Walling Hotel - Jiefangbei Hongyadong, Chongqing
Tourist Assistant
SIM Card & eSIM
Local SIM, travel eSIM or roaming — how to choose and get online from the moment you land.
Services
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Features
- ✓ Airport carrier counters: China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom sell tourist packages on arrival — passport required by law.
- ✓ Domestic eSIMs are not available to tourists: activation requires a Chinese ID card — for eSIM, buy a foreign travel eSIM (e.g. Airalo, Nomad) before departure instead.
- ✓ Know the network difference: a local SIM uses the mainland Chinese network, where some overseas apps and websites are not accessible.
- ✓ Keep overseas apps with roaming or eSIM: international roaming and most travel eSIMs usually let you keep using your overseas apps as normal.
- ✓ Local number perks: a Chinese number makes it easier to register Alipay/WeChat, receive verification codes and order food delivery.
- ✓ Easy top-up: recharge at carrier shops, convenience stores or via the carrier's app.
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How to Use
1
Decide before departure: need overseas apps throughout? Consider a travel eSIM or roaming. Need a local number? Get a local SIM.
2
Buy an eSIM online: check that your phone is eSIM-capable and carrier-unlocked, purchase, then install via QR code before you fly.
3
Buy a SIM on arrival: go to a carrier counter at the airport, show your passport and complete the real-name registration.
4
Pick a package: choose a 7/15/30-day tourist data plan that matches your stay and usage.
5
Activate and test: insert the SIM or enable the eSIM, confirm data works, and save the carrier's service hotline.
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FAQ
Chinese law requires real-name registration for all SIM cards, so carriers must record your passport when selling one.
A local SIM connects through the mainland network, where some overseas apps and websites are not accessible. If you rely on them, use international roaming or a travel eSIM instead.
First check that your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked. Note that Chinese carriers' domestic eSIMs require a Chinese ID card, so tourists cannot get one — choose a foreign travel eSIM instead (e.g. Airalo, Nomad); most are data-only without a Chinese local number.
A popular combo: keep your home SIM on roaming to receive verification SMS, and use a local SIM or travel eSIM for data.
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Important Notes
Your phone must be carrier-unlocked to use a local SIM or many eSIMs — check before you travel.
Some overseas apps will not work over a local SIM's network; pick your option based on what you need.
Policies (including real-name rules) may change. Information current as of June 2026 — check the latest official announcements.
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