally bring heavy rain. Guilin sees its highest rainfall in May and June, when the Li River carries more silt and boat trips look murkier; the winter months are cooler and noticeably drier.

Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · TravelChinaGuide

What do you need to enter China?

• Switzerland, Germany, Austria: visa-free for up to 30 days on arrival by air, sea or land, for tourism, business, visiting relatives, cultural and academic exchange, and transit; the passport must be valid for the entire length of stay.
• Digital arrival card: mandatory for all entrants since November 20, 2025, to be filled out online or via app before arrival; it replaces the earlier paper card.
• Local registration: foreign nationals must register with the local police (Public Security Bureau) within 24 hours of arrival, which hotels usually handle automatically at check-in.
• 240-hour visa-free transit: independent of the 30-day rule, travelers from around 55 countries, including Switzerland, Germany and Austria, may transit through certain airports such as Beijing or Shanghai to a third country for up to 240 hours without a visa, provided they hold a confirmed onward ticket.
• Other nationalities: different rules apply; the current visa list is authoritative, and Chinese embassies and consulates provide guidance.

For stays longer than 30 days or for other purposes, such as work or study, a visa from a Chinese visa application center remains necessary, which typically takes several business days to process.

Sources: Auswärtiges Amt · Bundesministerium für europäische und internationale Angelegenheiten (BMEIA) · Eidgenössisches Departement für auswärtige Angelegenheiten EDA · Beijing Municipal Government

What vaccinations and health precautions does China require?

Avian influenza occurs in parts of China; healthytravel.ch advises avoiding poultry and bird markets as well as contact with live or dead poultry, and not bringing poultry products into the country.

Tap water should not be drunk; bottled or boiled water is available everywhere. In larger cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Xi'an, medical care is good, often private, quality; rural areas around Guilin are more basically equipped.

Travel and repatriation insurance is advisable, since many clinics require payment upfront from foreign patients. Air conditioning on trains and buses is often set quite cold, so a sweater is useful for long-distance journeys.

Sources: healthytravel.ch, Swiss Expert Committee for Travel Medicine · Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

How safe is China for travelers?

The Auswärtiges Amt notes that exit bans against foreign nationals can be imposed, for example in connection with civil or criminal proceedings; such cases are rare but not ruled out. Travelers should avoid demonstrations of any kind.

Public transport is subject to security checks similar to those at airports; liquids beyond typical household quantities, lighters and fireworks are prohibited at train and subway checkpoints.

Sources: Eidgenössisches Departement für auswärtige Angelegenheiten EDA · Auswärtiges Amt

How do you get to China and travel around the country?

Shanghai has year-round nonstop connections from several European hubs, including Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Geneva, Paris, Amsterdam, London, Madrid, Rome and Milan, operated among others by China Eastern, Air China, Lufthansa and Swiss; Air China and Hainan Airlines fly to Beijing from numerous countries, likewise with nonstop options from major European hubs. From North America, Australia and the Middle East, additional nonstop or connecting flights exist, often via hubs such as Doha or Dubai.

Within China, a dense high-speed rail network complements the flight connections, especially between Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai; for the long distance south to Guilin, flying is usually more practical. Taxis and the ride-hailing app Didi work reliably in all four cities, with payment mostly running through Alipay or WeChat Pay.

Sources: FlightConnections · Asia Odyssey Travel

What money do you need in China and how do you pay?

Setting one up requires only a valid passport, an international credit or debit card, and a home-country mobile number that can receive SMS codes; it's worth installing the app before departure. As a backup, it's advisable to also carry some cash and a physical card for hotels.

ATMs at major banks such as Bank of China or ICBC accept international cards and display a corresponding symbol; your own bank's withdrawal fees usually come on top of a local fee.

Tipping is uncommon in China and is normally neither expected nor accepted in restaurants, taxis or with guides; the main exceptions are some international hotels and organized tours.

Sources: Roam China Travel

Where is best to stay in China?

