Before you buy attraction tickets
- Confirm your nationality is listed for 240-hour transit (or separate visa-free entry).
- Confirm your entry port (e.g. PEK, PKX, PVG, SHA, CAN, TFU…) is eligible.
- Hold a confirmed ticket to a third country/region within 240 hours when the transit rule requires it.
- Book hotels that will register foreign guests with local police (almost all licensed hotels).
Ports & regions
Eligible ports and the provinces/municipalities you may remain in are defined by the National Immigration Administration and change over time. Do not invent a route from a blog — cross-check the official list for your month of travel. Our city hubs (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, etc.) help with tickets once your entry plan is solid.
Book in this order
- Flights and the entry port you’ll actually use.
- Hotel for night one (registration matters).
- Hard tickets on their release clocks — Forbidden City, National Museum, Terracotta, pandas.
- Alipay / WeChat Pay + eSIM.
Policy name and 240-hour duration per China’s published transit framework; eligible nationalities/ports must be verified on nia.gov.cn or embassy pages for your travel month. This page is a booking checklist, not immigration advice. Reviewed 9 Oct 2026.
Broader visa-free booking checklist →
FAQ
Is 240-hour transit the same as unilateral visa-free?
No. Unilateral visa-free entry (for some countries) and 240-hour transit are different programmes with different eligible nationalities and stay rules. Check which one your passport actually uses.
Can I fly in and out of different cities?
Often yes under 240-hour transit, within the allowed region/ports — but you must enter and exit through qualifying ports and stay only where the policy permits. Read the current NIA FAQ for your entry port.
