eSIM plus payment apps for a two week China itinerary

CantonLineCook

I will be in Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Xi'an for two weeks and I am trying to sort out phone data and payments before I arrive. I plan to use an international eSIM for maps and messaging, then link a foreign card in Alipay.

Has anyone had issues receiving verification codes while using an eSIM only? I can keep my regular SIM active for texts, but roaming charges from my carrier are annoying.

china-checkin-desk

Keep your regular SIM available for bank and app codes. My data eSIM worked well, but my card issuer still sent one code to my home number when I added the card. After that, Alipay payments were smooth.

QuietGateTraveler

Set everything up before the flight if you can. Add the card, complete passport verification, and make a small payment to a friend or family member if possible. It lowers the chance of standing at a checkout counter while an app asks for one more step.

LanternReceipt

For Chengdu, download offline map areas as a backup. My eSIM had good coverage, but a few underground malls had weak signal. Payment QR codes still loaded once I walked closer to the entrance.