Product info
Beijing eSIM plans
| Unlimited data · 5 days | $17.99 | Buy eSIM |
| Ohayu recommendsUnlimited data · 10 days | $33.99 | Buy eSIM |
| Unlimited data · 15 days | $41.99 | Buy eSIM |
| 3GB prepaid eSIM · 15 days | $10.49$3.50 / GB | Buy eSIM |
| 5GB prepaid eSIM · 30 days | $14.79$2.96 / GB | Buy eSIM |
| 10GB prepaid eSIM · 30 days | $24.99$2.50 / GB | Buy eSIM |
| 20GB prepaid eSIM · 30 days | $38.99$1.95 / GB | Buy eSIM |
| 50GB prepaid eSIM · 30 days | $83.99$1.68 / GB | Buy eSIM |
You can install your eSIM before the trip and activate it when you arrive in China. Validity starts after eSIM activation.
Plan details
How much mobile data you need
What's the best eSIM for Beijing?
Few days – 3 GB
Maps, translation, ride-hailing.
A week – 5 GB
Navigation plus heavy translation use.
Beijing and Shanghai – 20 GB
Both cities by high-speed rail.
Business week – Unlimited
Tethering, usually over a VPN.
Coverage and network
Coverage, and the firewall
China mobile networks
China ranks 12th globally at 179 Mbps, and Beijing runs ahead of that at 214 Mbps. Raw speed is not the thing to plan around here. What you actually need to prepare for is which services will be reachable at all. (Speedtest by Ookla, June 2026)
Speedtest Global Index · Mobile · Beijing · June 2026
Download
213.7 Mbps
Upload
36.29 Mbps
Latency
30 ms
Global rank
#32 of 98
Beijing, specifically
- The subway and the ring roads: Excellent throughout. Beijing has one of the largest metro systems in the world and it is comprehensively covered, tunnels included.
- Forbidden City and the hutongs: Strong across the palace complex and the old lanes, though thick walls in some halls weaken it indoors.
- The Great Wall: Mutianyu and Badaling have service at the entrances, cable cars and restored sections. The unrestored "wild wall" stretches do not, and those are exactly where people go wandering.
- Two airports, far apart: Capital is about 32 km northeast of the centre. Daxing is roughly 46 km south and a genuinely different journey. Check your ticket before booking a transfer.
Mainland, not Hong Kong
The plan covers mainland China - Shanghai, Xi'an, Chengdu. Hong Kong and Macau are separate destinations with their own plans.
How to install eSIM
Connected in 3 steps
- 01
Buy before you fly
Choose your data plan before your trip.
- 02
Download & install
Log in to your account, tap your eSIM, and follow the on-screen instructions.
- 03
Land & activate
Activate when you arrive in China. Turn on roaming for the eSIM and it connects to a local network.
Before you buy, make sure your phone supports eSIM — see Ohayu compatible devices list or dial *#06#. It's a free request to your phone's settings. If you see the EID number — your phone is eSIM-compatible.
Arriving in Beijing
Airport Wi-Fi at PEK and PKX
Capital has passport-scanning code machines in all three terminals if you have no Chinese number: choose your language, lay the passport in the slot, and it prints a login. Sessions run five hours, up to three per document per day.
Side by side
Beijing eSIM Comparison
Indicative comparison based on publicly listed China plans as of August 2026. Competitor pricing and policies change - check their sites for current terms.
Frequently asked questions
Where to buy a SIM card in Beijing?
China Mobile, Unicom and Telecom have counters in both airports and shops across the city. You will need your passport for real-name registration, and the process takes a while. An eSIM installed at home avoids it.
Do I need ID to buy a SIM card in China?
Yes. China requires real-name registration for every SIM, so buying local means presenting your passport at a carrier store or airport counter and having it scanned. Ohayu plans are data-only with no Chinese number attached, so there is no registration step.
Will Google Maps, WhatsApp and Instagram work in Beijing?
No, and no eSIM changes that. Google services, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube are filtered at the national network level inside mainland China, so they are unreachable on any local connection. Install a VPN before you arrive if you need them, download offline maps, and expect local alternatives to work better - WeChat for messaging, Baidu or Amap for navigation, Alipay or WeChat Pay for almost everything else.
Can I get online at the airport without a Chinese phone number?
Yes, but it is fiddly, which is the argument for arriving with an eSIM already working. At Capital the free Wi-Fi portal expects an SMS code, and foreign numbers do not always go through - the reliable route is one of the self-service code machines in T1, T2 or T3, which scan your passport and print a username and password. Daxing's portal does accept international numbers.
eSIM not working in Beijing?
If you have data but apps will not load, that is the firewall rather than the eSIM - test with a Chinese site like baidu.com to confirm you are online. If nothing loads at all, check the Ohayu eSIM is your data line and roaming is on, then cycle Airplane mode. Chat and support@ohayu.com are open 24/7.
