Question

Asked by Greg from united kingdom | Jun. 03, 2025 12:13

About:240-Hour Visa-Free Transit

Briton travelling to Shanghai and Beijing, then high speed train to Hong Kong

So I am planning a 10 day stay in Mainland China this September. I'll be flying from London to Shanghai Pudong where I'll be staying for five days and I'll be taking a high speed train to Beijing to spend another five days. Then I'm planning on getting a high speed train from Beijing West all the way to Hong Kong West Kowloon. Would I be able to apply for the 240 hour Visa-Free Transit policy if I get the high speed train to Hong Kong or do I need to get a flight? Thanks!

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Answers (1)

Answered by Borut | Jun. 04, 2025 06:25

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Yes, you can do it in the form as you have presented, there is no doubt of it. It is perfectly the same whether you will fly or take a train to Hong Kong. However, I would like to stress two important details: 1. Your arrival into mainland China (Shanghai in your case) cannot be via Hong Kong or better to say, the immediate point before mainland China cannot be in Hong Kong because the immediate point after mainland China will be in Hong Kong. 2. When you book your train you should have in mind that you have to look at the arrival time in Hong Kong as your exit time from mainland China. You will leave mainland China not at the moment of your boarding the train in Beijing, but at the moment of your arrival in Hong Kong West Kowloon station. It is in Hong Kong West Kowloon station the immigration of both mainland China and Hong Kong collocated next to each other. If this is a problem, I would like to inform you that the day of your arrival in mainland China is not counted against 10 days you are allowed to stay in mainland China. The first day of your allowed 10 days starts the next day following your arrival day at 00:01. So, you can compensate one day lost that you were maybe planned for a night train with the fact that the arrival day is not counted as a day 1, but day 1 is the day that starts following the day of your arrival. You will have to book your Beijing to Hong Kong train ticket even before you perform your check-in in London. Have a nice visit to China.

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