First 72 Hours in Shenzhen

Your first 72 hours in Shenzhen run on a sequence: stabilise, connect, build routine. After that you can eat, move, pay, talk to people, and handle basics without friction.

Most people get through this in 6 to 8 waking hours of work if they pick the right order. The wheels come off when you optimise too early or skip registration.

Who this is for

You are arriving in Shenzhen for work, relocation, school, hardware sourcing, or a long visit. Accommodation may already be booked, or you are arriving with just a hotel address. You want to go from arrival to functional to stabilised without losing days.

This guide assumes you arrive at SZX (Shenzhen Bao’an), HKG (Hong Kong), or by train, and covers stays of 1 to 30 days. For visa-run border visits, skip phone registration and police filing.

The short version

Hour 0 to 2: Airport to accommodation. Collect baggage, take DiDi or taxi from airport (save the address in Chinese), arrive at hotel or apartment, check in, confirm whether registration is handled.

Hour 2 to 4: Test payments and food. Walk to the nearest supermarket or restaurant, test Alipay or WeChat Pay with a small purchase. If declined, use backup card or cash. Download Meituan (food delivery) and a map app.

Hour 4 to 6: Get a SIM card. Find a China Mobile, China Unicom, or China Telecom official store (营业厅). Bring passport, buy a ¥50–100/month plan, register, test calls and SMS.

Hour 6 to 8: Download core apps. Install WeChat, Alipay, Didi, Amap, Meituan, Dianping. Link your number to critical services (Didi, Meituan, bank verification).

Day 2: Police registration (only for private apartment). Apartment shortlist and district testing. Internet plan research.

Day 3: Confirm your routine. Find gym, coffee spot, supermarket backup, metro station map, clinic. Start apartment viewings if moving long-term.

Before you arrive

Download and test these offline or on your phone’s international data:

• WeChat, essential, account created with email and phone
• Alipay, second payment app, more international card support
• Google Translate, camera mode for Chinese menus and signs
• Amap (Chinese Google Maps), works inside China, offline maps available
• Didi, ride-hailing, replaces Uber
• Download the offline Amap map before arrival (Settings, Offline Maps, Shenzhen)
• Save the hotel or apartment address in your phone in both English and Chinese characters (ask the hotel for this)
• Bring physical backup: ¥500 to 1,000 in cash, two credit cards (Visa or Mastercard), and a passport plus visa copy

Confirm your accommodation before arrival:

• Hotel: registration usually automatic
• Serviced apartment: confirm whether registration is your responsibility
• Private apartment: you must register with police (派出所) within 24 hours of moving in

If you have a mobile eSIM option (like Airtel, or local roaming), keep it active for arrival backup. It may not work everywhere, but it is a safety net if your first SIM purchase fails.

Step-by-step: days 1 to 3

Step 1: airport to accommodation (hour 0 to 2)

What you do:

1. Clear customs and baggage claim (assume 45 min total).
2. Exit to taxi/rideshare area.
3. Open Didi app (or ask hotel for arrangement).
4. Enter accommodation address in Chinese (your hotel will provide this).
5. Confirm the driver, take the ride.
6. Arrive at accommodation, check in.

Where you go:

• Shenzhen Bao’an Airport (SZX): 30km from downtown, 45 to 90 min ride depending on traffic
• Hong Kong Airport (HKG): take the Airport Express train to West Kowloon, then metro to the Shenzhen border, or a direct bus (2+ hours)

Expected cost:

• Didi from SZX to downtown: ¥80 to 120 [$11 to 17]
• Cash backup: keep ¥500 to 1,000 [$69 to 139]

Time: 2 to 3 hours total (including check-in)

Failure modes:

• Didi app not opening: use the hotel’s pre-arranged taxi or walk to the official taxi stand (10 min wait)
• Driver cannot find the accommodation: both of you call hotel concierge (they speak Chinese)
• Check-in delayed: confirm the booking; if it has fallen through, ask the receptionist for nearby options

Step 2: test payments and locate essentials (hour 2 to 4)

What you do:

1. Rest 20 minutes (bathroom, water, recharge phone).
2. Walk to nearest convenience store, café, or supermarket (ask concierge which is closest).
3. Buy something small: water, coffee, snack (¥10 to 20 [$1.40 to 2.80]).
4. Attempt payment with Alipay or WeChat Pay on your international card.
5. If it works: note your daily limit (usually ¥1,000 [$139] per transaction, ¥5,000 [$694] per day).
6. If it fails: use backup card or cash.
7. Download Meituan app (food delivery, same login as Alipay).

