Does Google Maps Work in China? Best Map Apps to Use Instead

The short version

Google Maps is not a good choice for mainland China.

• Google services are blocked in mainland China.
• If you get Google Maps to load with a VPN, a roaming plan or some travel eSIMs, the China map is often out of date, public transport directions are limited, and your location dot can sit hundreds of meters away from the street you are on.

Use these instead:

1. Amap (Gaode Map), in English, as your main map. It has had an English version since January 2025.
2. Apple Maps as a backup if you use an iPhone. It works without a VPN.
3. Keep your hotel and key places saved in Chinese characters, so you can show them to a driver or passer-by.

Set everything up and test it at home before you fly.

Why Google Maps doesn’t work well in China

It is blocked

Google Search, Gmail, YouTube and Google Maps are blocked on mainland Chinese internet connections. On hotel Wi-Fi or a Chinese SIM card, Google Maps will usually not load at all.

It can work on:

• Your home SIM with international roaming, because roaming data is usually routed through your home network
• Some travel eSIMs that route data through servers outside mainland China
• A VPN, although VPNs need to be licensed under Chinese law

See Internet in China and the China eSIM guide for your data options.

Even when it loads, the map is often wrong

• Out-of-date places: restaurants, shops and even metro exits change fast in Chinese cities. Google has little up-to-date local data.
• Limited transit: in many cities Google Maps cannot plan metro and bus routes.
• The location offset: Chinese maps use an official coordinate system that is shifted from standard GPS. On Google Maps’ street map of China, your GPS dot and the roads may not line up. This is why travelers report that their “GPS doesn’t work in China”.
• English-only search: many places are only listed under their Chinese name.

Which map app should you use?

Our recommendation: Amap as your main map, Apple Maps as backup on iPhone, and a translation app to read signs and menus.

How to set up Amap in English

Amap is run by AutoNavi, part of Alibaba. In the US App Store it is listed as AMap Global.

1. Download Amap from the App Store or Google Play. Download it before you travel, because Google Play is not available on Chinese networks.
2. Switch to English. Open your profile tab, find the language option in the settings, and choose English. Menu names can change between versions. The multilingual version launched in July 2025 supports English and 15 other languages.
3. Allow location access “while using the app”, so it can plan walking and transit routes.
4. Sign in if you want to call taxis. You can browse the map without an account. Booking rides needs a login and a payment method. Use your home phone number, and link Alipay if it asks.
5. Test it at home. Search for your first hotel, the airport and a metro station in China. Plan a route between them. If something does not work, fix it while you still have time.

If the English option is missing or greyed out

Some travelers report that the English setting is greyed out. Try these steps in order:

• Update Amap to the latest version from the official app store.
• Set your phone’s system language to English, then restart the app.
• Delete and reinstall the app.

Download Amap only from the official App Store or Google Play. Do not use modified APK files from other websites. If English still does not work, use Apple Maps for English directions and Amap with a translation app for searching.

How to use Amap in China

Search for places

• Search for big places in English, such as “Forbidden City”, “Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station” or your hotel’s international brand name.
• For small places, use the Chinese name. Copy it from your hotel booking, a restaurant’s sign or a friend’s message, and paste it into Amap.
• Save your hotel as a favorite on the first day. Showing the Chinese address to a taxi driver is often faster than explaining.

Get walking and public transport directions

Choose Transit to see metro and bus routes, including the line color, the station exits and the walking parts of the trip. In big stations, check the exit letter or number. Choosing the right exit can save a 10-minute walk.

Call a taxi

Amap’s English ride-hailing screen lets you request a car from several ride-hailing companies at once, with the pick-up point and an estimated fare shown in English. Many travelers also use DiDi, or the taxi service inside Alipay. The driver’s app shows your destination in Chinese, so you do not need to explain the address.

Check opening hours and reviews

Amap and the Chinese review app Dianping show opening hours, photos and ratings for restaurants and sights. Reviews may be in Chinese. A translation app with a camera mode helps.

Apple Maps in China

Inside mainland China, Apple Maps uses map data from a Chinese provider, so it works without a VPN and does not have Google’s location offset. For foreign iPhone users it is:

• Good for walking directions, English place names for major sights and hotels, and transit directions in big cities
• Weaker for small restaurants and shops, and it cannot book taxis

It is an excellent backup when Amap search is hard to use or when you want a map fully in English.

Tips that save time

• Download and test before you fly. App stores and some sign-in steps are harder to reach once you are in China.
• Keep data working from the moment you land. A map is useless without data. See How to set up your phone before China.
• Save key addresses in Chinese as screenshots: your hotels, the airport terminal and the train stations.
• Carry a power bank. Navigation, payments and translation all use your phone battery.
• Share your location. WeChat and Amap can share your live location with travel companions.

What about Google for everything else?

Losing Google Maps is only one part of it. Search, Gmail, Google Photos backups and Google Translate may not work either. Before you go:

• Download offline language packs in your translation app
• Save important bookings and emails offline
• Make sure you can receive login codes without Google services

Our best apps for China travel guide lists the full set of apps to install. If you would like a route planned with transfers and directions already worked out, our free trip planning service can help.