International hotel chains are present in all four cities, from mid-range to five-star level; alongside them, boutique hotels in restored courtyard houses have increasingly established themselves in old-town districts, for example in Beijing's hutongs or Xi'an's old town.

In Yangshuo near Guilin, the range spans simple guesthouses with karst views to resorts along the river; travelers seeking quiet stay away from the busy West Street.

What do people eat in China?

Street-food lanes such as the Muslim Quarter in Xi'an or the night markets in Shanghai's old town are a fixed part of the travel itinerary; hygiene standards at busy stalls with high turnover are generally considered less of a concern than at empty ones.

Larger restaurants usually have a menu with photos or an English translation; in smaller establishments, a photo of the characters or a translation app helps. Vegetarian dishes are common in Buddhist-influenced restaurants, but elsewhere are less often clearly labeled.

Green and oolong tea accompany practically every meal; beer is widespread nationwide, while baijiu, a strong grain spirit, is part of business and family occasions.

What culture and festivals shape China?

Business cards are presented and received with both hands, and a slight nod rather than a firm handshake is customary in business settings. Gifts in sets of four are considered unlucky, since the number four sounds like the word for death.

China's calligraphy, traditional painting and Peking opera can be experienced live in cultural centers and theaters in the major cities; in Xi'an, shadow-puppet and Tang-dynasty dance performances round out the evening program.

Direct criticism of the government or of politically sensitive topics such as Taiwan, Tibet or Xinjiang should be avoided in conversation with locals; this is less a matter of politeness than of legal risk.

What experiences are worth having in China?

Beijing

An early start to the Great Wall pays off, avoiding the biggest crowds around midday; Mutianyu offers a chairlift up and a toboggan run down, while Badaling is the easiest to reach without your own vehicle, by train or bus.

Xi'an

The Terracotta Army's opening hours vary by season, running longer during peak season from mid-March to mid-November than in winter; Pit 1, with the largest continuous row of warriors, is the most impressive of the three excavation areas. In the evening, a walk along the illuminated city wall or a bike ride around its top is worthwhile.

Guilin and Yangshuo

The classic river cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo takes roughly 5 to 6 hours by boat and passes hundreds of karst peaks along the banks; travelers with more time can cycle or hike through the rice terraces and villages around Yangshuo instead, saving the cost of the boat.

Shanghai

An evening stroll along the Bund with a view of the illuminated Pudong skyline is a must; during the day, a walk through the French Concession combines cafés, boutiques and colonial architecture with the bustling bazaar district around Yu Garden.

Sources: Asia Odyssey Travel · Wikipedia · China Discovery

How can you travel responsibly in China?

• Choose less crowded sections of the wall, such as Mutianyu or Jinshanling, over the most-visited Badaling.
• Avoid Golden Week (October 1–7) and Chinese New Year for your route, both because of the crowds and because of high prices.
• Avoid single-use plastic; refill bottled water into reusable bottles where hotels offer water stations.
• Handle culturally sensitive topics such as Tibet, Xinjiang and Taiwan with restraint when talking with locals.

Sources: TravelChinaGuide

Which countries pair well with China?

Several daily nonstop flights, mostly under 3.5 hours, connect Beijing and Shanghai to Tokyo or Osaka in Japan and to Seoul in South Korea. Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia is reachable from Beijing in around 2 hours.

For Hong Kong, non-EU citizens usually need no additional visa beyond the China arrangement, since the special administrative region has its own entry rules; a side trip fits well onto a Guilin or Shanghai leg.

Who is China a good fit for, and who might it suit less?

Families benefit from short domestic flights and kid-friendly attractions such as the Terracotta Army or the toboggan runs at the Great Wall; those traveling with small children should build in enough buffer time for the long distances between cities.

Travelers needing strict vegan or allergen-free diets should expect extra communication effort, since ingredient lists are rarely detailed. Solo travelers who want to get by without a VPN and without setting up Alipay/WeChat will quickly run into limits in everyday life.

Worth combining

• Japan
• South Korea
• Mongolia
• Vietnam