Where you go:

• Convenience store: 7-Eleven, Family Mart, Lawson, or local 便利店 (usually within 50m of your accommodation)
• Supermarket: ask your hotel concierge; most neighborhoods have a Carrefour, Walmart (沃尔玛), or local market nearby

Expected cost:

• Test purchase: ¥10 to 20 [$1.40 to 2.80]

Time: 45 minutes (walking + small purchase)

Failure modes:

• Alipay says “transaction limit exceeded”: your international card has a daily cap, or your account is not verified. Use the backup card or cash for now.
• WeChat Pay requires phone verification: try again tomorrow with your new Chinese SIM.
• Convenience store payment terminal is offline: walk to another shop or use cash.
• Cannot find your way back: save the hotel address in Amap as a starred location.

Step 3: acquire a Chinese phone number (hour 4 to 8)

What you do:

1. Ask hotel concierge or staff for the nearest China Mobile, China Unicom, or China Telecom official store (营业厅). They are in every district, usually within 1 to 2 km.
2. Walk or take a short Didi ride.
3. Enter the store, take a queue ticket.
4. When called, tell staff: “I want a 月租套餐 [monthly plan].” Hand over your passport.
5. Choose a plan (¥50 to 100/month [$7 to 14]): ¥50 gets 5GB data plus 100 min calls; ¥99 gets 10GB data plus 200 min calls.
6. Complete registration (they photograph your passport, you sign a form in Chinese, ask staff to help).
7. Receive SIM card, physical and digital receipt.
8. Install SIM, test a call (call your own number or ask store staff), test SMS.
9. Register your new number with Alipay and WeChat Pay to lift the transaction limits.

Where you go:

• China Mobile (中国移动), China Unicom (中国联通), or China Telecom (中国电信) official store
• Use Amap: search “营业厅” or ask hotel for address

Expected cost:

• SIM card: free (included in plan)
• First month’s plan: ¥50 to 100 [$7 to 14]

Time: 1 to 2 hours (including queue)

Failure modes:

• Store closed on Sunday: most stores close one day a week. Ask the hotel which hours are reliable.
• Passport rejected: non-standard visas sometimes cause issues. Try a different carrier’s store or ask us for a backup.
• Phone says “invalid SIM”: your phone is region-locked. Restart, wait 5 minutes, retry. If it persists, the carrier staff can test another SIM with your phone in-store.

Step 4: core apps and critical links (hour 6 to 8)

What you do:

1. Install on your new Chinese number: WeChat, Alipay (re-add Chinese number), Didi, Amap, Meituan, Dianping (restaurant ratings).
2. In WeChat: create/verify your account, go to “Me” → “Payment” → “Wallet” → link your international card (if available) or Chinese bank card (if you have one).
3. In Alipay: same process, link payment method.
4. In Didi: add your name, passport info, Chinese phone, add payment method (Alipay/WeChat Pay is default).
5. In Meituan: link your phone number, set a delivery address (your accommodation), test ordering ¥10 to 20 of food to a nearby address.
6. Test all payment apps with small transactions (¥5 to 10 [$0.70 to 1.40]) before trusting them.

Expected cost:

• Meituan test order: ¥15 to 30 [$2 to 4] (food plus small delivery fee)
• Total for day 1 (SIM, apps, food): ¥75 to 150 [$10 to 21]

Time: 1 to 2 hours

Failure modes:

• Alipay video verification hangs: close the app, restart, retry. If you keep seeing “please wait”, try a different WiFi or mobile data.
• Didi ride does not appear on your new phone: restart app, re-add payment, try booking again.
• Meituan shows “店铺打烊” (shop closed): China’s food delivery surge hours are 11:30am to 1:30pm and 5:30pm to 8:30pm.
• WeChat payment says “transaction denied”: your bank may have flagged international use. Wait until day 2 and try again with your new Chinese number registered.

Day 2: police registration and infrastructure

What you do (if staying in a private apartment):

1. Within 24 hours of check-in, visit your local police station (派出所).
2. Bring: passport, lease/accommodation proof, completed form (host/landlord provides this).
3. Registration is free and takes 10 minutes.
4. You’ll receive a registration slip.

What you do (if staying in a hotel or serviced apartment):

• Skip this. The accommodation has already registered you. Confirm at the front desk on day 1.

What you do (infrastructure):

1. Find nearest: supermarket (backup), metro station, gym, coffee shop, clinic.
2. Test commute routes to your workplace or key locations (test at actual commute time: 8am or 5pm rush).
3. Download the metro map to your phone (Amap has this offline).
4. Confirm internet plans if you are moving into an apartment (ask the landlord or building management about ISP options and installation time).

