Quick answer: +86 is mainland China. Mobiles have 11 digits after +86 and start with 1. Landlines have 10 or 11 digits after +86. Drop the 0 at the start of a landline area code; mobiles have no 0 to drop. Example:
+86 138 1234 5678.
How to dial China
| Calling from | Dial |
|---|---|
| Any mobile phone | +86 + number without the 0 |
| US or Canada landline | 011 86 + number without the 0 |
| UK or most of Europe landline | 00 86 + number without the 0 |
| Japan landline | 010 86 + number without the 0 |
| Australia landline | 0011 86 + number without the 0 |
Chinese landlines are written with a 0 in front of the area code, like 010 1234 5678 for Beijing. That 0 is only for calls between Chinese cities. From abroad, leave it out: 010 1234 5678 becomes +86 10 1234 5678. A mobile like 138 1234 5678 is dialed as it is, after +86.
Mobile and landline numbers
Mobiles are 11 digits starting with 13 to 19. They have no area code, wherever the owner lives.
Landlines are an area code plus a local number. The biggest cities have 2-digit codes and 8-digit local numbers. Other cities have 3-digit codes and 7- or 8-digit local numbers.
| City | Area code in China | From abroad |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing | 010 | +86 10 xxxx xxxx |
| Shanghai | 021 | +86 21 xxxx xxxx |
| Guangzhou | 020 | +86 20 xxxx xxxx |
| Shenzhen | 0755 | +86 755 xxxx xxxx |
| Tianjin | 022 | +86 22 xxxx xxxx |
| Chongqing | 023 | +86 23 xxxx xxxx |
| Chengdu | 028 | +86 28 xxxx xxxx |
| Wuhan | 027 | +86 27 xxxx xxxx |
| Xi'an | 029 | +86 29 xxxx xxxx |
| Hangzhou | 0571 | +86 571 xxxx xxxx |
Beijing landlines also start with 1 after +86, so count the digits: a Beijing landline has 10, a mobile has 11.
Codes that get mixed up with +86
Hong Kong (+852), Macau (+853) and Taiwan (+886) have their own codes.
Time difference
All of China runs on Beijing time (UTC+8) all year, with no daylight saving time. The gap changes only when your own clocks change.
| Where you are | Your clocks on summer time | Your clocks on standard time |
|---|---|---|
| US East Coast | China is 12h ahead | China is 13h ahead |
| US West Coast | China is 15h ahead | China is 16h ahead |
| UK | China is 7h ahead | China is 8h ahead |
| Japan or South Korea | China is 1h behind all year | |
| Sydney | China is 3h behind | China is 2h behind |
A 9 PM call from New York reaches China at 9 AM the next day in the US summer and at 10 AM in the US winter.
Prefer calling over WiFi? See our guide to the best apps for WiFi calling.
FAQ
Can I call a Chinese 400 or 800 number from abroad?
Often not. 400 and 800 business numbers are set up for callers inside mainland China, and many won't connect from another country. Look for the company's regular landline, which starts with an area code such as 10 or 21.
Why won't my call to +86 go through?
Check three things: you dropped the 0 from a landline area code, you have 11 digits after +86 for a mobile, and the number is not actually in Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan.