Prices in pounds · O2 prices checked 6 November 2026
O2 roaming in China vs a travel eSIM
In China, O2 uses its O2 Travel prices. Here is what that costs for a long weekend, a week and a fortnight, next to a data-only travel eSIM for the same trip.
Photo: Aaron Katz on Unsplash
O2 vs eSIM in China: 3, 7 and 14 days
O2’s lowest published option in China for each trip length, next to a Graba SIM China plan with about 0.7 GB a day.
- 3 days
- 7 days
- 14 days
O2 roamingGraba SIM eSIM
| Trip | O2 | Graba SIM eSIM | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| A long weekend3 days | £21.00£7 a day × 3 | £7.253GB, 15 days | The eSIM is £13.75 less |
| A week7 days | £49.00£7 a day × 7 | £10.995GB, 30 days | The eSIM is £38.01 less |
| A fortnight14 days | £98.00£7 a day × 14 | £21.7510GB, 30 days | The eSIM is £76.25 less |
What’s included: O2: unlimited calls, texts and data, at up to 2 Mbps. Graba SIM: data only, prepaid; your O2 SIM stays in your phone for calls and texts. Graba SIM prices are live; O2 prices checked 6 November 2026.
Sources: O2 roaming (checked 6 November 2026). Prices change; check before you buy.
Graba SIM China plans: data, validity and total price
Each plan is a one-off price for one eSIM. It starts when it first connects in China, and hotspot use comes out of the same data.
Using your phone in China
- PEK Beijing Capital
- PKX Beijing Daxing
- PVG Shanghai Pudong
- SHA Shanghai Hongqiao
- CAN Guangzhou
- Beijing and the Great Wall
- Good in the city; the popular wall sections such as Mutianyu are covered, wilder sections less so.
- Shanghai
- Strong signal across the city and on the metro.
- Xi’an
- Good in the city and at the Terracotta Army site.
- Guilin and Yangshuo
- Good in town; Li River cruises pass through quieter stretches.
- High-speed rail
- Signal is good on most bullet train routes.
Networks our China plans use: China MobileChina UnicomChina Telecom
- Set up the apps you will need before you fly: payment apps such as Alipay and WeChat Pay, plus maps and translation. Both payment apps let you add a foreign card.
- Hong Kong and Macau are separate destinations. A China plan may not include them, so check the coverage list if you are stopping there.
Going further with O2
- Hong Kong (a stopover in Hong Kong): O2 charges £7 a day.
- Macau (a day trip to Macau): O2 charges Standard rates.
What you get for the money
O2 Travel Bolt On
- £7 a day, charged only on days you make a call, send a text or use data. Receiving calls and texts doesn’t trigger it.
- Calls to the UK and within the destination are included; calls to other countries are not.
- O2 Travel starts a 24-hour charge the first time you call, text or use data. Receiving calls and texts doesn’t start it.
Graba SIM China eSIM
- 5 plan sizes for China, from 1GB, 7 days to 20GB, 30 days, each a one-off price.
- Runs on China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom in China, with 5G where the network offers it.
- Data only. Your O2 SIM stays on for calls and texts, so bank codes still reach you in China.
O2 in China: questions
How much does O2 roaming cost in China?
£7 a day with the O2 Travel Bolt On: unlimited calls, texts and data, at up to 2 Mbps. For a trip, that is 3 days: £21.00 (£7 a day × 3); 7 days: £49.00 (£7 a day × 7); 14 days: £98.00 (£7 a day × 14).
Is a travel eSIM cheaper than O2 in China?
It depends on the trip. Comparing O2’s lowest published option with a Graba SIM plan of about 0.7 GB a day: 3 days, the eSIM is £13.75 less; 7 days, the eSIM is £38.01 less; 14 days, the eSIM is £76.25 less. O2’s price also includes unlimited calls, texts and data, at up to 2 Mbps.
Will I need a Chinese phone number?
Not for most travel. The plan is data-only, and your UK number keeps receiving texts. Some local services ask for a Chinese number, so set up payment apps before you go.
Does a China eSIM cover Hong Kong?
Not always. Hong Kong and Macau have their own networks and are listed separately. Check the plan’s coverage list, or add a Hong Kong plan for a stopover.