Getting in: visas, transit rules and arrival procedure
The 240-hour transit rule, what immigration asks for, and the first hour after you land.
The generous part of travelling in China is the visa-free transit window; the strict part is that it is enforced to the letter at the desk. Which ports qualify, whether onward travel has to be to a third country, and how much slack you are allowed on departure day are questions with written answers — and those answers change.
These pages cover the rule itself and the mechanics of arrival: fingerprinting, the health and customs forms, then getting from the terminal into the city without paying three times what the journey costs.
The 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit Rule, Explained Plainly
Ten days, no visa — but only if you arrive from one country and leave for a third.
First Time In China: What Surprises Almost Everybody
Everything that feels like a barrier turns out to be a five-minute problem, once you know it is coming.
Beijing Airports To The City: Capital, Daxing And What Each Costs
The express train is ¥25 or ¥35 and beats a taxi at any hour except the middle of the night.
Shanghai Pudong To Central Shanghai: Maglev, Metro Or Taxi
Twenty to thirty minutes of planning saves an hour at the arrivals kerb.