The 240-hour transit visa just got 5 new ports in Guangdong. And West Kowloon station.
My friend from Spain was planning a trip: Barcelona → Hong Kong → Shenzhen → Guangzhou → Macau.He thought he'd need a Chinese visa for the mainland portion.
He didn't.
The November 2025 expansion:
China's 240-hour visa-free transit policy got a major upgrade on November 5, 2025.
5 new ports in Guangdong:
• Pazhou Ferry Terminal (passenger)
• Hengqin Port (land)
• Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Port (land)
• Zhongshan Port (passenger)
• West Kowloon Station (high-speed railway) — this is huge
Plus: The policy now covers 65 ports across 24 provinces.
Why West Kowloon Station matters:
Before November 2025, if you flew into Hong Kong and wanted to use the 240h transit in mainland China, you had to:
1. Exit Hong Kong airport
2. Take a bus/taxi to a land border crossing
3. Cross on foot
4. Enter mainland China
Now?
You fly into Hong Kong. Take the Airport Express to West Kowloon Station (30 minutes). Board a high-speed train to Guangzhou, Shenzhen, or any city in the network.
Your 240-hour transit clock starts at West Kowloon Station.
Hong Kong counts as a third country for transit purposes. So:
• Barcelona → Hong Kong → Shanghai → Tokyo = VALID 240h transit
• New York → Beijing → Hong Kong (by train) = VALID 240h transit
My friend's actual itinerary:
Day 1: Barcelona → Hong Kong (land)
Day 2: West Kowloon Station → Shenzhen (HSR, 14 minutes). 240h transit activated.
Day 3-4: Shenzhen
Day 5-6: Guangzhou (HSR, 30 minutes)
Day 7: Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge → Macau (bus, 1 hour)
Day 8: Macau → Hong Kong (ferry)
Day 9: Fly Hong Kong → Tokyo
All on the 240-hour transit. No Chinese visa needed.
The 240h rules that still apply:
• Must enter and exit through different countries (or same country but different port)
• Must have onward ticket to third country
• Can move freely within 24 provinces
• Must fill digital arrival card
• Passport must be valid 6+ months
New covered provinces (added in recent years):
• Shanxi (Taiyuan, Datong)
• Anhui (Hefei, etc.)
• Jiangxi (Nanchang, Jingdezhen)
• Hainan (Haikou, Sanya)
• Guizhou (Guiyang)
The port count:
As of November 2025: 65 designated ports across 24 regions.
Key ports for travelers:
• Beijing Capital (PEK) + Beijing Daxing (PKX)
• Shanghai Pudong (PVG) + Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA)
• Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN) + Shenzhen (SZX)
• Xi'an (XIY)
• Chengdu Tianfu (TFU) + Chengdu Shuangliu (CTU)
• Kunming (KMG) + Lijiang (LJG)
• West Kowloon HSR (new!)
Tips:
• West Kowloon Station requires going through BOTH Hong Kong and mainland immigration in the same building. Allow 45-60 minutes before your train.
• The digital arrival card is required for 240h transit. Fill it before arrival.
• Keep your onward ticket handy. Border officers will ask.
• You can combine air and rail entry/exit. Fly into Beijing, train out via West Kowloon. Valid.
My friend's verdict: "I planned this trip thinking I'd need a visa, a visa run to Hong Kong, and complicated logistics. Instead I got 10 days across 3 cities and 2 special administrative regions with zero paperwork. The 240h transit is the most underrated travel hack in Asia."
Anyone else used the expanded 240h transit? What's your route?
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