You need a working phone in China: for navigation, WeChat, payments and emergency calls. Here is how to get connected.
1. Best option: local SIM card
At Kunming or Lijiang airport, after customs, find a China Mobile counter. Bring your passport. A tourist SIM costs 100-200 RMB and includes 10-20 GB of data, valid 30 days. China Mobile has the best coverage in western China.
2. eSIM option
If your phone supports eSIM, buy a China data eSIM online before you fly (Airalo, Holafly). Activate when you land. No physical SIM needed.
3. Roaming
Using your home roaming works but is expensive (50-100 RMB/day). Fine for a day, not for a 10-day road trip.
4. Signal on the road
- Cities and county towns: 4G on all carriers
- National highways: intermittent 4G
- Mountain valleys (G318, G214): 2G or no signal
- Tunnels: no signal
- Above 4,000 m: unstable
5. What to do when there is no signal
- Download offline maps (Amap) before you leave the city
- Tell us your next day's hotel so we can track you
- Do not rely solely on phone navigation - glance at the route ahead
- Find a shop with Wi-Fi if you need to send a message
6. Car charging
Our cars have USB ports. Bring a car charger and a power bank. Navigation uses about 20% battery per hour.
7. Common questions
Q: Which carrier is best? A: China Mobile for western roads; China Unicom and Telecom are fine in cities.
Q: Do I need to register the SIM? A: The airport counter does this with your passport.
Q: Can I use WhatsApp? A: WhatsApp works with the local SIM for messaging but voice/video calls are unreliable. WeChat is the reliable channel.
8. We help
At pickup we check your phone has signal, help you buy a SIM if needed, show you how to download offline maps, and save our WeChat. Message qxzj7557.