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SIM, apps and the internet

A roaming eSIM before you fly, and the five apps to install before you land.

Step by step

  1. Buy a roaming eSIM before you fly (Airalo, Holafly, or your carrier). It works the moment you land and keeps Google, WhatsApp and Instagram working.
  2. No eSIM? China Unicom and China Mobile counters in Wuhan Tianhe arrivals sell tourist SIMs with your passport.
  3. Install before you land: Alipay (pay, metro, taxi, bikes), WeChat (messaging, some payments), Trip.com (trains, hotels), Apple Maps or Amap (navigation), and a translator with an offline Chinese pack.
  4. Hotel Wi-Fi is fine for everything Chinese; foreign services depend on your SIM.
Checked by GoHubei local editors · September 2026. Spotted a change? Tell us.