Last updated: September 2026
If you get sick or injured in China, the system works well and is fast, but it is not built around foreign insurance. You will generally pay at the point of care and claim afterwards, so the two things that matter most are having travel insurance that pays in China and knowing where the nearest Grade 3A hospital or international clinic is before you need it. Pharmacies are everywhere and can handle minor problems; anything more serious goes to a hospital, not a clinic counter.
Here is how to prepare, and what happens if something goes wrong.
Pharmacies: the first stop for minor problems
Chain pharmacies - recognisable by the green cross and the characters 药店 - are on almost every commercial street in Chinese cities, and many are open long hours or around the clock. They are the right place for a cold, a stomach upset, a fever, insect bites, a minor cut or a sprain.
What to bring and expect:
- Bring your own medication. If you take anything regularly, bring enough for the whole trip in original packaging, plus a copy of your prescription. This is the single most reliable way to avoid a problem.
- Drug names differ. The same active ingredient is usually sold under a Chinese brand name, so tell the pharmacist the generic name - or better, show it written down, and use a translation app for the conversation.
- Some medicines are restricted. Certain stimulants and some prescription painkillers are controlled in China. Check before you travel if you take anything in that category, and carry documentation.
- Traditional Chinese medicine is widely available and often offered alongside conventional options. It is a legitimate part of the retail pharmacy range, not an alternative shop.
For anything beyond a minor ailment, do not keep working through the pharmacy shelf. Go to a hospital.
Hospitals: which one, and how it works
Chinese hospitals are graded, and the grade is what you should look for. Grade 3A (三级甲等) hospitals are the largest, best-equipped tier, and many in major cities run an international department or VIP clinic with English-speaking staff, shorter waits and higher fees.
The practical differences:
| Option | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Retail pharmacy | Minor ailments | No appointment, low cost |
| Hospital international department | Anything needing a doctor | English-speaking, higher fee, faster |
| Grade 3A hospital, standard outpatient | Real illness or injury | Excellent care, usually no English, queues |
| Emergency department | Injury, severe illness, chest pain | Open 24 hours, treat first |
Expect the process to look different from home:
- Pay as you go. Registration, consultation, tests and medication are commonly paid for at each step, by card or mobile payment, before you receive the service. Direct billing to a foreign insurer is rare unless your operator or hospital has arranged it in advance.
- Queueing is normal. Registration, then the consultation, then payment, then the pharmacy inside the hospital. Allow a few hours for a standard visit.
- Bring your passport. It is used instead of a Chinese ID card to register.
- Bring your insurance details. Having the policy number and the insurer's emergency contact line to hand speeds up documentation.
Emergency numbers work without any Chinese: 120 for an ambulance, 110 for police, 119 for fire. Ambulance response in Chinese cities is generally fast; if someone at your hotel or a bystander can call for you, that is faster than waiting.
What your travel insurance actually needs to cover
Most travel policies will not solve a problem on their own. Check three things before you leave:
- Does it pay for treatment in China, or reimburse you afterwards? The reimbursement model is the norm. That means you need available funds or a credit card with a high limit while you are there.
- Does it include medical evacuation? This is the line item that matters most and is most often missing on cheap policies. A serious injury in a remote area - western Yunnan, Sichuan's mountains, the Gobi - is a different problem from one in Shanghai, and evacuation is expensive.
- Does it work for older travellers? Many policies cap the age of the insured or exclude pre-existing conditions, and the cost rises steeply with age. If you are travelling with parents or grandparents, confirm cover for them specifically rather than assuming your family policy extends.
Add an emergency contact card in Chinese and English - your name, passport number, insurer, policy number, next of kin, and any allergy or chronic condition - carried in your wallet rather than buried in your phone.
Do you need vaccinations for China?
China does not require routine vaccinations for entry. The one exception is yellow fever: if you are arriving from a country where yellow fever is present, proof of vaccination may be required.
Beyond that, standard travel medicine advice applies - be up to date on routine vaccinations, and discuss hepatitis A and B, typhoid and rabies with a travel clinic based on where you are actually going. Rabies is worth a mention if your itinerary involves rural areas or significant time around animals.
Food and water: tap water is not for drinking. Bottled water is cheap and universal, and hotels provide kettles and often bottled water. Street food is very much part of a China trip - choose busy stalls with high turnover.
Practical preparation that prevents most of this
A short checklist beats a long one:
- Carry a written medication list - generic names, dosages - plus a Chinese translation.
- Bring a small first-aid kit: painkillers, rehydration sachets, plasters, antiseptic, any regular prescription, and antidiarrhoeal medication.
- Save your hotel's address in Chinese characters to show a driver or an ambulance crew.
- Ask your hotel front desk which hospital they send guests to. In every major city there is one with an international department, and the concierge knows which.
- If you are on a guided trip, tell your guide about any condition that could matter on the road. They can get you seen faster than you can.
None of this is about China being a risky destination. It is about a system that is excellent but unfamiliar, and about a language barrier that gets in the way exactly when you are least able to work around it. Our guide to the language barrier covers the translation groundwork.
If your trip is partly about medical and wellness services rather than ordinary travel, that is a different subject - see our guide to medical travel to China for how treatment visits, health checkups and the medical visa route work.
Frequently asked questions
Can foreigners use hospitals in China?
Yes. Any hospital will treat you, and you register with your passport. For English-speaking care, go to a Grade 3A hospital's international department or a private international clinic.
Will my travel insurance be accepted directly by a Chinese hospital?
Rarely. Expect to pay at the point of care and claim a reimbursement afterwards, which is why medical evacuation cover and available funds matter.
What is the emergency number in China?
120 for an ambulance, 110 for police, 119 for fire. These work without Chinese, and you can be located from your phone signal.
Can I buy my usual medication in China?
Often, but under different brand names, and some categories are controlled. Bring enough for your whole trip in original packaging with your prescription, and tell the pharmacist the generic name.
Is tap water safe to drink in China?
No. Drink bottled water, which is inexpensive and sold everywhere. Hotel kettles are standard.
Do I need vaccinations to enter China?
No routine vaccinations are required. Proof of yellow fever vaccination may be required if you are arriving from a country with yellow fever transmission.
For the rest of your pre-departure setup - payments, connectivity, arrival paperwork and language preparation - see our China Travel Essentials column.
