Where am I travelling to?

The wedding will take place in Taiyuan, China; however, there are no direct international flights from Canada to Taiyuan. The closest major international airports to Taiyuan are all in Beijing. You will most likely fly into Beijing’s Capital Airport (PEK), but this may vary depending on your departure city.

Once you arrive in Beijing, you will need to take a domestic flight or high-speed train to Taiyuan Wusu Airport (TYN). We recommend flying domestically for this trip as the train station in Beijing is quite far from Beijing’s Capital Airport (PEK). Please note, there is only one domestic flight into Taiyuan per day, and it is an early morning flight.

Depending on your arrival flight, you may need to stay overnight in Beijing before your departure to Taiyuan; there are many hotels near the airport which have free shuttles. We suggest you book these ahead of time, and if you need a recommendation, let Harry know!

We recommend that if you are leaving from Toronto, that you plan to fly no later than Thursday, March 12th. With the time difference and domestic flight schedules, this is important to arrive on time for the wedding.

If you would like to travel on the same flight out of Toronto as Beth and Harry, we are taking a direct AirChina flight from YYZ-PEK on Thursday, March 12th, 2026, which departs at 4 pm. The flight code is CA994.

If you would like to travel out of China on the same flight as Beth and Harry, we are taking a direct AirChina flight from PEK-YYZ on Thursday, March 26th, 2026, which departs at 12:30 pm. The flight code is CA993.

**We have yet to book our domestic flights to Taiyuan and accommodations, but will share these when we have.

How do I Apply for a Chinese Visa?

1) Visit https://www.visaforchina.cn/, select your country and region, and this will direct you to the correct Visa Application page. Canadians will need to apply for an L Visa (Tourism).

2) Once you are on this page, select the Visa Application Form and follow the instructions to complete the application.

3) Once your application is complete, you will need to make an in-person appointment.

Visit the link below for more details on these online applications: https://www.visaforchina.cn/YTO3_EN/tongzhigonggao/427803546814124032.html

Current Chinese Policies on Visa-Free Travel

China now has a policy to allow certain countries’ citizens (including Canadians) to travel to China for 240 hours (or 10 days) without needing a visa. The stipulation is that you must be going to a 3rd destination as part of your trip.

One example of a trip that this visa would apply to is if you are travelling from Canada → China → Japan

If you are only travelling between China and Canada, you will need to apply for a visa.

You can find the official statement on this policy here: https://www.visaforchina.cn/MES3_EN/tongzhigonggao/393037975220523008.htm

To utilize this visa-free travel, you must be able to prove to the border agent that you have a "plan” for your travel in China. You will need to have a valid passport, your plane/train tickets booked for travelling in China, all hotel confirmations, and tickets to your third destination, all printed out and ready to be presented.

Watch this vlog as they experience the whole process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NT-qDi8sPyg

Travelling in China

How do I pay for things in China?

China is mostly cashless; only some places will take credit cards such as Visa, Mastercard, and Apple Pay. We recommend downloading WeChat or Alipay ahead of travelling and setting up a payment method. You can do most things in China, such as buying a flight/train ticket, calling a cab, and making payments via these Apps.

How can I use my phone in China?

Google services and many other apps, such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp, are blocked in Mainland China.

You will need a VPN or an eSIM if you wish to access these apps. Unfortunately, most of the big VPNs, such as SurfShark, NordVPN, and ExpressVPN, do not work in Mainland China.

Harry will continue to research the best VPN’s but people are currently recommending LetsVPN, VPN.ac and Astrill or an eSIM from Airalo.

Upon arriving in Beijing, you will find a kiosk selling SIM cards and data plans near the luggage pickup area as well as the exit. You can easily purchase these from these kiosks using your credit card. You can make it known that you would like to be able to access Google apps while using this SIM card.

I have so many questions and I do not know where to start!!!

We get that! Watch this video here that provides a great overview of many essential topics about travelling to China and what to prepare before travelling, including things like VPN, Public Transportation, and Translation Apps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1SQgc-PZno

Still have more questions?

Send us an email!!

Beth: beth.m.ransom@gmail.com

Harry: harryz96.dance@gmail.com