For a first China trip with children, prepare each child's documents, confirm rooms and transport for their actual ages, and build the day around a manageable pace. One well-chosen visit, a reliable meal and time to rest can be more useful than another city on the itinerary.
Give each child their own document check
Check each child's passport and entry permission individually using the visa and entry guide. Do not assume a parent's eligibility automatically applies to a child with a different nationality or document.
If one parent, a grandparent or another adult is travelling with the child, check the consent and relationship evidence required by your departure, transit and destination authorities. Authorities may ask for a birth or adoption certificate and permission from a parent who is not travelling, depending on your circumstances. Confirm what applies to your family before preparing the documents. For example, UK guidance concerns everyone with parental responsibility, while US guidance asks families to check the destination's requirements.
Where a child's Chinese nationality or travel-document status may be relevant, have the Chinese consulate confirm the correct route before booking. Keep a secure copy of each document separate from the originals, and make sure the adults know who is carrying them.
Make a day your family can enjoy
Choose one main visit and give it enough time. A morning at a museum might sit well with an afternoon in a park; a long transfer needs a simpler day on either side. Let children take an interest in a specific thing: a roof creature, a dumpling being folded, a boat on a canal.
Keep the first day after arrival light. Leave room for sleep, familiar food and a short walk near the hotel. Avoid making the first successful meal dependent on finding a particular restaurant across town.
Between cities, compare the complete journey rather than the departure time alone. A train might give you more freedom to settle in; a flight might avoid a much longer overland trip. Use the flight comparison and train guide with your family's needs in mind.
Confirm the room, rather than the label
Send the hotel the number of adults and children, their ages at the stay, and the bedding you require. Ask for the maximum permitted occupancy, actual bed sizes, cot (crib) or extra-bed availability, fees and breakfast arrangements.
A room request you can send
Replace the details in brackets before you send this message.
We are [number] adults and [number] children, aged [ages], staying from [date] to [date]. Please confirm the permitted occupancy, the number and sizes of beds, and availability and total cost of a [crib / extra bed]. If we book two rooms, can you confirm an internal connecting door, rather than only neighbouring rooms?
“Connecting rooms requested” is different from connecting rooms confirmed. If this is essential, get a clear answer before choosing a non-refundable rate. Ask about access to the room with a stroller and the storage you need for food or medical supplies.
Keep the hotel name and Chinese address on both adults' phones, or on a small paper card. The hotel booking guide covers check-in and arrival details.
Book the child into the journey
For China Railway's age-based rules, children from age 6 to under 14 travel on a child discount ticket; those aged 14 and over need a full-price ticket. Each adult with a paid ticket can accompany one child under 6 on a free child ticket without a reserved seat. Additional under-6 children need a child ticket. If you want the young child to have a seat, arrange a paid child ticket.
Two simple rail examples
On a seated train, one adult with a paid ticket and one four-year-old sharing the adult’s seat: add a free child ticket. For the four-year-old to have a separate seat, arrange a paid child ticket. A ten-year-old needs a child discount ticket.
Add each travelling child and their correct identity details in the booking process, including a child travelling free. Check the applicable berth price for a sleeper journey. Use the child's travelling document and verify the order before payment.
For flights, ask the operating airline about age categories, seating together, infant arrangements, stroller handling and an approved child restraint if you intend to bring one. Do not assume a train's age rule or another airline's baggage allowance applies. Check the seat assignments for the whole family and confirm any required staffed check-in.
For road transfers, give the provider your child’s age, height and weight, and request an appropriate child restraint in advance. Confirm suitability, availability and installation with the provider. Booking a larger car alone does not arrange a child seat.
Prepare the small parts of the day
Carry safe drinking water and a few familiar, permitted snacks. For infant feeding, discuss the travel routine with your child's clinician and follow preparation and hygiene instructions for the product you use. A hot-water dispenser alone is not a complete feeding plan.
Locate a restroom and a comfortable place for a break before a long walk. Ask about changing facilities specifically; they are not implied by a general toilet sign. The water and restroom guide includes a Shanghai map example.
For feeding an infant or taking a quiet break, ask staff about a mother-and-baby room (母婴室). Confirm opening hours, entry arrangements and any changing facilities you need.
For allergies, prepare a checked ingredient card with the dietary needs guide. Keep prescribed medicines and care instructions ready, and confirm that each child is covered by the travel insurance.
Agree on a simple plan before going out
Give an older child an age-appropriate plan if separated: stop, approach a uniformed member of staff and use the agreed contact details. For younger children, adults should agree who is watching them during queues, boarding and luggage collection.
Keep a contact card with the accompanying adult's reachable number and the hotel address. Avoid displaying a child's unnecessary personal information publicly. Save the day's reservation details where both adults can reach them, and agree where to meet if a phone stops working.
Know which adult would stay with a child needing care and how the other would reach them. Our medical help guide is a useful companion to that plan.
Before you move on
Questions you may still have
Does my child need a separate entry-document check?
Yes. Check each child’s passport and entry permission individually, including nationality and any relevant Chinese travel-document status.
Can a child under 6 travel free on a train?
Each adult with a paid ticket may accompany one child under 6 on a free child ticket without a reserved seat. Include the child in the booking. Extra young children or a reserved seat require an appropriate paid ticket.
Does a family-room label guarantee enough beds?
No. Confirm permitted occupancy, actual bedding, each child’s age and any cot or extra bed directly with the hotel.