In the process of planning your China tour, one thing that may linger in your mind is how to make a phone call to China from abroad, or from or in China while traveling in China. Below are some useful tips for you to get familiar with the rules and methods on your phone calls to and from and in China.
1.Call China from your home country
Call a landline phone in China from abroad
If you are going to call a landline phone in a particular city in China, please dial the exit number of your home country (011 for USA) +0086 ( Chinese country code) + city code (10 for Beijing) + phone number.
For example, dialing tour-beijing.com from USA : 011 – 0086 – 10 – 67160201.
Call a cell phone in China from Abroad
If you are going to call a mobile phone in a particular city in China, please dial the exit number of your home country (011 for USA) + 0086 (Chinese country code) + cell phone number ( no need for city code) .
For example, dialing tour-beijing.com from USA : 011 – 0086 – 13520598855.
2.Call your home country from China
Call a landline phone in your home country from China
If you are going to call a landline phone in a particular city in your home country, no need for exit number from China, just your country code + city code + phone number.
Call a cell phone in your home country from China
If you are going to call a mobile phone in a particular city in your home country, no need for the exit number from China, just dial your country code+ cell phone numbe.
3. Make a long distance phone call within China
Call a landline phone or cell phone from a landline phone within China
Landline phone: 0 + area code + fixed phone number ( if call in the same city, no need for “0+area code”)
Mobile phone: 0 + cell phone number
For example, if you are going to either call our Beijing office landline phone number or emergence mobile phone from Xian using a landline phone , you should dial as follows:
Call to Fixed phone: 010 (Beijing Area Code) + 67160201
Call to Cell phone: 0 + 13520598855
Call a fixed number or cell phone from a mobile phone within China
Call to Fixed phone: 0 + city area code + fixed phone number
Call to Mobile phone: Just directly dial the mobile phone number ( no need for city code for cell to cell call )
For example, if you are going to either call our Beijing office fixed phone number or emergence mobile phone from Xian using a cell phone, you should dial as follows:
Fixed phone: 010 (Beijing Area Code) + 67160201
Cell phone: 13520598855
4. The Major City Area Codes in China
So, to make a lond distance call to a landline phone, you need to know the city code for the place you are going to call. Please find below major area codes in China:
Beijing 010, Xian 029, Shanghai 021, Guilin 0773, Hong Kong 00852, Chengdu 028, Guangzhou 020, Lhasa 0891, Hangzhou 0571, Chongqing 023, Tianjin 022, Harbin 0451, Hohhot 0471, Wuhan 027……
Check out the link China Area Code and Postal Code for the particular city code you need for your long distance call.
5. Take a cell phone from your home country
If you want to use your cell phone from your home country, please make sure that you cell phone works in China. If you arrive in China and find that your phone doesn’t work, don’t feel bad for it is quite easy to get a cell phone here. Indeed.
For the electricity in China, its plug and socket system, read my another article Plugs and Sockets in China for more information.
Question One:
How do I call long distance to location in China while in China on my personal cell phone from US?
You may just dial the phone number of the location with the two choices below:
1) Mobile Phone of the location: just dial the mobile phone number ( no need for country and area codes)；
2) Landline Phone of the location: dial the area codes + the landline phone number.
PS. Basically your mobile service offered by your home country company should partner with China Unicom or China Mobile, the two largest phone wetwork company.
Enjoy your China trip!
6. Purchase a Cell Phone in China
It is quite easy to buy a cell phone in China. Cell phones are about as many as barber shops. Make sure it supports the languages you need.
7. Purchase a Pre-paid SIM Card
Arriving in China, you will find that your cell phone is linked to a network that you can receive calls and text messages. This means your cell phone carrier of your home country has some kind of contract with a local Chinese carrier, having you connected in China. However, the roaming charges are very high. A good option is that you get a local number （a local sim card）here with a local network.
Looking for a prepaid sim card for use in China? If you will be traveling to China, and you would like to keep contact with your relatives and friends at your home country through your cell phone, China Unicom Sim Card is your easy sim card solution – Surf, Text, Talk at super-fast 4G speed!
China Unicom SIM card airtime credits allow users to make voice calls, send texts or multi-media messages, or surf the internet when there is no more balance left in their basic 4G data service package. The following table shows the tariff of using airtime credit.
Check out China Unicom SIM Card for more information.
8. Useful Public Service Phone Numbers
110———————————————-Police
119———————————————-Fire
120———————————————-Ambulance
114 ———————————————Local Telephone Information
117 ——————————————– Time Check
121———————————————-Weather Information
122———————————————-Traffic accidentsAdd On
Hassle-free China Guided Tours
If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours, here are some options for China guided tours:
China Private Tours
China Small Group Tours
China Train Tour
China Yangtze Cruise Tour
China Silk Road Tour
Further Readings
Top 10 Places to Visit in China
Top 10 Most Essential Things to Pack for China
How to make a phone call in China
Plugs and Sockets in China
Learning Useful Chinese Phrases for Travellers
How to Recognise Chinese Currency
Top 10 China Tourist Scams
Top 10 Souvenirs in China
Top 10 Travel Experiences in China
10 Most Scenic Drives in China
Top 10 Most Beautiful Mountains in China
Top 10 Most Beautiful Lakes in China
Top 10 Most Beautiful Grasslands in China
Top 10 Most Beautiful Rivers in China
Top 10 most beautiful waterfalls in China
Top 10 Places to See Autumn Leaves in China
Top 10 Most Beautiful Villages in China
Top 10 Most Beautiful old towns in China
Top 10 Most Beautiful Museums in China
HOW DO I PHONE SOMEONE IN BEIJING WHEN I AM IN BEIJING USING MY HOME PHONE NOT A CELL PHONE TO THEIR HOME PHONE NOT THEIR CELL PHONE?
how do I call long distance to location in China while in China on my personal cell phone from US
Dear Michael,
As far as I know, you just dial the phone number of the location with the two choices below:
1) Mobile Phone of the location: just dial the mobile phone number ( no need for country and area codes)；
2) Landline Phone of the location: dial the area codes + the landline phone number.
PS. Basically your mobile service offered by your US company should partner with China Unicom or China Mobile.
Enjoy your China trip!