How to Use Maps in China: Apple Maps, Amap, Baidu & Offline Maps

Published 8/21/2026 · Last updated 8/21/2026

Navigation in China is one of those things that should be easy and trips up almost every first-time visitor. The country has excellent mapping apps — the problem is that the one you’re used to, Google Maps, doesn’t work properly here. The good news: the fix is simple, and once you switch to the right app, getting around is a breeze. This page tells you which map to use and how.

The 30-second answer

• Google Maps is unreliable in China — its pin is usually a block or two off (more on why below), and its China data is stale.
• If you have an iPhone, use Apple Maps. It’s built in, works in English, and is accurate in China.
• The local powerhouses are Amap (高德) and Baidu Maps (百度) — the most accurate and up to date, but Chinese-only.
• Download an offline map before you fly so you’re never stuck without data (see the connectivity guide).
• Search in Chinese whenever you can — maps find Chinese names and addresses much more reliably than English ones.

Why Google Maps doesn’t work in China

It’s not that Google Maps is blocked — on a roaming connection it loads fine. The problem is coordinates. China requires maps to use a special coordinate system (called GCJ-02) that is deliberately offset from the global standard (WGS-84) that GPS uses. As a result, your real GPS position shows up on Google Maps roughly 100–600 metres away — the wrong side of the street, or the wrong block.

Google’s mapping data for mainland China is also much thinner and older than it is elsewhere, so even when the pin is right, shops, streets and transit often aren’t.

The practical takeaway: don’t trust Google Maps for anything that needs precision in China — finding a specific restaurant, navigating a walk, or giving your location to a Didi driver (see the Didi guide). Use a China-native map instead.

Your map options, compared

Apple Maps — the easy default (iPhone)

If you carry an iPhone, this is almost certainly the only map you need:

• It just works. Apple Maps in China is powered by local data (from Amap), so pins and directions are accurate.
• English interface — no Chinese needed for day-to-day navigation.
• Transit works in major cities, with real-time arrivals in many of them.
• Nothing to install — it’s built in, and offline maps are available for areas you download in advance.

Tip: before you leave, search for the cities you’ll visit in Apple Maps and download them for offline use, in case you’re without data on arrival.

Amap and Baidu Maps — the local powerhouses

Amap (高德地图, Gaode) and Baidu Maps (百度地图) are what locals actually use, and for good reason: the freshest data, the best real-time traffic, and the most complete transit and walking directions in the country. They’re free.

The catch: the interface is Chinese-only. If you don’t read Chinese, they’re harder to use, but still very workable once you know the basic flow:

• Download Amap or Baidu Maps from your app store before you go (you can’t rely on being able to once you’re in China — see the connectivity guide).
• Paste a Chinese destination (from your hotel, a restaurant’s Chinese name, or Didi) into the search box and tap the top result.
• The blue button is “go / navigate”; pick the mode (drive, transit, walk) by the icons.

Even if you mostly use Apple Maps, having Amap installed as a backup gives you access to the most detailed local data when a place is hard to find.

Android users: what to use

There’s no Apple Maps on Android, so you’re choosing between the local apps and offline maps:

• Amap or Baidu Maps for serious navigation — accurate and complete, but Chinese-only.
• Organic Maps or Maps.me for an English, offline-friendly option — great for walking around, though transit coverage is thinner.
• Google Maps works only as a rough reference — expect the offset, and don’t rely on it for turn-by-turn walking.

Offline maps — your backup

Data is cheap in China, but there will be moments without it: a dead zone, a plane landing, or a foreign eSIM that hasn’t kicked in yet. Download offline maps before you go:

• Apple Maps — search a city, then download it for offline use.
• Organic Maps / Maps.me — free, English, and you download whole cities or regions in advance.
• Save offline screenshots of your hotel’s location and key addresses in Chinese, as a last resort you can show to a driver or a passerby.

Searching for places (Chinese names help)

Chinese map apps are built for Chinese, so the single biggest trick is to search in Chinese:

• Get the Chinese name and address of your hotel, restaurant, or landmark (your booking email usually has it, or ask the hotel).
• Paste it into the search box rather than typing the English name — “北京南站” finds Beijing South railway station instantly; “Beijing South” may not.
• Show the Chinese address on your phone to taxi drivers and Didi drivers — most don’t read English (see the Didi guide).

Getting around: transit, walking, driving

• Metro and buses — Amap, Baidu Maps and (in big cities) Apple Maps all give step-by-step transit directions with real-time arrivals. Pay fares with Alipay or WeChat (see the payment guide).
• Walking — use Apple Maps or an offline app; Google Maps’ offset makes it the worst option for foot navigation.
• Driving / renting — you’ll need a Chinese driving licence to drive yourself; most visitors won’t. Stick to metro, buses, Didi and trains instead.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Trusting Google Maps for precise navigation — the offset will send you to the wrong place. Switch to Apple Maps or a local app.
• Typing English names into Chinese map apps — they rarely match. Paste the Chinese name instead.
• Not downloading offline maps — a foreign eSIM or a dead zone can leave you mapless exactly when you need directions.
• Forgetting that “near me” needs a data connection — offline maps cover saved areas only.
• Waiting to install apps until you’re in China — download Amap/Baidu/offline maps before you fly.

Pre-trip checklist

• Download Amap or Baidu Maps (and your offline map app) before you fly
• If you have an iPhone, check Apple Maps works and download your cities for offline use
• Save your hotel’s Chinese name and address
• Save the Chinese names of a few key places you’ll visit
• Make sure you have a data plan for the trip (see the connectivity guide)

Keeping this page accurate

Map apps, coordinate rules and transit data change over time. We keep this page up to date: the date below shows when it was last checked, and we refresh it whenever something changes. If you spot something outdated, contact us.