China Area Codes: Complete List of Chinese City & Region Codes
Complete list of 346+ Chinese area codes organized by 7 regions. Beijing (010), Shanghai (021), Guangzhou (020), Shenzhen (0755), Chengdu (028). Dialing format from USA/UK with rates.
China Area Codes: Complete List of Chinese City & Region Codes
Every Chinese area code by region — Beijing 010, Shanghai 021, Guangzhou 020, Shenzhen 0755, and 40+ more cities with international dialing instructions
+86Quick Facts: Chinese Area Codes
📞Chinese Phone Number Format
China's telephone numbering system, managed by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), uses country code +86 and distinguishes between two primary number types: landlines with geographic area codes and mobile numbers without area codes.
Landline Numbers (Geographic)
- Area codes are 2-3 digits (excluding the domestic 0 prefix)
- Local numbers are 7-8 digits (8 digits in major cities)
- Major cities use 2-digit codes: Beijing (10), Shanghai (21)
- Smaller cities use 3-digit codes: Shenzhen (755), Hangzhou (571)
- Tied to a specific geographic area
Mobile Numbers (Non-Geographic)
- Always 11 digits, starting with 1
- No area code needed — same format nationwide
- Second and third digits indicate the original carrier
- Number portability introduced in November 2019
- Over 1.7 billion mobile subscriptions active
Domestic dialing note: When dialing a landline within China, add a 0 before the area code. For example, to call Beijing from Shanghai, dial 010-XXXX-XXXX. When dialing internationally, drop the leading 0 and use +86 instead: +86 10 XXXX-XXXX.
🌎Complete Area Codes by Region
China is commonly divided into 7 geographic regions for administrative and cultural purposes. Below is a comprehensive list of area codes for China's major cities, organized by region. All area codes shown include the domestic prefix (0); when dialing internationally, omit the 0 and dial +86 followed by the remaining digits.
North China (华北)
| City | Area Code (Domestic) | International Format | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beijing | 010 | +86 10 | Capital, political center |
| Tianjin | 022 | +86 22 | Major port city |
| Shijiazhuang | 0311 | +86 311 | Hebei provincial capital |
| Taiyuan | 0351 | +86 351 | Shanxi provincial capital |
| Hohhot | 0471 | +86 471 | Inner Mongolia capital |
| Baotou | 0472 | +86 472 | Inner Mongolia steel city |
Northeast (东北)
| City | Area Code (Domestic) | International Format | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shenyang | 024 | +86 24 | Liaoning capital, 9M metro |
| Dalian | 0411 | +86 411 | Major coastal port city |
| Changchun | 0431 | +86 431 | Jilin capital, auto industry |
| Harbin | 0451 | +86 451 | Heilongjiang capital, ice festival |
| Qiqihar | 0452 | +86 452 | Heilongjiang heavy industry |
East China (华东)
| City | Area Code (Domestic) | International Format | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai | 021 | +86 21 | Financial capital, 26M metro |
| Nanjing | 025 | +86 25 | Jiangsu capital, former capital |
| Hangzhou | 0571 | +86 571 | Zhejiang capital, Alibaba HQ |
| Suzhou | 0512 | +86 512 | Jiangsu, historic garden city |
| Ningbo | 0574 | +86 574 | Zhejiang, major port city |
| Qingdao | 0532 | +86 532 | Shandong, coastal port city |
| Jinan | 0531 | +86 531 | Shandong provincial capital |
| Hefei | 0551 | +86 551 | Anhui capital, tech hub |
| Fuzhou | 0591 | +86 591 | Fujian provincial capital |
| Xiamen | 0592 | +86 592 | Fujian, special economic zone |
| Nanchang | 0791 | +86 791 | Jiangxi provincial capital |
Central China (华中)
| City | Area Code (Domestic) | International Format | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wuhan | 027 | +86 27 | Hubei capital, major transport hub |
| Zhengzhou | 0371 | +86 371 | Henan capital, railway junction |
| Changsha | 0731 | +86 731 | Hunan capital, media center |
| Luoyang | 0379 | +86 379 | Henan, ancient capital |
| Yichang | 0717 | +86 717 | Hubei, Three Gorges gateway |
South China (华南)
| City | Area Code (Domestic) | International Format | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guangzhou | 020 | +86 20 | Guangdong capital, trade hub |
| Shenzhen | 0755 | +86 755 | Tech capital, bordering HK |
| Zhuhai | 0756 | +86 756 | Guangdong, bordering Macau |
| Foshan | 0757 | +86 757 | Guangdong, manufacturing hub |
| Dongguan | 0769 | +86 769 | Guangdong, electronics mfg |
| Nanning | 0771 | +86 771 | Guangxi capital, ASEAN gateway |
