🇨🇳Cheap International Calling

Call China from USA
Country Code +86

Calling from the United States to China uses country code +86. Intercalling keeps the per minute price low and skips the downloads, so you dial China straight from a browser tab.

Product facts

  • Outbound: Dial out with no dedicated number needed.
  • Inbound: Needs a US/Canada digital number ($2.14 to $5/month).
  • No apps: Runs in Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox.

Product facts: Calls to China

  • Outbound calling: Connect anywhere right away, with no dedicated number to buy.
  • Inbound calling: Receiving calls in your browser takes a unique US or Canada digital number ($2.14 to $5/month).
  • App-free: Runs straight inside Chrome, Safari, Edge, or Firefox.
How to Dial
Calling ChinaLine Active
🇨🇳

Calling China, Step by Step

Dialing China comes down to knowing whether the number is a landline or a mobile phone.

1

Exit Code

Dial 011 from a US landline.
Or just + from mobile/VoIP.

2

Country Code (+86)

Dial +86. This routes the call to mainland China.

3

Number

Landline: Area Code (no 0) + Number.
Mobile: 11-digit number directly.

Mobile vs Landline Format

Mobile numbers in China run 11 digits and always begin with 1 (for example 13x, 15x, 18x). Landlines use area codes, such as 10 for Beijing, that you dial without the leading zero.

Landline (Beijing)
+86 10 1234 5678
Mobile
+86 139 1234 5678

Major China City Codes

Landline area codes for China's largest cities.

CityRegionArea Code
BeijingMunicipality10
ShanghaiMunicipality21
GuangzhouGuangdong20
ShenzhenGuangdong755
ChengduSichuan28
CityRegionArea Code
TianjinMunicipality22
WuhanHubei27
HangzhouZhejiang571
NanjingJiangsu25
ChongqingMunicipality23

Low Cost Calls to
China from USA

Staying in touch with colleagues or family in China should not cost a fortune. Intercalling carries your minutes over premium routes to China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom at a low per minute price.

  • Calls that connect reliably
  • Clear, natural voice quality
  • No contracts and no monthly fees
  • Private and secure by default

Cheap Rates

Pay less for every minute you talk.

Reliable

Steady connections into mainland China.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which country code do I use for China?

China uses country code +86, dialed right after the international exit code.

What is the way to reach a Chinese mobile?

Enter +86 and then the 11-digit mobile number. Every Chinese mobile number opens with the digit 1.

Should I dial a 0 ahead of the landline area code?

No. From outside China you leave off the area code's leading zero. To reach Shanghai, for instance, dial +86 21 rather than 021.

Does +86 also reach Hong Kong?

No. Hong Kong carries its own code, +852, while Macau uses +853 and Taiwan uses +886.

Ready to dial China?

Be on a call within seconds and pay only per minute. No credit card needed to sign up.

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No app and no SIM. Place the call from your computer or phone in seconds.

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Low rates to 190+ destinations

Clear per minute pricing, shown before you dial. Pay as you go, no monthly fee.

Calling from a phone and a laptop

One balance, every device

Start on your laptop, continue on your phone, all at the same low rate.

Calling China from United States: what to know

China answers on the country code +86, with the capital in Beijing and most business concentrated around Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. The working language for business is Mandarin Chinese (standardized as Putonghua), and local offices generally keep hours of 9:00 to 18:00 with a 12:00 to 13:30 lunch. Saturday work is still common in some industries; '996' (9 AM to 9 PM, 6 days) was widespread in tech until recent regulatory pushback.

From United States the outbound access code is 011, so a manual dial reads 011 then +86 then the local number. Intercalling removes that step: the call goes through your browser, so there is nothing to install and no SIM card to swap when you travel between United States and China.

Most mobiles in China sit on operators such as China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom. Mobile numbers are 11 digits starting with 1. Drop the leading 0 from area codes.

China runs on UTC plus 8, and it does not observe daylight saving, so the time difference stays constant through the year.

How to dial China from United States

  1. 1
    Dial the exit code 011

    011 is the international access code used when dialing out of United States. On a mobile you can press and hold 0 to enter the plus sign instead.

  2. 2
    Enter the country code +86

    +86 routes the call to China.

  3. 3
    Add the local number

    Dial the destination number without its leading 0. For Beijing that means including the area code 10.

Best time to call China

The destination is 13 hours ahead of you.

United States clock (UTC minus 5)
Early or late
China clock (UTC plus 8)
09:00 to 17:00

The two working days barely overlap. Aim for the very start or end of your day to reach someone in China during business hours.

Rates to China (+86)

Pay as you go, billed per minute with no connection surprises. A sample 10 minute call is shown for each line type.

Line typePer minute10 minute call
Mobile$0.9615$9.62
Landline$0.9054$9.05

Rates as of 2026-07-05, in US dollars, and subject to change. The exact rate is always confirmed in the dialer before you connect.

Frequently asked questions

How do I call China from United States?+

Dial 011 then +86 followed by the local number without its leading 0. From a browser on Intercalling you simply enter the number and press call, with no exit code to remember.

What is the country code for China?+

The country code for China is +86. Beijing uses the area code 10.

What is the best time to call China?+

The destination is 13 hours ahead of you. The working days barely overlap, so aim for early morning or late evening on your side to reach a person during business hours.

Do I need to install an app to call China?+

No. Intercalling runs in your browser on Chrome, Safari, Edge and Firefox, so you can place the call without downloading anything or buying a phone number for outbound calls.

Can I receive calls as well?+

Outbound calls need no number. To receive inbound calls you add a US or Canada digital number, billed monthly, and answer it in the same browser tab.

Last reviewed June 2026Reviewed by the Intercalling calling teamDialing rules cross checked against ITU international dialing procedures
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