Internet
Yes
Calls
No
SMS
No
4G
Yes
Works only on unlocked eSIM-supported devices — check your phone compatibility before purchase
Most packages do not include calls or SMS
Choose one of three methods:
Scan QR code
Install via 'Quick Install' button
Manual setup through phone settings
Use the package within 3 months from purchase
Local (one country), Regional (multiple countries), Global (many countries)
Not available for Sicily
In China mobile internet is needed for far more than social media: without it you can't pay for coffee, call a taxi or find the right metro exit. A local SIM is issued against a passport and doesn't solve the blocking problem, while roaming usually costs noticeably more. A travel eSIM is installed at home in a few minutes and switched on after you land in China, while your main Kazakh SIM stays in the phone for calls and bank SMS.
This page is the quickest way to buy a travel eSIM for China from 2 500 ₸. Pick a plan, pay online and install the digital SIM card at home before the flight — no passport and no queue at an airport kiosk.
The eSIM connects to local mobile networks, so you have data wherever they have coverage — Beijing and Shanghai and the rest of the country.
Compared with roaming in China, an eSIM is usually much cheaper for mobile data: the price of the package is fixed and known in advance. Your home number stays active on the main SIM for calls and SMS.
If your phone does not support eSIM, you can buy a regular physical SIM card with data for China at a Funsim point of sale: at Almaty and Shymkent airports, or at our offices in Almaty — 130/1 Abay St and 1 Pozharsky St. Handy if you remember about the internet right before departure.
What sets China apart from other destinations is not coverage but network rules. Local operators work under restrictions on many foreign services, so tourists with an ordinary Chinese SIM often look for workarounds once they are already there. A travel eSIM usually routes traffic through an operator outside mainland China, so familiar messengers and services generally open without extra setup. See each plan's page for its details.
The second reason is time saved on arrival. Instead of queuing at the airport and registering a SIM with your passport, you switch on an eSIM you have already installed and immediately call a taxi or open a map. Roaming from a Kazakh operator is usually much more expensive, so check its rates against the plans above before you go.
| Criterion | eSIM Funsim | Roaming | Local SIM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Getting it | Online from home, no passport needed | Activated with your own operator | Bought on arrival, passport required |
| Blocked services | Traffic usually exits via a foreign operator | Depends on your operator's terms | Local restrictions apply |
| Ready after landing | Turn on data roaming and go | Works at once, but costly | Queue and registration |
| Kazakh number | Stays in the phone for SMS and calls | Stays active | Needs a second SIM or a swap |
| Cost | Fixed package, see the plans above | Usually much higher | Depends on package and shop |
China is huge and trips vary, from megacities with metros and high-speed trains to mountains and provincial towns. Here is where connectivity is needed most.
A vast city with long metro lines and big distances between the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and the Great Wall. You need internet for navigation, taxis, museum tickets and trips to the wall sections. Payment QR codes only work with a stable connection, so it is better to test your eSIM before leaving the airport.
The metro, the Bund waterfront, the Pudong district and the airport express links. It is especially obvious here how many services have moved into apps: payments, food delivery, tickets. If you are on business or visiting a trade show, add video calls and work email to the mix, and take a package with some margin for that.
The business cities of the Pearl River Delta: wholesale markets, fairs, factories and showrooms. Data goes on chats with suppliers, product photos, translation and video calls. High-speed trains run between the two cities, so you need a connection on the road too. If you plan to visit Hong Kong, check whether it is included in your plan.
The capital of Sichuan is known for its cuisine and the panda breeding center. A trip usually revolves around food routes, the panda park and out-of-town excursions, so maps and taxis are needed daily. Save addresses in Chinese in your notes to show a driver if the connection drops briefly, and download an offline map of the area before mountain trips.
The Terracotta Army is outside the city and reached by bus or taxi. You need internet for the route, entry tickets and contact with a guide. Inside the old town it is pleasant to walk along the city wall and through the quarters, and a map with Chinese names helps you avoid getting lost in narrow streets.
Karst hills, the Li River and cycling routes. In rural areas the signal can be weaker than in cities, so download key points of your route in your maps beforehand. Internet is handy for booking bamboo rafts, taxis between villages and sharing photos.
West Lake, tea plantations and one of the country's main tech centers. The city is easy as a day trip from Shanghai by high-speed train. It is popular with vacationers, so on weekends busy spots fill up quickly and tickets and bookings are easier to arrange online in advance. A map and translator help on walks around the lake.
A beach resort in the south that people fly to for vacations. Hotels often have Wi-Fi, but in town, on beaches and in duty-free shops mobile data is useful for payments, taxis and booking excursions. Before flying, check the current entry rules for citizens of Kazakhstan.
The big Chinese city closest to Kazakhstan, where people fly for short trips, shopping and business. A small package is enough for two or three days, but payments and taxis still go through apps. The familiar city routines are the same as elsewhere: a map, QR payment and a translator for signs.
Some services you know from home, others are used only in China. Install them in advance and sign in to your accounts.
A payment app with QR codes accepted in shops, cafes and the metro. Foreigners can link an international card. Complete registration at home and make a small test payment, then keep mobile data switched on while you are there.
The country's main messenger and a wallet at the same time. It is used to talk to guides, hotels and sellers, and mini-programs handle food, tickets and taxis. WeChat Pay is available for foreign cards, but not every bank accepts it.
Navigation with current metro, bus and walking routes. There is an English version, but it is better to check names and addresses in Chinese. Handy for finding the right metro exit.
The country's other major mapping service. Useful as a backup if the main app can't find an address. Place names in Chinese can be copied and shown to a driver.
The main ride-hailing service. Available as a separate app and inside Alipay and WeChat. The driver sees the pickup and drop-off addresses, so you don't need to explain the route, but you do need a stable connection.
Food delivery, restaurant booking and event tickets. The interface is mostly in Chinese, so a camera translator comes in handy. For tourists it is easier to order food through the hotel, but in big cities everyone uses the app.
An international service for booking hotels, flights and high-speed train tickets, with interfaces in Russian and English. Useful when you need to buy an intercity ticket quickly without knowing Chinese.
Helps you read menus, signs and notices. Install the app and download Chinese for offline use, so photo translation still works when the connection is weak.
Check that your phone supports eSIM and isn't carrier-locked, and choose a suitable plan above. No passport is needed to buy, and you pay online by card.
Install the eSIM at home a few days before departure: scan the QR code, tap Quick install or enter the details manually. That leaves time to sort out any questions.
Install Alipay, WeChat and map apps, register and link your card while you still have your usual internet and SMS on your Kazakh number.
After landing in China, turn on data and data roaming for the eSIM line and select it for mobile internet. Keep your main SIM in the phone for calls and bank SMS.
If a service won't load, turn off hotel Wi-Fi and check that the eSIM line is the active one. If your data runs out, buy an extra package in your account.
Mobile internet is also needed for the flight back: with your e-tickets, maps and bookings you can quickly find the right counter and terminal without relying on airport Wi-Fi.
Check the current entry rules for citizens of Kazakhstan in advance, and before departure make sure the eSIM shows a network and that data roaming isn't forgotten.
