Carry power banks in your cabin bag, never in checked luggage, and read your airline’s baggage page before you pack. The allowance on your flight from Malaysia can differ from a domestic leg inside China, so pack for the stricter one.
If this is your first China trip, a worry about bag weight is normal. It helps to settle it at home, not at the check-in counter.
Where does a power bank go?
In your cabin bag, switched off, with the printed capacity easy to read. Spare lithium batteries are treated more strictly than the one inside your phone.
Airlines set their own limits on capacity and number, and some ask for a certification mark on the label. Check the page of the airline you are flying, for each flight, rather than trusting a blog. Take a photo of each power bank’s label, and leave any with a worn label at home.
Is the allowance the same on a domestic China flight?
Not always. A Chinese airline sets its own checked and cabin allowances, and they can be tighter than your flight from Kuala Lumpur, Penang or Kota Kinabalu.
The basic fare class may include a cabin bag only. Read the fare rules when you book, then again before you leave. Our guide to booking domestic flights shows where to look.
What about luggage on trains?
The official limit is 20 kg for adults and 10 kg for children, with each item at most 130 cm on C, D and G trains, although bags are rarely weighed[1]. Expect X-ray bag checks at station entrances and arrive 30 to 40 minutes before departure at major stations[2].
You will lift your own bag, so choose the size you can carry up a flight of steps. If you are comparing a train with a flight for a leg, the rail versus flight tool helps you weigh the time and the bags.
Which plug adapter do you need?
Malaysian Type G plugs do not fit Chinese sockets, so you need an adapter, and most phone and laptop chargers marked 100-240V need no voltage converter[3]. Keep one adapter in your cabin bag so your phone can charge as soon as you land.
A short packing checklist
- Power banks in the cabin bag, labels readable
- Adapter and charging cables in the same pouch
- Medicines in the cabin bag, in their original boxes
- One change of clothes in the cabin bag, in case a checked bag is late
- Room in the suitcase for what you will buy
- A luggage tag with your name and a phone number
Do one test lift of every bag at home. If you can not carry it comfortably for ten minutes, take something out.
What to do next
Look at your whole route, from the first flight to the last train, and note the strictest allowance on it. Pack to that one. For help with the flights themselves, read about direct flights from Kuala Lumpur and the KLIA departure checklist, or browse the From Malaysia topic page.