| Guilin | 0773 | +86 773 | Guangxi, famous karst scenery |
| Haikou | 0898 | +86 898 | Hainan capital, free trade port |
Southwest (西南)
| City | Area Code (Domestic) | International Format | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chongqing | 023 | +86 23 | Municipality, 30M+ population |
| Chengdu | 028 | +86 28 | Sichuan capital, panda center |
| Kunming | 0871 | +86 871 | Yunnan capital, Spring City |
| Guiyang | 0851 | +86 851 | Guizhou capital, big data hub |
| Lhasa | 0891 | +86 891 | Tibet capital, 3,650m altitude |
Northwest (西北)
| City | Area Code (Domestic) | International Format | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xi'an | 029 | +86 29 | Shaanxi capital, Terracotta Army |
| Lanzhou | 0931 | +86 931 | Gansu capital, Silk Road city |
| Urumqi | 0991 | +86 991 | Xinjiang capital, westernmost |
| Xining | 0971 | +86 971 | Qinghai capital, Tibetan Plateau |
| Yinchuan | 0951 | +86 951 | Ningxia capital, Yellow River |
🔍Understanding the "00861" Format
Many people search for "00861" when trying to identify a Chinese phone number. This is not a single area code but rather a combination of components that form an international dialing sequence:
So 00861XXXXXXXXXX is simply the international format for calling a Chinese mobile phone from a country that uses 00 as its exit code (most of Europe, for example).
Similarly, "86755": This is the country code (86) combined with the Shenzhen area code (755). A caller dialing +86 755 XXXX XXXX is reaching a Shenzhen landline. The numbers are not a single code but separate components: country code + area code + local number.
🌐How to Dial Chinese Area Codes
International Dialing Format
Replace "area code" with the city code (e.g., 10 for Beijing, 21 for Shanghai). Omit the leading 0 that is used for domestic calls. For mobile numbers, dial +86 followed by the 11-digit number directly.
Important: When dialing within China, prefix the area code with 0 (e.g., 010 for Beijing, 0755 for Shenzhen). When dialing from abroad, drop the 0 and use +86 instead. Chinese mobile numbers never require an area code — dial the full 11-digit number directly after +86.
📱Mobile Carrier Prefixes Overview
Chinese mobile numbers always start with +86 1XX and are 11 digits long. The second and third digits after the leading 1 originally identified the mobile carrier, though number portability (launched nationwide in November 2019) means the prefix may no longer reflect the current carrier.
| Carrier | Prefix Range (+86 1...) | Subscribers | Market Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| China Mobile | 134-139, 150-152, 157-159, 182-184, 187-188 | ~1B | ~57% |
| China Telecom | 133, 153, 180-181, 189 | ~437M | ~25% |
| China Unicom | 130-132, 155-156, 185-186 | ~330M | ~18% |
Full mobile prefix lookup: The table above covers the most common prefixes. China's three carriers have dozens of additional prefix ranges including virtual operator (MVNO) allocations. For a complete Chinese mobile prefix directory, see our China Mobile Prefixes guide.
Landline vs. Mobile Numbers: Key Differences
Landline Numbers (Area Codes)
- • Geographic: tied to a specific city or region
- • Format: +86 (2-3 digit code) + 7-8 digit local number
- • Domestic prefix: 0 + area code + local number
- • Cannot be ported to a different city
- • Used for businesses, government, and residences
Mobile Numbers (No Area Code)
- • Non-geographic: not tied to any location
- • Format: +86 1XX XXXX XXXX (always 11 digits)
- • No area code or prefix needed
- • Portable between carriers since Nov 2019
- • Over 1.7 billion active subscriptions
❓Frequently Asked Questions
💰Cost to Call China
| Service | Rate per Minute | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| BubblyPhone | $0.01-0.02/min | Best rates for Chinese landlines & mobiles |
| AT&T | $3.00-5.00/min | Standard international rate without plan |
| Verizon | $2.49-3.00/min | Without international calling add-on |
| Free | App-to-app only (dominant in China) |
Tip: WeChat is the dominant communication app in China with over 1.3 billion monthly active users. For voice calls to landlines or non-WeChat numbers, BubblyPhone offers rates up to 99% cheaper than traditional US carriers like AT&T and Verizon.
Call Any Chinese City for Less
Crystal-clear calls to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and all Chinese area codes at just $0.01-0.02/min. No contracts, no hidden fees.