Visas and entry
China’s visa and visa-free entry rules depend on your nationality, the port you use and whether you are transiting to a third country. They have changed several times in recent years. Check the nearest Chinese embassy or consulate and your airline’s Timatic screen before you book anything non-refundable — not a friend’s experience from last summer.
If you are using a visa-free transit policy, the clock, the permitted area and the onward-ticket rules are strict. Chengdu Tianfu (TFU) and Shuangliu (CTU) are international gateways, but eligibility is not automatic. Carry a printed hotel booking, a return or onward ticket and the same passport you used to book. Hotels register foreign guests; if you stay in a private home, ask your host about local police registration.
- Passport valid for at least six months
- Check embassy rules and Timatic before booking
- Carry hotel addresses in Chinese
- Keep a digital and paper copy of your visa or entry stamp
Money and mobile payments
Chengdu is close to cashless, but “cashless” usually means Alipay or WeChat Pay, not a foreign credit card. Both apps can link an international Visa or Mastercard; set them up before you fly, complete the identity check, and test a small payment. Some foreign-card transactions carry a fee, and not every small vendor accepts cards directly.
Carry a few hundred yuan in cash for markets, buses, small tea houses and the occasional dead phone. ATMs at bank branches are more reliable than standalone machines. Hotels and larger restaurants accept cards, but many family restaurants expect a QR code. Tipping is not customary; a sincere thank-you, or a modest tip for a private driver or guide, is appreciated.
- Alipay or WeChat Pay — link a card before departure
- A few hundred yuan in cash — useful backup
- Tell your bank you are travelling
- Keep the payment QR screens in English if possible
“The best trips here are not built from a checklist. They come from a long lunch, a wrong turn, a guide who knows which gate to use.”
Phones, maps and apps
Some international apps and websites are not directly accessible on local networks. Decide before you fly whether you need an international roaming eSIM or a local SIM. A local SIM requires your passport and is cheap, but it routes through local networks; an international roaming eSIM keeps your usual services but costs more. Do not rely on unlicensed tools or advice from a stranger.
Download offline maps, a translation app and a screenshot of your hotel address in Chinese. Google Maps is unreliable in China; Amap (Gaode) and Baidu Maps are the local standards, with English support improving. Didi works in Chengdu and larger towns; in remote areas, a hotel-arranged driver is simpler. Save your passport photo and insurance details offline.
Trains, tickets and passports
Your passport is your train ticket. Book on 12306 (the official railway app, with an English interface) or a reputable agency, and carry the same passport to the gate. Tickets usually go on sale about 15 days ahead; popular routes and holidays sell out. The station name matters: Chengdu East is not Chengdu South.
Major attractions increasingly use real-name timed entry. Jiuzhaigou, Huanglong, the panda base, Leshan and Emei all have official booking channels; buy there rather than from a reseller, and carry the passport you booked with. If a site requires a shuttle or cable car, treat it as a separate ticket and check the last departure time before you start walking.
Health, insurance and packing
Travel insurance should cover medical care, evacuation and the activities you actually plan to do — hiking, horse riding, high-altitude walking. Chengdu has good international clinics; beyond Kangding, serious care means a drive or a flight. Carry prescription medicine in its original packaging, a basic first-aid kit and any altitude medication your doctor has recommended.
Tap water is not for drinking; bottled or boiled water is normal. Pack layers rather than one heavy coat: Sichuan can be humid in the basin and cold on the plateau in the same week. Bring broken-in shoes, rain protection, sun protection, a power bank, a universal adapter (China uses 220V, types A and I) and tissues for mountain toilets. Leave room for tea.
If something goes wrong
Emergency numbers are 110 for police, 120 for an ambulance and 119 for fire. English-speaking help is not guaranteed; a hotel desk, guide or translation app is useful. Keep your embassy or consulate number saved offline, along with your insurer’s assistance line.
Weather, road closures and altitude are the three things most likely to change a Sichuan itinerary. Build in a buffer, especially on the road to Jiuzhaigou, Yading or the Kham plateau, and listen to local advice rather than forcing the plan. The province rewards flexibility.
Sort your entry rules, payment apps and train tickets before you fly; leave the rest of the plan room to breathe.
