China Area Codes
10 city area codes for China (+86). Click any city for dialing details.
| City | Area Code | Full Dial (from US) |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing | 10 | 011 86 10 ... |
| Shanghai | 21 | 011 86 21 ... |
| Guangzhou | 20 | 011 86 20 ... |
| Shenzhen | 755 | 011 86 755 ... |
| Chengdu | 28 | 011 86 28 ... |
| Hangzhou | 571 | 011 86 571 ... |
| Wuhan | 27 | 011 86 27 ... |
| Chongqing | 23 | 011 86 23 ... |
| Nanjing | 25 | 011 86 25 ... |
| Xi'an | 29 | 011 86 29 ... |
How to read a China phone number
A China number is +86 followed by 10 digits. Knowing which of those digits mark a mobile is what tells you what the call will cost before you place it.
Inside China, numbers are dialled with a leading 0. Drop it when calling from abroad — keeping it is the single most common reason an international call fails.
Mobile prefixes
Landline prefixes
Prefix ranges still identify a line as mobile or fixed even where a number has been ported between operators, because the mobile and fixed blocks are separate and numbers do not move between them. Operator identification from a prefix, by contrast, stopped being reliable once portability arrived.
When to call China
What the clock reads in China when it is mid-morning, early afternoon and evening where you are. Highlighted cells fall between 9:00 and 21:00 local time at the other end.
| Calling from | Offset | 09:00 | 13:00 | 19:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | +13:00 | 22:00 | 02:00 | 08:00 |
| Los Angeles | +16:00 | 01:00 | 05:00 | 11:00 |
| London | +8:00 | 17:00 | 21:00 | 03:00 |
| Dubai | +4:00 | 13:00 | 17:00 | 23:00 |
| Sydney | −3:00 | 06:00 | 10:00 | 16:00 |
Offsets calculated for mid-January. Countries that observe daylight saving shift by an hour for part of the year — the planner works out today's offset from your own device.
Other Asian destinations, cheapest first
Rates vary by more than a factor of ten inside a single region, because each one is set by what the operator at the far end charges to accept the call. Taiwan is currently the cheapest place we publish a rate for near China.
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All toolsFrequently asked questions
What is the country code for China?
The country code for China is +86. Dial this after the exit code (or use + on a mobile).
What are the area codes for China?
China has 10 city area codes listed on this page, including Beijing 10, Shanghai 21, Guangzhou 20. Dial the country code first, then the area code without its trunk prefix, then the local number. The table above gives the full dial string for every city.
What does a China phone number look like?
A China number is written as +86 10 1234 5678: the country code +86 followed by 10 digits. That total is fixed by the national numbering plan, so a number with one digit missing is a typo rather than a shorter valid number.
How can I tell if a China number is a mobile?
By its leading digits. In China, a national number of 10 digits beginning with 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19 is a mobile. That still works after a number has been ported between operators, because mobile and fixed-line blocks are separate ranges and numbers do not move between them.
Do I need to drop the leading 0 when calling China?
Yes. China uses 0 as a trunk prefix for domestic calls. When dialing internationally, drop the leading 0 from the local number.
How much does it cost to call China?
Telvio charges $4.54/min to China landlines and $4.54/min to mobiles. Billing is per second with no connection fees, so you pay only for the seconds you talk.
