# China eSIM — Instant Data from $3.00/GB Jetogo eSIM data plans for China (ISO CN). ## Pricing - Price per GB: $3.00 - Pricing tier: 3 - Live price per GB (eSIMAccess-cached): $3.00 ### Estimated cost by usage - Light traveler (2 GB): $6.00 - Average traveler (6 GB): $18.00 - Heavy traveler (15 GB): $45.00 ## Network & carriers - China Mobile — 5G - China Telecom — 4G - China Unicom — 5G - Data exit route: United Kingdom — this is where your data traffic breaks out to the internet; it does not affect coverage or speed in-country. - Hotspot/tethering: unlimited. Speed limit: none. Activation: instant, auto-connects on arrival. ## Major cities - Beijing — local time 2026-08-25T13:12:05+08:00, sunrise 2026-08-24T21:35:14.791Z / sunset 2026-08-25T10:57:13.248Z - Shanghai — local time 2026-08-25T13:12:05+08:00, sunrise 2026-08-24T21:25:40.228Z / sunset 2026-08-25T10:26:28.616Z - Xi'an — local time 2026-08-25T13:12:05+08:00, sunrise 2026-08-24T22:12:16.369Z / sunset 2026-08-25T11:20:03.623Z - Chengdu — local time 2026-08-25T13:12:05+08:00, sunrise 2026-08-24T22:36:02.716Z / sunset 2026-08-25T11:35:20.633Z - Guilin — local time 2026-08-25T13:12:05+08:00, sunrise 2026-08-24T22:16:34.848Z / sunset 2026-08-25T11:05:07.865Z Currency: CNY — 1 USD ≈ 6.7206 CNY (as of 2026-08-21). ## Data situation Mobile data is cheap for locals in mainland China — averaging about $0.38 per gigabyte, which ranks China 28th out of 237 countries and territories in the Worldwide Mobile Data Pricing study, well below the global average. That affordability comes from heavy competition between China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom over a dense 4G/5G network. Free Wi-Fi is easy to find in cafés, malls, hotels, and train stations in big cities, but a lot of it is gated behind an SMS verification step tied to a Chinese phone number, which locks most foreign visitors out unless they get a local SIM, borrow a Chinese number, or rent a portable hotspot. Travelers who want a shareable connection without a SIM often rent a pocket Wi-Fi device instead, typically $3-$15 a day. For most visitors, a working data connection from the moment you land matters more than chasing spotty, login-gated hotspots. - Local price per GB: $0.38/GB average for locals (rank 28 of 237 countries, cable.co.uk / BestBroadbandDeals Worldwide Mobile Data Pricing study) - Free Wi-Fi: Common in cafés (Starbucks, Luckin), fast-food chains, malls, hotels, and train stations in major cities — but many networks require entering a Chinese mobile number to receive an SMS verification code, which usually fails for foreign numbers. Getting a Chinese SIM, borrowing a local number, or renting a portable hotspot are the usual workarounds for foreign visitors. - Paid Wi-Fi: Pocket Wi-Fi (portable hotspot) rental is the main paid option for travelers who want a shareable local connection, typically running $3-$15/day depending on the provider and data plan, picked up at the airport or delivered to a hotel — priced as a device rental rather than a per-GB product. ## International airports - PEK — Beijing Capital International Airport (Beijing) — https://en.bcia.com.cn/ - PVG — Shanghai Pudong International Airport (Shanghai) — https://www.shairport.com/enpd/ - CAN — Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (Guangzhou) — https://www.baiyunairport.com/english/index.jsp - SZX — Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport (Shenzhen) — https://www.szairport.com/szairporten/index.shtml - CTU — Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (Chengdu) — https://www.cdairport.com/ - XIY — Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (Xi'an) — https://www.xxia.com/ - KWL — Guilin Liangjiang International Airport (Guilin) — https://gl.airport.gx.cn ### Travel advisories - Advisory data not currently available for this country. ## Local SIM / phone number situation Buying a physical SIM in mainland China as a tourist means mandatory real-name registration: staff scan your original passport (no photocopies) and complete a facial recognition check under China's telecom real-name-registration law, a process that typically takes 20-45 minutes at a carrier store and can involve queues at airport counters during peak arrival times. Foreigners are also capped at roughly 3 SIM cards per passport across all carriers, and airport SIM prices commonly run 20-40% higher than the same plan bought at a downtown store. Notably, China's domestic carrier eSIMs (approved in 2025) are built around the Chinese national ID system and are not available to foreign passport holders at all — tourists are limited to a physical SIM or an international eSIM. SIM counters for China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom are well stocked at the largest hub airports (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen) but thinner at smaller international gateways like Chengdu or Xi'an. - KYC requirements: Original passport (no photocopies or digital images accepted) plus mandatory real-name registration and an in-person facial recognition scan at an official carrier store or airport counter, under China's telecom real-name-registration law; foreigners are capped at roughly 3 SIM cards per passport across all carriers, and domestic carrier eSIMs are not available to foreign passport holders at all. - Wait time: Registration typically takes 20-45 minutes at a carrier store, with queues possible at airport counters during peak arrival times; well-stocked counters exist at Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen airports, but options are more limited at smaller gateways like Chengdu or Xi'an. - Jetogo Local SIM Hassle Score: 5.75/10 Wi-Fi calling lets you keep receiving calls and texts on your home phone number over an internet connection — including the data connection from your Jetogo eSIM — without needing a local SIM or number. Turn it on in your phone's settings before you travel (Settings > Phone > Wi-Fi Calling on iPhone, or Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi Calling on Android), and your carrier will route calls to your regular number through data instead of a local cell signal, so friends and family can reach you exactly as they always have. ## Practical travel info - Power sockets: types A, C, I — 220V, 50Hz - No alternative plugs will also fit in type A sockets - Type E and F plugs will also fit in type C sockets - No alternative plugs will also fit in type I sockets - Emergency numbers: police 110, ambulance 120, fire 119 - Calling code: +86 - Driving side: right - Tipping: Generally not expected — unusual or not recommended _Data via CountryWise._ ## FAQ **Do I need to hand over my passport or do a facial recognition scan to use my Jetogo eSIM in China?** No. China's real-name registration law, including the in-person facial recognition check, applies to SIM cards issued in-country by China Mobile, China Unicom, or China Telecom. Your Jetogo eSIM is provisioned by an international provider before you fly, so it isn't subject to that domestic registration process. **Will my Jetogo eSIM let me use Google Maps, WhatsApp, or Instagram in China without a VPN?** Yes. Travel eSIMs, including Jetogo's, route your data through an international gateway outside mainland China rather than through a domestic Chinese carrier, so the connection isn't subject to the Great Firewall's domestic content filtering that affects local SIMs and local Wi-Fi. **Can I just buy a China Mobile or China Unicom eSIM instead of a physical SIM?** No — China's domestic carrier eSIMs, approved in 2025, are built around the Chinese national ID system and aren't available to foreign passport holders. Tourists are limited to a physical SIM (capped at roughly 3 per passport) bought in-country or an international eSIM like Jetogo's. **How does an eSIM actually work?** An eSIM is a digital SIM built into your phone — instead of inserting a physical card, you install a small profile (usually by scanning a QR code) and your phone connects to a local or partner network for data. There's nothing to pick up at a store or swap in your device; the whole process happens over Wi-Fi in a couple of minutes. **Is my phone compatible with eSIM?** Most phones from the last 4-5 years support eSIM, including iPhone XS and later, most Google Pixel models from the Pixel 3 onward, and many recent Samsung Galaxy, and other Android flagships. Check Settings > Cellular (or Mobile Network) for an "Add eSIM" or "Add Cellular Plan" option — if it's there, you're set. Your phone also needs to be carrier-unlocked. **When does my eSIM activate — do I need to already be in the country?** You can install your Jetogo eSIM before you fly, but the data plan itself only starts counting once it connects to a network in your destination country — so there's no risk of burning through your allowance early. For most plans, connectivity kicks in automatically the moment you land and your phone finds a signal. **Can I use my eSIM as a personal hotspot?** Yes — hotspot and tethering are included on Jetogo eSIM plans at no extra cost, so you can share your connection with a laptop, tablet, or a travel companion's phone. **What happens when I run out of data? Can I top up?** You can top up directly from your Jetogo account in a couple of taps, without needing to buy a whole new plan or visit a store. Many travelers also use Jetogo's PayGo option, which lets you pay only for the data you actually use instead of committing to a fixed bundle. **Do I need a local phone number to use my eSIM?** No — Jetogo eSIMs are data-only, so there's no local phone number involved. If you need to make calls or send texts, you can use an internet calling app (like WhatsApp or FaceTime) over your eSIM data, or rely on Wi-Fi calling to keep using your existing home number (see below). **What is PayGo and why does it start at $5?** PayGo is Jetogo's pay-as-you-go option: you load a small starting balance — as low as $5 — and only pay for the data you actually use, with no expiration pressure or unused-data waste. It's a low-commitment way to try Jetogo or to cover shorter trips where a full data bundle would be overkill. **Will adding a Jetogo eSIM affect my existing phone number or home plan?** No. Your eSIM runs alongside your regular SIM (physical or eSIM) as a second, independent profile — your home number, texts, and voicemail keep working exactly as before. You simply choose which profile handles data while you're on Jetogo, and switch back anytime after your trip. ## Trust _Content coming soon._ ## Why Jetogo _Content coming soon._ ## Why Choose Jetogo _Content coming soon._ ## Practical travel info _Content coming soon._ ## Other countries pricing _Content coming soon._ --- Weather and air quality data © OpenWeatherMap, licensed under the Open Database License (ODbL): https://openweathermap.org/full-history Exchange rates via Frankfurter (European Central Bank reference rates): https://www.frankfurter.dev