China Visitor Tools

240-Hour Visa-Free Transit Through Beijing

Beijing is the classic first stop on a 240-hour transit: two international airports, the Great Wall inside the city boundary, and fast trains onward to Xi'an and Shanghai - all inside the permitted area.

The facts for Beijing

Designated entry / exit ports in Beijing

  • Beijing Capital International Airport (Beijing)
  • Beijing Daxing International Airport (Beijing)

Where you may travel

The whole of Beijing is inside the permitted area, and you may combine it with any of the other 23 covered regions on the same permit.

Check your exact route

Enter your nationality, ports, cities and flight times into the free checker - it applies the same rule data as this page and tells you, rule by rule, whether your route is legal.

Check my route via Beijing

Mistakes that break trips here

  • Counting the 240 hours from the moment you land. The clock starts at 00:00 on the day AFTER you enter, so your arrival day is effectively free - but the deadline is just as strict.
  • Assuming a return ticket home works. Beijing in, Beijing out back to the same country is not transit: your onward ticket must go to a different country or region.
  • Adding Lhasa or Dunhuang to the same trip. Tibet and Gansu are outside the 24 covered regions, whichever port you enter at.
  • Turning up at the Forbidden City without a reservation. It is real-name booking only, released 7 days ahead, and unrelated to your transit permit - book it separately.

FAQ

Which Beijing airports can I enter through?

Both of them: Beijing Capital (PEK) and Beijing Daxing (PKX) are designated 240-hour ports. You may enter at one and leave from the other, or from any other designated port in China.

Can I visit the Great Wall on a transit permit?

Yes. The popular sections near Beijing (Mutianyu, Badaling) are inside Beijing municipality, and sections in Hebei such as Jinshanling are also fine because Hebei is a full-scope province in the scheme.

Can I continue to Xi'an or Shanghai afterwards?

Yes. Since December 2024 the permit allows travel between the 24 covered regions, and both Shaanxi (Xi'an) and Shanghai are covered in full. The classic Beijing - Xi'an - Shanghai triangle fits comfortably inside 240 hours.

Does Hong Kong count as my third destination?

Yes. Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan are treated as separate regions for this rule, so Beijing to Hong Kong is a valid onward leg - as long as Hong Kong is not also where you arrived from.

What if my flight home leaves from Beijing?

Then the trip is not a transit and the 240-hour permit does not apply. You would need a visa, or check whether your passport qualifies for China's separate 30-day visa-free entry instead.