Your phone is your map in China. Install Apple Maps, Gaode (Amap) and MetroMan before you fly — and skip Google Maps, which is blocked.
1 Apple Maps (iPhone built-in)
Apple Maps works fully in China with English search, turn-by-turn directions, and public transit. No install needed — it is already on every iPhone, and it is the only major Western maps app that does not get blocked.
- Search in English. Apple Maps turns "Beijing South Railway Station" into "北京南站" so the address matches what your taxi driver sees on their phone.
- Download for offline. Tap your profile picture, then Offline Maps, and save the cities you are visiting. Local SIM data can be patchy the first day.
- Transit is decent. Apple Maps covers subway and bus routes in major Chinese cities, though Gaode is usually more reliable for transfers.
Tip: if a pin does not resolve, try the Chinese name you saw on a sign — Apple Maps indexes both.
2 Gaode / Amap (高德地图) — the local standard
Amap (Gaode) is the navigation app Chinese locals use every day. Its coverage is the most accurate in China — right down to small alleys, and it knows every subway exit number and which side of the road to drop you on.
- Install the international build. Search for "AutoNavi" in the App Store or "Amap" in Google Play. Sign up with your phone number; verification usually clears in a day.
- Switch to English. Open Me → Settings → Language and pick English. Search accepts English or pinyin; results show the Chinese address.
- Best for transit and walking. Amap routes bus and subway transfers more accurately than Apple Maps, and its walking directions use footpaths, not main roads.
- Baidu Maps (百度地图) is the other big option. Very similar coverage and accuracy. If Amap’s English feels awkward, try Baidu.
3 MetroMan (地铁通) — every subway in your pocket
China has more than 50 city metro systems, and MetroMan has all of them in one app: route planner, fare, first and last train times, and offline line maps. It is the fastest way to plan a subway-only trip.
- Search by station, not address. Type the station name in English or Chinese; it returns the line, transfer stops, travel time, and fare.
- Works fully offline. After the first launch, line maps and timetables are stored on your phone — handy when you arrive and have not activated SIM data yet.
- Eleven languages. English, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Italian.
Tip: on a long subway-only day, this single app replaces every city’s metro map.