some random stuff i've run into helping people after they land in shanghai
i pick people up from the airport here sometimes and honestly the same few things trip everyone up. figured i'd share in case it helps someone before they come.
esim — this is the big one. so many people land at pudong with a dead phone basically. no signal, airport wifi wants a chinese number, and they can't even open a map or message anyone. if you're coming, sort out an esim before you fly. activate it before you land. don't wait till you're standing at arrivals.
vpn — everyone knows about the firewall but half the people i pick up didn't actually test their vpn first. then they land and google/whatsapp/insta just don't work and they panic. test it before you come, and have a backup one installed. seriously.
train tickets — this one catches people off guard. buying high speed train tickets as a foreigner can be a pain if you don't have the right setup, and the ticket machines/apps aren't always english friendly. if you're planning to travel between cities, don't leave it till the last minute at the station.
anyway not a complete list, just the stuff i see over and over. anyone else run into other first-day headaches here? curious what i'm missing.