You’ll still survive China without a local phone number, but there are so many great perks you’ll unlock with one. Here’s what they are, and how to get one!
I remember my very first trip to China a few years back, and how I wished I had a phone number just because it makes things so much easier!
Sure, with apps like WeChat and Alipay, I could make payments and use ride-hailing. However, I struggled with certain things like verification issues, ordering food to my hotel, and joining online queues for popular restaurants.
So while it may not be super necessary to get a China phone number, it does have a couple of perks — and here are five of them!
Psst, CMLink Singapore has a new S$13.10/month mobile plan (just launched on 5 Nov), which includes a China phone number! More details at the end 😉
1) Ordering food delivery to your hotel or on trains
With a China phone number, you can register on the Meituan app (similar to GrabFood or Foodpanda) to order food and drinks to your hotel room! This was a huge lifesaver for me on a later trip, especially when I got hungry late at night and wanted supper. I even managed to get bubble tea for a quick fix right before midnight 👀
Did you also know that there’s a food delivery service on high-speed trains in China? When I travelled from Shanghai to Beijing, I could scan the QR code on the train seat to order a meal. All I needed to do was register with a China phone number and enter my personal and train details — the staff brought the food straight to my seat at the next station!
2) Renting power banks and bikes
Photo credit: iF Design
In China, there are plenty of power bank and bike rentals if you need to charge your phone or want a more convenient form of transport. Good news is that these services are available to international travellers, at a pretty affordable price — from RMB3 to RMB6 per hour (power bank) and RMB1.5 for the first 30 minutes (bike rental).
*Note: Prices vary depending on the provider.
Photo credit: TouchBeijing via Facebook
Rentals are run by various companies and they usually work by scanning a QR code via Alipay or WeChat. However, some companies like Meituan might prompt for a phone number to send a verification code for access.
If you don’t have roaming or the text message doesn’t go through to your international number, it means you’ll be locked out. So having a local number is still your best bet!
3) Claiming deals and vouchers on local apps
Here’s a hack to grab deals on local apps — use Dianping or Meituan to get discounts on food, drinks, and even services like massages and manicures. These apps usually require a local phone number for registration or to receive an SMS verification code.
Once that’s done, search for the restaurant or service on the app and select the discounted item (some deals go up to 80% off)! Then purchase it in-app using WeChat Pay or Alipay. It’ll generate a QR code or a digital voucher, which you can show to the staff when paying your final bill.
4) Joining virtual queues to skip the long wait
Warning: Don’t be like me and end up waiting over an hour in line for food. For popular restaurants like Siji Minfu Roast Duck Restaurant in Beijing, where wait times can go up to an hour or more, you can actually join the virtual queue — provided you have a local phone number.
Just find the restaurant through the WeChat mini-program and get your queue number, then shop or wander around the area before your turn!
5) Purchasing cheaper attraction tickets on local mini-programs
Yes, you can purchase tickets via online platforms like Klook or Trip.com for popular tourist attractions in China such as Shanghai Disneyland or the Forbidden City in Beijing.
However, these platforms may only offer guided tours or have a slightly higher ticket cost. Some attraction tickets in smaller cities may also not be available on these third-party platforms.
The alternative is to check WeChat or Alipay mini-programs, which may sell individual attraction tickets or offer discounts. But you’ll need a China phone number to receive an SMS verification code for purchase!
How to stay connected with a local phone number while in China
Getting a local phone number in China can be a daunting task, especially if you don’t have friends or relatives there to help you. On my previous trips, I also had a hard time figuring out which shops actually sell SIM cards to foreign tourists.
So here’s a simpler method — sign up for CMLink Singapore’s new S$13.10/month mobile plan (just launched on 5 Nov), which comes with a China phone number 🎉
The SIM-only plan comes as either a physical SIM or eSIM (depending on your device’s compatibility), and includes the 1-Card-Multi-Number service. This means you don’t need a second SIM card — verification SMS sent to your China number will come straight through your Singapore number.
Here’s everything else the 5G plan includes:
– 600GB Local data
– 400 mins Local calls
– 400 IDD mins to 16 destinations
– 100 SMS
– 3GB mainland China / Hong Kong roaming data
– 20GB APAC 12 roaming data for use in Australia, Indonesia, Japan, China (including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan), Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam
– 700GB shared roaming data for use in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand (365 days)
Not to mention, you’ll still be able to use apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook and Instagram without a VPN!
Heading somewhere else for the holidays too? There’s also 30GB of international roaming data across 210 destinations! And just like that, you’re sorted for China and every other trip on your year-end list 💯
Know of any other perks you can get with a China phone number? Share with us in the comments below!
This post was brought to you by CMLink Singapore.
