How Do I Call China from the USA? | Dialing Codes And Costs

On a U.S. mobile, dial +86 and the Chinese number; for landlines, drop the area code’s first 0. From a U.S. landline, start with 011.

A call from the United States to mainland China needs three parts: the U.S. international access code, China’s country code, and the Chinese phone number. On a mobile phone, the plus sign replaces the access code, so the simplest format is +86 followed by the number.

The detail that causes most failed calls is the leading zero on a Chinese landline area code. A Beijing number written locally with 010 must be dialed internationally with 10, while an ordinary 11-digit Chinese mobile number keeps all 11 digits.

Calling China From The USA: The Exact Dialing Sequence

Calling mainland China from a U.S. mobile requires +86 before the Chinese number. Calling from a U.S. landline usually requires 011, then 86, then the number.

1. Confirm that the number is in mainland China rather than Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan.
2. On a mobile phone, press and hold 0 until the plus sign appears. On a landline, dial 011.
3. Enter China’s country code, 86.
4. Enter the Chinese mobile number, or the landline area code without its first zero followed by the local number.

Do not add the U.S. country code 1. Do not dial both 011 and the plus sign; either one supplies the international access step.

Chinese Mobile And Landline Number Formats

Chinese mobile numbers and landlines use different structures. Ordinary mainland mobile numbers contain 11 digits and begin with 1, while landlines need an area code plus a local subscriber number.

A mobile number already written as 138 1234 5678 becomes +86 138 1234 5678. A Beijing landline written domestically as 010 followed by the local number becomes +86 10 followed by that local number. Shanghai changes from 021 to 21, Guangzhou from 020 to 20, and Shenzhen from 0755 to 755.

Mainland China uses +86. Hong Kong uses +852, Macau uses +853, and Taiwan uses +886. A number in one of those places should not be prefixed with +86.

Dialing Examples At A Glance

The correct format depends on the device and the destination number. The table separates mobile calls, fixed lines, saved contacts, and nearby numbering regions that do not use mainland China’s code.

The official instructions for calling China give the same U.S. sequence: 011, then 86, then the area code and local number for a landline.

Why Is The Call Not Going Through?

Failed calls to China usually come from an incorrect prefix, a landline zero that was not removed, a blocked international-calling feature, or a number that cannot receive overseas calls. Checking the format first fixes the most common errors.

• Remove a landline’s trunk zero: change Beijing 010 to 10 or Shenzhen 0755 to 755 after +86.
• Keep all mobile digits: an ordinary 11-digit Chinese mobile number does not lose its first digit.
• Check account permissions: some U.S. wireless and home-phone accounts block international calls until the feature is activated.
• Verify the destination: Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan need their own country or territory codes.
• Request a standard number: Chinese short codes and some 400 or 800 service lines may not accept calls from abroad.
• Try the plus format: saving the contact as +86 often avoids device-specific access-code errors.

A call that connects and then drops may point to a network or account issue rather than a dialing error. The U.S. carrier can confirm whether the call reached the international network and whether the line has a spending or fraud-control block.

Calling Costs From The United States

International calling rates to China range from included minutes to several dollars per minute, depending on the U.S. provider and plan. Checking the rate before placing a long call can prevent a large bill.

In July 2026, AT&T advertised a $15-per-month postpaid international-calling add-on that included unlimited calls from the United States to China on eligible lines. AT&T Prepaid listed China at $4 per minute without an add-on and included China in its $15 International Plus option. Other carriers use different prices, destinations, and eligibility rules.

Three methods cover most situations:

• Direct carrier call: reaches any working Chinese mobile or landline, but pay-per-use pricing can be high.
• International add-on: suits frequent or long calls when China is included in the plan.
• App-to-app voice call: uses Wi-Fi or mobile data, but both people need the same available app and an internet connection.

Calling cards and internet-phone services may quote low per-minute rates, yet connection fees, minute rounding, expiration rules, or mobile surcharges can change the real cost. Read the full rate terms before adding credit.

What Is The Best Time To Call China?

Mainland China uses China Standard Time, UTC+8, across the country and does not change clocks seasonally. The time gap from the United States changes when most U.S. states enter or leave daylight saving time.

During U.S. daylight saving time, China is 12 hours ahead of New York and 15 hours ahead of Los Angeles. During U.S. standard time, those gaps become 13 and 16 hours.

• A U.S. East Coast call between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. reaches China between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. during daylight saving time.
• A U.S. West Coast call between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. reaches China between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. the next day during daylight saving time.
• Business calls are usually easier when the caller confirms the Chinese city’s local time before dialing.

Save Chinese Contacts In International Format

Saving a Chinese contact with +86 is the cleanest format for repeated calls. The saved number can work from a U.S. network, on Wi-Fi calling, and while traveling without changing 011 to another country’s exit code.

Use +86 followed by the 11-digit mobile number for a cellphone. For a landline, use +86 followed by the area code without its domestic zero, then the local number. Spaces can improve readability, but the plus sign and digits are the parts the network uses.

Choose The Right Calling Method

The right method depends on call length, frequency, and whether the recipient can use an internet-calling app. Direct dialing is the dependable choice for reaching a business, hotel, family landline, or any person who only supplied a normal phone number.

• For one short call from a mobile: dial +86 and the Chinese number, then confirm the carrier’s per-minute price.
• For one short call from a landline: dial 011, 86, and the Chinese number.
• For a mainland landline: remove the first zero from the area code.
• For repeated calls: compare an international add-on with an app-to-app option.
• For Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan: use +852, +853, or +886 rather than +86.

A correctly saved mainland Chinese number should begin with +86. Once the country code and landline-zero rule are right, the remaining decision is simply whether a carrier call or an internet call costs less for the conversation you plan to have.