Quick answer. Check electrical equipment and power banks separately from ordinary packing. A plug adaptor does not convert voltage: confirm that each charger accepts mainland China’s 220 V supply. For flights, check cabin-baggage, quantity, capacity and use rules with the operating carrier. Mainland domestic flights also exclude power banks without clear CCC marks and recalled models or batches. Rail has its own restricted-items list. Check controlled medicines individually before travel.
References: Electrical Safety First — China travel adaptors · CAAC — CCC marks and recalled power banks · China Railway 12306 — restricted items
Pack for the route you are taking: the weather in each city, the journeys between them and the things you need to keep close. A bag you can move comfortably through a station is often a better companion than one filled for every imaginable occasion.
Clothes can be chosen around the season. Documents, medication and electrical equipment need a little more checking before they go into the bag.
Keep the arrival essentials with you
Put your passport and applicable entry documents, first hotel address, payment backups and essential medication in your cabin bag, subject to security requirements. Save copies of reservations and insurance details offline, with a separate backup.
Add a change of clothes and the charging cable you will use on arrival. Keep valuables out of checked luggage. If you are travelling with someone, avoid putting every card and every copy of the itinerary in a single bag.
Check the documents for your own route in the China visa and entry guide.
Prepare a small bag for days out
For days out, a small bag can hold tissues, hand sanitiser, sun protection, a light layer, drinking water and the medication you need that day. Choose the size around what you can comfortably carry during a walk or museum visit, and check the destination's bag restrictions before leaving the hotel.
Check laundry availability and turnaround with your hotels when deciding how much clothing to bring. Leave irreplaceable jewellery or sentimental valuables at home where practical. These are packing suggestions; they do not assume that a guide can source every forgotten item or that every hotel offers the same facilities.
Check voltage as well as plug shape
Mainland China's standard supply is 220 V. Official guidance identifies sockets associated with types A, C and I; choose an adaptor suitable for the sockets you expect to use. A plug that physically fits does not establish voltage compatibility. Electrical Safety First — China travel adaptors
Read the input label on each charger. Equipment marked 100–240 V, 50/60 Hz can generally accept China's supply with an appropriate plug adaptor. A travel adaptor changes the connection, not the voltage or frequency.
For a US 120 V-only hair dryer or styling tool, a simple adaptor is not sufficient. Check the manufacturer's instructions or use an appropriate alternative. UK and European appliances may be closer to China's supply voltage, but still need their own input ratings, plug and power requirements checked.
Bring a suitable wall charger as well as cables. Ask the hotel about any particular outlet or appliance need before assuming it is available in the room.
Treat power banks as a separate packing decision
| Journey | Relevant condition |
|---|---|
| Air travel | ICAO limits personal power banks to two and prohibits recharging them in flight. Check the operating carrier’s cabin, capacity, storage and use requirements. ICAO — power-bank restrictions |
| Mainland domestic flight | Additional CAAC condition: clear CCC marking and no recalled model or batch. International-flight acceptance does not settle this. CAAC — CCC marks and recalled power banks |
| Rail journey | The rail list separately covers clearly marked power banks and lithium batteries no more than 100 Wh per unit. China Railway 12306 — restricted items |
For flights, keep power banks in cabin baggage, not checked bags. Protect them against damage and short circuits, and keep their ratings legible. If your cabin bag is taken for gate checking, remove the power bank first.
ICAO's update effective 27 March 2026 limits passengers to two power banks and prohibits recharging power banks during flight. Airlines may also prohibit using them to charge other devices and impose storage rules. Check the operating carrier for every sector and follow the crew's instructions. ICAO — power-bank restrictions
For a straightforward packing choice, favour a clearly marked unit of no more than 100 Wh, subject to your airline's acceptance. Do not rely on the product's mAh figure or the words “airline approved” alone. Check the carrier's current capacity, quantity, use and storage conditions before departure.
Check the extra condition for mainland domestic flights
From 28 June 2025, CAAC prohibits power banks without a clear CCC mark, or from recalled models or batches, on mainland domestic flights. A power bank accepted on your international journey may therefore be unsuitable for a later domestic sector. CAAC — CCC marks and recalled power banks
A European CE mark or another overseas mark is not the CCC mark specified in that notice. If your own device does not meet the condition, plan an alternative before the domestic flight. The CCC condition here concerns domestic aviation; it should not be presented as the same blanket requirement for every train, metro or international flight.
Check rail restrictions independently
Railways publish their own restricted-items list, including clearly marked power banks and lithium batteries not exceeding 100 Wh per unit. Some flammable toiletries and sprays also have specific restrictions. Review the actual product and container against the rail list. China Railway 12306 — restricted items
For airlines, baggage size, weight and allowance are set by the carrier. Read the conditions on each booking, especially if international and domestic tickets were bought separately. There is no useful universal promise that every “20-inch” suitcase is accepted in the cabin.
Then prepare for the station and boarding process with the China high-speed train guide.
Keep medication identifiable
Use original labelled packaging and carry the prescription or a doctor's letter where relevant. Controlled medicines need individual checking: a prescription issued at home does not settle the import conditions. Shanghai Customs distinguishes ordinary personal medication from narcotic and psychotropic medicines with additional documentation and quantity conditions. Confirm the active ingredient and your circumstances before travel. Shanghai Customs — personal and controlled medicines
Finish with comfortable walking shoes and layers suited to your itinerary. Leave some space in the bag. It makes each move between places easier and gives the day a little more room.
Before you move on
Questions you may still have
Can a US plug fit but still be unsuitable?
Yes. Shape and voltage are separate. A 120 V-only appliance is not made compatible with China's 220 V supply by adding a simple adaptor.
Can I use the power bank I brought from home on a domestic flight?
Check it first. Mainland domestic flights require a clear CCC mark and exclude recalled models or batches. Acceptance on your international sector does not settle the domestic-sector requirement.
How many power banks can I bring?
ICAO's update effective 27 March 2026 limits passengers to two and prohibits recharging power banks in flight. Check the operating carrier's additional capacity, use and storage requirements.
Sources and editorial notes
Limina China compiled this guide from the references below. Route, pacing and preparation suggestions are editorial recommendations; entry, payment and transport conditions come from the named authorities or providers. Follow the conditions for your own documents, account and journey.
- Electrical Safety First — China travel adaptorsIndependent electrical-safety charity: supply voltage, plug types and adaptor limits. Source checked .
- ICAO — power-bank restrictionsEffective 27 March 2026: quantity limit and recharging restriction; check carrier instructions. Source checked .
- CAAC — CCC marks and recalled power banksMainland domestic-flight condition effective 28 June 2025. Source checked .
- China Railway 12306 — restricted itemsRail-specific restrictions; marked power banks and lithium batteries no more than 100 Wh each. Source checked .
- Shanghai Customs — personal and controlled medicinesDifferent conditions for ordinary personal medicines and controlled substances. Source checked .