Navigation in China trips people up because the app you'd normally reach for — Google Maps — barely works here. You need a replacement. And the options have real differences.
Here's what each major maps app actually does in China, and which one should be your default.
The Short Answer
Use Amap (高德地图) as your primary. It's the most accurate for China, has solid English support since 2022, handles transit well, and connects directly to Didi and Alipay.
Keep Apple Maps as a readable backup for English-label familiarity, but don't rely on it alone.
Baidu Maps is powerful but built primarily for Chinese users — English speakers will hit friction quickly.
Amap (高德地图 / Gaode Maps)
Amap is the dominant navigation app in China and is used by Didi and Alibaba as the underlying map layer. It knows China better than anything else.
What it does well:
- Accurate real-time traffic for Chinese roads
- Transit directions for metro, bus, and intercity trains — works well in major cities
- Restaurant, hotel, and POI data is extensive and current
- Has an English interface mode (toggle in settings under "Language")
- Connects to Didi for ride-hailing directly from the app
- Works fully offline for cached areas
What to watch:
- English mode improves usability, but some POI names and transit stop names remain in Chinese
- Searching by English name works for major landmarks and hotels; smaller shops may return no results or require Chinese input
- UI can feel dense compared to Western apps — worth spending 10 minutes getting familiar before you're standing on a street corner
Download: Available in the iOS App Store and Google Play internationally. Download before you arrive; the Chinese App Store version has more features but requires a Chinese Apple ID.
Apple Maps
Apple Maps has improved significantly in China in recent years and is the most comfortable option for anyone already in the Apple ecosystem.
What it does well:
- Clean English interface with no setup required
- Transit directions for major cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen) work reasonably well
- Walking directions are solid for tourist areas
- POI names show in English for well-known landmarks
What to watch:
- Data accuracy is behind Amap for local roads and smaller POIs
- Coverage gaps in smaller cities and rural areas
- Transit information less comprehensive than Amap outside top-tier cities
- Restaurant and shop listings can be sparse or outdated in some areas
Best use: Familiar interface for orientation, English-language searches, and transit in major cities. Not a primary driver for China navigation — use it alongside Amap.
Baidu Maps (百度地图)
Baidu Maps is the other dominant maps app in China, with extremely deep local data. But it's built for Chinese users.
What it does well:
- Excellent POI data, often more current than Amap for smaller businesses
- Strong Street View feature (百度街景) useful for finding building entrances
- Good public transit data
- Offline maps for most of China
What to watch:
- Minimal English interface support — most UI is in Chinese
- Searching in English returns unreliable results
- Integrates less cleanly with services foreigners use (Alipay, Didi)
- Voice navigation in Chinese only
Best use: If you read Chinese, it's a solid alternative to Amap. For most foreign travelers, it's lower priority.
What About Google Maps?
Google Maps works partially in China if you're on an internationally-routed eSIM or VPN. Coverage and accuracy are noticeably behind Amap — Google's data for smaller Chinese streets and POIs is outdated or incomplete in many areas.
It's fine for big landmarks and rough orientation. Don't rely on it for transit directions or finding specific restaurants — you'll get misrouted.
Related: How to Use Google Maps in China Without a VPN
Offline Maps: Do This Before You Land
Both Amap and Apple Maps support offline map downloads. Before you leave home:
Amap:
- Open app → Me → Offline Maps → Download your destination cities
- Downloads cover navigation including transit
Apple Maps:
- iOS 17+: Settings → Maps → Offline Maps → Download a region
Download at minimum your arrival city and any cities you plan to navigate heavily. Offline maps save you when you're underground (metros block signals), in rural areas, or when your data plan runs out.
Related: How to Use Maps Offline in China
Transit Navigation: A Closer Look
Getting around on metro and bus is where maps apps earn their value in China.
| App | Transit Coverage | Real-Time Data | English Stops | Transfer Logic | |---|---|---|---|---| | Amap | Excellent (all major cities) | Yes | Partial | Very good | | Apple Maps | Good (top cities) | Partial | Yes | Good | | Baidu Maps | Excellent | Yes | No | Very good |
For transit specifically: Amap wins for coverage and accuracy. Apple Maps is more readable for English speakers in cities where it has full support. Baidu is comprehensive but not accessible for most foreign users.
Payment and Ride Integration
One underrated reason to use Amap as your primary: it integrates directly with Alipay and Didi.
- From Amap, you can call a Didi with one tap
- Alipay users can access Amap's transit payment features
- This makes it easier to manage your whole transport stack from one app
Apple Maps has no equivalent China-specific payment or ride-hailing integration. It'll hand you off to third-party apps.
The Setup I Recommend
Before you leave:
- Download Amap — set language to English in app settings
- Download offline maps for your main cities in both Amap and Apple Maps
- Test navigation from your current location to confirm they're working
In China:
- Primary: Amap for all navigation, especially transit and Didi
- Secondary: Apple Maps for English-friendly searches and orientation
- Backup: screenshots of hotel addresses in Chinese (copy from booking app or hotel website)
Pro tip: Save your accommodation address in Chinese characters in your phone notes. If Amap or any other app fails, you can show a taxi driver the Chinese address directly.
Related: How to Get Around on Public Transport in China | Best eSIM for China for Foreigners
Get the Survival Kit
Navigation is just one piece. Payments, transport, language, and internet access all need to work together.
The China Travel Survival Kit walks through all of it — specifically built for foreigners making their first trip. Get it sorted before you board.
Need more than the guide?
This guide covers the basics. If real-world friction shows up, you can compare the support options and choose the level of human backup that fits your trip.