Quick answer
Google Maps has no working navigation in mainland China — pins land in the wrong place and driving or walking routes return nothing. Install Baidu Maps (百度地图) and Amap/Gaode (高德地图) before you land, switch both to English inside settings, and use one of them for everything: metro routing, restaurant lookup, taxi pickup pins, and walking directions. Apple Maps works acceptably if your phone is an iPhone, but a Chinese map app is still better for transit.
Why this matters in 2026
Every day of a China trip involves map decisions the apps at home cannot make: which metro exit has the elevator, which side of the street the noodle shop is on, where the taxi can actually stop. Google's China data has been frozen for years, so searching there produces confidently wrong answers. Baidu and Amap hold live data — including English interfaces added for international visitors — but neither works well until you configure search, offline maps, and WeChat sharing. Half an hour of setup fixes the whole trip.
Key facts at a glance
- Google Maps: loads but pins are offset by hundreds of meters and routing does not work in the mainland
- Baidu Maps (百度地图): deepest POI data, English menu under Settings → 语音和语言, offline city packs
- Amap / Gaode (高德地图): cleaner interface, best transit and ride-hailing pickup, English under 我的 → 设置
- Apple Maps: decent in China (AutoNavi data); fine for iPhone users as a fallback
- Search trick: type or paste Chinese characters — pinyin search fails on small venues
- Cost: all three apps are free; offline maps need no account
Step-by-step walkthrough
Step 1: Install before you fly
Baidu Maps and Amap install fine from overseas app stores. Do it at home: first-hour airport Wi-Fi is the worst place to be downloading 300 MB city packs.
Step 2: Switch the interface to English
Baidu: 我的 → 设置 → 语音和语言 → English. Amap: 我的 → 设置 → 语言设置. Menus stay bilingual; place names render in English where translations exist, Chinese otherwise.
Step 3: Download offline maps for your cities
Baidu offers offline city packs (离线地图); Amap similarly. Offline mode keeps search and positioning working when your eSIM data drops in the metro or mountains.
Step 4: Search in characters, not pinyin
Copy the shop's Chinese name from WeChat, Dianping, or a photo of a sign, and paste it into search. "Kaoya" returns three places; 北京烤鸭 returns the right one. Save every result with a star so your trip builds a personal layer.
Step 5: Route with metro-first logic
Choose 公交/地铁 (transit) mode — it compares metro lines, exit recommendations, and walking legs. Exit choice matters: the recommended exit can save a 500-meter surface walk.
Step 6: Set pickup pins for taxis
For Didi or street taxis, drop the pin at the gate your map shows, screenshot it (Chinese address visible), and show the screenshot if the driver calls. Amap integrates DiDi directly.
Common scenarios and use cases
1. Finding a restaurant from a recommendation
Paste the Chinese name, check the recent photos and price range in-app, then send the location card to your travel partner through WeChat — shared pins open in their map app of choice.
2. Navigating the metro in a new city
Transit mode lists line, direction (terminus name), fare, and recommended exit in English. Follow the in-station signage with the line color and terminus; both apps predict the next train.
3. Meeting someone at a huge place
Chinese venues have named gates (东门, 西门 — east/west gate). Share a pin plus the gate name in characters. At stations, share the exit number, not the address.
4. Old-town walking in Hutongs or water towns
Walking mode with offline maps handles the maze lanes where data drops. Drop a pin at your hotel gate before heading out — unnamed alleys will not re-search reliably.
Costs and pricing breakdown
- Baidu Maps / Amap: free, including offline packs and transit routing
- Data plan for live use: any eSIM with mainland data (from USD 3–5/day) makes offline packs optional
- Power bank: map-heavy days drain phones; rentals and convenience stores sell/share power banks via WeChat scan (CNY 3–4/hour)
- Printed backup: one offline screenshot set of your hotel card and day plan costs nothing and saves dead-phone days
Pitfalls to avoid
- Planning routes on Google Maps at home: saved Google lists do not transfer; export addresses to a note with Chinese characters.
- Searching in pinyin: pinyin only matches big landmarks. Characters are the search currency — copy them from wherever you found the place.
- Ignoring the exit recommendation: the difference between exit A1 and A2 at a 20-exit interchange is a 10-minute walk you do not want.
- Assuming the pin is the entrance: large compounds (parks, universities, malls) have many gates; tap the POI and check the entrance photos.
- Letting the battery die in an old town: offline maps help only on a live phone. Carry a power bank on walking-heavy days.
Alternatives and trade-offs
- Apple Maps vs Chinese apps: cleaner for iPhone users and needs no setup, but transit details (exit guidance, line crowding) are weaker. Use it as fallback, not primary.
- Amap vs Baidu: pick one as primary and learn it; Amap for city transit and driving feel, Baidu for POI depth and tourist translations. Many locals run both.
- Organized Maps / offline Wikivoyage: fine as text backup for old towns; no live transit.
- Hotel business cards: the classic — the Chinese address on the card beats any app when your phone is dead. Take two.
Local context and customs
Everyone in China runs on the same two map apps, which means the map is the social layer: locations travel as WeChat cards, meeting points are stated as map pins and exit numbers, and restaurant choices are checked against in-app reviews before anyone commits. Addresses alone are nearly useless for big venues — the gate, the exit, and the floor matter, which is why locals share pins instead of street addresses. Search results favor what is open right now, and reviews on Baidu/Amap overlap with Dianping, where the food verdicts actually live. When a place confuses even locals, the fallback is the photo of the sign: show it, and someone will point.
Verifying current information
App features and English support change with versions. Confirm the latest through:
- Baidu Maps official site: https://map.baidu.com
- Amap official site: https://www.amap.com
- Apple support page on Maps availability by region: https://www.apple.com/ios/feature-availability/
- Your app store's recent reviews: search "Baidu Maps English" for current feedback from travelers
- Reddit r/chinalife: weekly threads on which map app behaves best that month
Putting it all together
Install Baidu Maps and Amap at home, switch both to English, download offline packs for your cities, and practice pasting Chinese characters into search. Route by transit mode, respect the recommended exit, share pins over WeChat, and carry a power bank on old-town days. Google Maps stays useful only for what it remembers — keep your saved lists in a notes app with Chinese names, and the map layer of your trip will simply work.
FAQ
Does Google Maps work at all in China?
It loads and your saved stars still show, but pins are offset and routing (driving, walking, transit) does not function in the mainland. Use it to read your old lists, not to navigate.
Which is better for foreigners, Baidu Maps or Amap?
Amap is the easier first app: cleaner interface and strong transit. Baidu has deeper POI data and slightly better English translations for places. Most short trips are fine with Amap alone.
Do the Chinese map apps work without a Chinese app store?
Yes — both install from international Apple and Google Play stores, and English interfaces need no Chinese account.
Can I use them offline?
Yes. Baidu and Amap both offer downloadable city packs; search and positioning work offline, though live traffic and review data need connectivity.
Is Apple Maps good enough in China?
For walking in major cities, often yes — it uses licensed Chinese map data. For metro exits, bus alternatives, and ride-hailing integration, the Chinese apps are clearly better.
How do I search for a place that has no English name?
Paste the Chinese characters from any source (sign photo via a translate app, WeChat message, Dianping listing). Characters search perfectly; pinyin usually does not.
Do the apps support English voice navigation?
Yes, both apps include English voice guidance for driving and, in newer versions, walking — enable it under settings. Transit prompts remain mostly on-screen text.
Is the GPS offset problem real?
On Chinese-licensed maps (Baidu, Amap, Apple in China), positioning is correct. The offset problem appears only when foreign map tiles are used with China GPS — one more reason to stay in the local apps.