Cina
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Per ora questa guida è in inglese. I titoli sono tradotti.
- Capitale
- Beijing
- Valuta
- CNY · Chinese yuan (renminbi)
- Lingue
- Mandarin Chinese, Regional languages (Cantonese, Shanghainese and others)
- Prese
- Tipo A, C, I · 220 V
Numeri di emergenza
I 5 posti migliori
- Great Wall (Mutianyu or Badaling) · Beijing
Restored sections reachable as a day trip from Beijing; Mutianyu is usually less crowded.
- Forbidden City (Palace Museum) · Beijing
Vast imperial palace complex; tickets must be booked online in advance with your passport.
- Terracotta Army · Xi'an
Thousands of life-size clay soldiers guarding the first emperor's tomb.
- The Bund and Yu Garden · Shanghai
Colonial-era riverfront facing the Pudong skyline, plus a classical garden nearby.
- Li River and Yangshuo · Guilin / Yangshuo
Karst mountain scenery best seen by river cruise, bamboo raft or bike.
Come spostarsi
Trasporti pubblici
Metro (pay with Alipay / WeChat transit QR)
Big cities have large, cheap metro networks. Most accept the Alipay or WeChat Pay transit QR code at the gate; single tickets from machines also work. Bags are security-scanned at entry.
App per corse con conducente
DiDi
China's main ride app; has an English interface, accepts foreign phone numbers and foreign cards, and is also available as a mini-program inside Alipay. Uber does not operate in mainland China.
Taxi
Metered taxis
Cheap compared to Europe. Insist on the meter and ask for a receipt with the taxi number. Avoid unmarked cars and touts at stations and airports.
Treni
High-speed rail (12306 / Trip.com)
Fast, punctual trains between major cities. Book on the official 12306 app (English version) or an agency like Trip.com; your passport is your ticket and is checked at the gate.
Bike sharing
Shared bikes (Meituan, Hello Bike, Didi Bike)
Dockless bikes everywhere in cities, unlocked by scanning a QR code with Alipay or WeChat; very cheap per ride.
Trasporti pubblici
Amap (Gaode) / Baidu Maps
Google Maps is blocked and inaccurate in China. Amap has an English mode and is the most reliable for walking, transit and taxi routes.
Soldi e contanti
Valuta: CNY · Chinese yuan (renminbi)
Mobile payment (Alipay and WeChat Pay) is almost universal, and foreign Visa/Mastercard can now be linked to both. Alipay adds a 3% fee on single payments above 200 CNY with a foreign card (varies, check in app). Foreign cards work at big hotels and malls but rarely at small shops. Carry some cash for rural areas and as a backup. Counterfeit 100 CNY notes circulate, even from some ATMs; check notes and use bank ATMs.
Mance
Tipping is not customary in mainland China and is usually not expected in restaurants, taxis or shops. Staff may be confused or decline a tip. The main exceptions are tour guides and drivers on organised tours, and some international hotels.
| Ristoranti | No tip. Some upscale and hotel restaurants add a 10-15% service charge (varies), which replaces any tip. |
|---|---|
| Caffè e bar | No tip expected. |
| Taxi e app di corse | No tip; pay the metered fare. DiDi has no tipping by default. |
| Hotel | Not expected in most hotels. International hotels may add a service charge to the bill; porters at luxury hotels may accept a small tip (10-20 CNY). |
| Tour e guide | Tipping private guides and drivers on organised tours has become common, often around 100-200 CNY per day for a guide and less for a driver (varies by tour company). |
| Consegna di cibo a domicilio | No tip. |
Costo del servizio: cosa c’è di vero
Higher-end hotels have long added a service charge (traditionally 10-15%) plus VAT to room and restaurant bills, shown as a separate line. Some sources describe the total surcharge reaching around 15-22% (varies). It is set by the hotel, not a tip pool you can direct. Ordinary restaurants usually have no service charge.
Tattiche di pressione a cui fare attenzione
Tip pressure is rare. On organised group tours, guides may push guests toward commission shops (jade, silk, tea) or optional extras; you can politely decline to buy. Say 'Bù yòng, xièxie' (no need, thanks).
Frasi utili
- 买单 (mǎi dān) The bill, please.
- 可以用支付宝吗？ (kěyǐ yòng zhīfùbǎo ma?) Can I pay with Alipay?
- 不用了，谢谢 (bú yòng le, xièxie) No need, thank you.
Galateo
- Carry your passport: it is needed for hotels, train tickets, many museum bookings and police checks.
- Do not stick chopsticks upright in rice; it resembles incense at funerals.
- Hand over and receive business cards and money with both hands as a sign of respect.
- Queues can be loose and pushy at stations; stand your ground politely.
- Avoid political discussions (Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang, Tiananmen) in public and online.
- Dress modestly in temples and do not photograph monks or inside halls where signs forbid it.
- Bargaining is normal in markets and small shops, not in malls or supermarkets.
Truffe e come gestirle
Tea house or bar invitation
Dove: Beijing (Wangfujing, Tiananmen), Shanghai (Nanjing Road, The Bund)
Come funziona: Friendly young people practising English invite you to a tea ceremony, bar or massage; the bill is hundreds of dollars and staff threaten you until you pay.
Come evitarla: Decline invitations from strangers to go to a venue they choose. If stuck, call 110.
Art student gallery
Dove: Beijing and Shanghai tourist areas
Come funziona: So-called art students invite you to their exhibition and pressure you into buying mass-produced paintings at high prices.
Come evitarla: Politely refuse and walk on.
Unlicensed taxis and touts
Dove: Airports, train stations, tourist sites
Come funziona: Drivers in unmarked cars quote high flat fares or overcharge; in rare cases robberies have been reported.
Come evitarla: Use the official taxi queue or DiDi. Insist on the meter and note the taxi number.
Counterfeit banknotes
Dove: Taxis, markets, change given in cash
Come funziona: Fake 100 or 50 CNY notes are passed as change, or a driver swaps your real note for a fake and says yours is fake.
Come evitarla: Pay by Alipay/WeChat where possible; use small notes; check change.
Rickshaw or tuk-tuk price switch
Dove: Beijing hutongs and tourist sites
Come funziona: A low price is agreed, then the driver says it was per person or in another currency and demands much more.
Come evitarla: Agree the total price in writing on your phone before setting off, or use DiDi.
Fake QR codes
Dove: Parking meters, bikes, shop counters
Come funziona: Stickers with a fraudulent QR code send payment to a scammer or lead to phishing pages.
Come evitarla: Check the payee name in Alipay/WeChat before paying; scan bike codes only through the official app.
Commission shopping on cheap tours
Dove: Low-cost day tours (Great Wall, Guilin and others)
Come funziona: Very cheap tours spend hours at jade, silk or tea shops where guides earn commission and pressure you to buy.
Come evitarla: Book reputable tours that state 'no shopping stops'.
Sicurezza
- Serious crime against foreigners is rare; keep an eye on belongings at tourist sites, stations and crowded areas.
- Physical fights carry fines or detention regardless of who started them; walk away from disputes.
- Drink spiking has been reported: do not leave drinks unattended or accept drinks from strangers.
- Avoid unmarked or unmetered taxis, especially at night.
- Set up a VPN, translation app and payment apps before arrival; many Western apps are blocked.
- Traffic is the biggest daily risk: e-scooters ride silently on pavements and cars turn on red.
Diffusione dell’inglese
Limited outside international hotels, airports and some big-city tourist sites. Download a translation app and save hotel addresses in Chinese characters.
Fonti
- GOV.UK Foreign travel advice: China, safety and security
- Wikivoyage: China
- LTL: Alipay for foreigners
- China Travel Radar: Alipay for foreigners (3% fees)
- One Mile at a Time: Chinese hotel service charge and taxes
- Wikipedia: List of tipping customs by country
- PlugVoltage: China power outlets
Verifichiamo queste guide con fonti ufficiali e affidabili, ma regole e prezzi cambiano. Hai notato qualcosa di non aggiornato? Scrivi a support@tourits.app.