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Question: Asked by Reddy from united states | Jan. 07, 2026 09:56

About:240-Hour Visa-Free Transit

240 hrs visa free. US-Shanghai-Kowloon train station. Kowloon train station-Shanghai-US

(1) If I fly from the U S to shanghai, travel to several cities, after 6 days, get on the train at Shenzhen in the morning to West Kowloon station, Hong Kong2) then on the same day , in the evening, enter Mainland China from West Kowloon Train Station and get off at Guilin and several cities and back to Shanghai, for 9 days, then exit via shanghai back to the U S. Do these two segments qualify for the 240 hours visa free policy? So, am I required to stay in a hotel in Hong Kong for at least one day?

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Answers (1): Answered by Borut | Jan. 07, 2026 17:20

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Your whole idea is eligible for 240 hour visa free transit - twice. Taking two times 240 hour visa free transit within a very short time frame or even in a, de facto, sequence is allowed and acceptable. It is really recommended to have an overnight in Hong Kong, but you can definitely exit mainland China and enter it again during the same day if your itinerary dictates such a dynamics.

Here I would like to stress the essence to buy your exit ticket from mainland China to Hong Kong West Kowloon station even before you depart from US toward mainland China. You will be asked to present your train ticket at the moment of your check-in in US and also upon your landing in Shanghai. By the way,congratulations on a very creative way to enjoy 240 hour visa free transit scheme :) Have a nice visit to China.

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240 hrs visa free. US-Shanghai-Kowloon train station. Kowloon train station-Shanghai-US