Reviewed August 2026 · 8 min read · by NebulaTrip local experts
Useful safety planning is specific. It tells you what document to carry, who to call, how to describe your location and which part of the itinerary needs a fallback. It does not promise that every city, season or activity has the same risk.
| Number | Service | What to report |
|---|---|---|
| 110 | Police | What happened, exact location, time and a contact number. |
| 119 | Fire and rescue | Address or landmark, type of incident and whether anyone is trapped or injured. |
| 120 | Medical emergency | Patient condition, precise location and a reachable phone number. |
| 122 | Traffic accident police | Road location, vehicles, injuries and immediate hazards. |
These numbers are free emergency channels. Language support differs by place and service. Ask hotel staff, your guide or a nearby person to help if needed, and have the hotel name and address saved in Chinese. See the official emergency-number guidance.
China uses the passport for hotels, trains, flights and many real-name attractions. Carry the original when the journey requires it, but keep a secure digital copy and a separate paper copy of the identity page and visa or entry record. Do not hand the passport to an unverified intermediary.
Hotels normally register foreign guests. If you stay in a private home or another non-hotel arrangement, ask the host and local public-security authority how to complete the current temporary-accommodation registration. If a passport is lost, contact local police and your embassy or consulate promptly; replacement travel and exit formalities take time.
Read the exclusions, not only the headline medical limit. Hiking at altitude, self-driving, winter sports, cycling, remote areas and pre-existing conditions may need specific cover. Save the insurer’s assistance number, policy number and claim steps offline. A tour operator’s liability cover is not a substitute for personal travel insurance.
Carry prescribed medicine in original packaging with the prescription or doctor’s letter where appropriate. Before travel, check the current import rules for controlled or unusual medicine with official customs or embassy channels.
Match every train and flight to the exact station or airport; large cities have several. Leave a buffer after Great Wall trips, cruises, mountain days and other weather-dependent activities. Use licensed transport or a recognised ride-hailing channel, wear seat belts where provided and do not accept an unverified driver who approaches you inside an arrival hall.
Foreign driving licences and international driving permits do not automatically authorise driving on the Chinese mainland. Travellers who intend to drive need to check current licence, permit, vehicle and insurance requirements before booking a car.
A trail described in an old blog may now be closed, restricted or outside a managed scenic area. Check the land manager’s current notice, weather warning, last entry time and permitted route. A local guide must still follow an official closure. At altitude, do not continue upward with worsening headache, nausea, dizziness, confusion or unusual fatigue; descend and seek medical help.
Typhoons, heavy rain, heat and winter cold affect different regions at different times. Keep one indoor or lower-risk alternative in the same destination rather than forcing the original plan.
Confirm the legal business or named operator, exact service, meeting point, inclusions, cancellation terms and payment recipient before paying. Keep written confirmation and receipts. Be cautious when someone asks to move a booking to a personal account, share a verification code, install remote-access software or pay an unexplained “release fee.”
Use one mobile wallet with a physical card and cash backup. See how to pay in China as a tourist.
Continue with the full Travel to China planning checklist →.
Editorial note: This is general preparation, not medical, legal or security advice. Follow current local authority notices and your own government’s travel advice for your route.
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