Tourists can make domestic long distance calls or international calls from their hotel room and the call charge will be added into the hotel expense. Domestic long distance calls and international calls can be made from post offices and public phone booths near the scenic spots, shops, and entertainment venues. The charge is to be paid after the call.

When making domestic long distance calls, you shall first dial the area code, then the local number. Here are area codes of some major cities: Beijing (010), Shanghai (021), Tianjin (022), Hangzhou (0571), Guangzhou (020), Guilin (0773), Kunming (0871), and Xi'an (029).

When making international calls, you shall first dial "00" (international prefix number), then the country code and the area code and finally the local number.

When making international calls with a landline or cell phone, first you must dial "00" (international prefix), then dial the country code, then the area code and local number.

When making domestic long distance calls with a landline or cell phone (to landline) in China, you should first dial the area code starting with 0, then the local number.

When making domestic long distance calls with a landline or cell phone (to cell phone) in China, you first should dial 0, then the cell phone number.

When calling a Chinese landline out China, you must first dial the international prefix number, for example in the United States you dial 011, then dial 86 the country code for China, then the area code and local number.

When calling a Chinese mobile number, you first need to dial the international prefix number and then dial 86, then the mobile number.

Useful phone numbers in China

Phone Number Service

110 Police

114 Local telephone number inquiry and area code inquiry

119 Fire

120 Ambulance

11185 Postal code inquiry

10000 China Telecom customer service

10086 China Mobile customer service

10010 China Unicom customer service

95566 Bank of China customer service

In towns and cities, IDD service is provided at all hotels and post offices. Phone cards are available in post offices inside hotels or in the streets. Even more conveniently, most news stands in major cities also carry phone cards. Telephone booths in the streets are mostly for local calls.