You can book some of China's major attractions without a Chinese phone number or WeChat. Start with the attraction's own route for foreign visitors: the Palace Museum links to an English booking website, the National Museum to an English reservation system, and some sites offer help from staff at the entrance. What matters is whether that channel accepts your passport and contact details for your date, so check it well before tickets are released.
If you are booking for parents, children or friends, a phone that opens the page is only the start. The channel also has to accept every passport and complete everyone's booking for the same day. Sorting that out early lets you choose from the slots that are actually available, instead of fixing an account while the rest of the trip waits.
Start with the attraction's own route
Begin where the attraction itself points foreign visitors, then check the details below for your date.
| Attraction | Where to start | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Forbidden City | Official English Visit page → Book Tickets | Use the passport route and follow the current sign-in, slot and payment prompts. |
| National Museum of China | Official English Admission page → reservation system | Entry is free but still needs a confirmed reservation under the current rules. |
| Sanxingdui Museum | Official website, with documented English passport services | Confirm the current passport, contact and payment steps for your date. |
| Summer Palace | Staff assistance at the park entrance | A 2025 Beijing government answer says its online route needed a mainland number, while passport holders could buy with staff at the gate. Check again for your date. |
Work out what is actually blocking you
“I don't have a Chinese number” can mean four different problems. Pin down which one you have before changing your phone setup.
- Connectivity: a data eSIM can get you online, but it may not give you a mainland number or SMS. Being online is only the first step.
- Account or contact: check which country codes and verification methods the attraction actually offers. A Chinese-language screen does not mean foreign numbers are refused.
- Identity: a phone number that works does not prove the form accepts your passport. Ask the attraction's official support about unclear name or document fields.
- Payment and confirmation: linking a card or receiving a payment notice does not give you a place. You need a completed order that matches every visitor and the visit date.
If the official route still does not work
Keep a screenshot of the error, with personal details hidden, and the order status. Then ask the attraction about its current route for foreign documents. Don't pay again while an earlier order is unresolved, and never book under someone else's identity in place of your passport. If your date is full, look at another slot or day before you commit to travel.
How Homeground can help
Sometimes the real problem is the day around the ticket: the museum slot, the hotel location and the train out don't line up. Tell us your dates, who is travelling and the places you want to see. We check which of our services fits each attraction, then confirm the scope, fee and backup options in writing before you pay.
Questions before the release window
Must foreigners have a Chinese phone number to book attractions?
Not always. Requirements vary by attraction and channel. Start with the attraction's official route for foreign visitors and check its current contact fields before deciding you need a mainland number.
Can I book without WeChat?
At some attractions, yes. Start with the English website the attraction links to, or a documented staffed route; others rely on WeChat mini-programs. Check the official alternative before you fix the date.
Will a data eSIM solve the booking problem?
It may get you online, but it may not give you a +86 number or SMS. It doesn't settle passport acceptance, payment or availability.
Official sources and image credit(7)
- Palace Museum: English visit and booking routeThe Palace Museum
- National Museum: current admission rules and English reservation linkNational Museum of China
- Guanghan government: inbound-visitor passport and English booking servicesGuanghan Municipal Government
- Beijing 12345: different phone-number rules for different attractionsBeijing Municipal Government
- Shanghai Museum East: individual entry and special reservationsShanghai Museum
- Hero: Temple of Heaven photograph by Maros M r a z, CC BY-SA 3.0Wikimedia Commons
- Photograph licence: CC BY-SA 3.0Creative Commons