Failure modes:

• Police station asks for forms you do not have: the landlord or management office (物业) should provide the template. If they refuse, they are likely avoiding proper registration. Consider moving.
• Metro app does not match the direction you want: Amap’s metro planner works offline once you have downloaded the map.

Day 3: build your routine and long-term planning

What you do:

1. Confirm core locations: reliable supermarket, gym, coffee, clinic, metro, delivery-friendly address.
2. If staying longer than 30 days, start apartment shortlist (use Lianjia app, Beike app, or ask us).
3. Test commute to workplace or key location at rush hour (leave at 7:55am or 5:15pm to see real times).
4. If moving into an apartment soon, get the landlord’s ISP options (China Unicom is most common) and ask about installation lead time (typically 3 to 5 working days).
5. Bank account: research which bank (ICBC, ABC, BOC) allows foreigners and what documents you need. Visit on day 4 or 5 if needed.

Costs

Not included: accommodation (pre-booked), international flights.

What goes wrong

1. Payment apps blocked or declined immediately

• Problem: Your Alipay or WeChat Pay foreign card is rejected at the first transaction.
• Reason: Some issuing banks flag China transactions, or your account does not pass the auto-verification check.
• Fix: Call your bank’s fraud line (from your home country, not in China) and tell them you are in China and transactions are OK. Hang up, wait 10 minutes, retry. If it fails again, fall back to a second card or cash for day 2, then try again with your new Chinese phone number registered.

2. SIM card registration rejected

• Problem: The store says your passport is invalid, or your visa type does not match their system.
• Reason: Non-standard visas (business, student, tech visas) sometimes cause confusion at the counter.
• Fix: Try a different carrier’s store, or ask us. We have a trusted channel that accepts edge-case visas without friction.

3. Police registration shows you are not allowed

• Problem: The officer says you cannot register because your visa is “short-term” or “visit”.
• Reason: In theory, tourists and short-term visitors do not need to register. In practice, enforcement varies by district.
• Fix: Confirm your lease start date and visa dates with the landlord. If you are on a true short-term visa (under 30 days), skip registration and keep a hotel receipt as proof of accommodation for that period.

4. Didi rides take 20+ minutes to arrive

• Problem: Your pickup location is wrong, or the driver app is showing you in the wrong place.
• Reason: GPS indoors (airports, hotels) is often inaccurate.
• Fix: Walk outside to an open area and update your location in Didi. If the driver is lost, call them, or cancel and rebook.

5. Meituan food delivery never arrives

• Problem: You ordered at 2:30pm and it is now 4pm with no update.
• Reason: The restaurant is closed during the 2pm to 5pm afternoon break (common in China).
• Fix: Order during rush hours (11:30am to 1:30pm, 5:30pm to 8pm). Cancel and reorder; refunds are automatic.

6. Hotel says you must register with police yourself

• Problem: Front desk tells you on day 2 that you were not auto-registered and you must go to the police station.
• Reason: Some budget hotels do not handle it.
• Fix: Go to the police station the same day with passport and hotel receipt, and register. Takes 10 minutes.

Decision tree

Short term (1 to 14 days):

• Skip Chinese phone (use eSIM or roaming backup)
• Skip police registration (stay in hotels only)
• Test Alipay or WeChat Pay with foreign card, keep cash backup
• Skip bank account, apartment search, gym membership

Medium term (2 to 8 weeks):

• Get Chinese SIM on day 1 (needed for apartment hunting, Didi, delivery)
• Complete police registration on day 1 if in private accommodation
• Start apartment shortlist on day 2
• Test payment apps thoroughly; link Chinese number to critical services by day 3
• Research bank account but do not open one yet

Long term (3+ months):

• Get Chinese SIM on day 1
• Complete police registration immediately
• Prioritise apartment search (start day 2, view 3 to 5 options by day 5)
• Open a Chinese bank account by week 2 (needed for utilities, salary, rent)
• Research professional enterprise home network, dual-WAN, or mobile failover setup for work stability

When to pay for help

Hire us for the landing package if:

• You arrive with no accommodation booked (we handle hotel and temporary registration)
• You are moving into a private apartment and speak no Chinese (we handle landlord coordination, police registration, and internet setup)
• Your payment apps are consistently rejected and you cannot reach your bank (we have verified routes)
• You need to open a bank account quickly (certain banks move faster with our introduction)
• You want to skip the first-week chaos and have professional infrastructure ready on day 1

The landing package saves 15 to 20 hours of friction and costs ¥2,000 to 3,500 [$278 to 486] depending on scope.

Related links

• Phone Numbers: How to Get a Chinese SIM
• WeChat Pay and Alipay for Foreigners
• How to Rent an Apartment in Shenzhen

Last reviewed: 23 May 2026