240h Transit · Flow 4 of 4
Five route templates designed around the 240-hour transit rules first: entry port, mainland exit port, third-region destination, eligible stay areas, and the proof you need at airline check-in. Day-by-day travel planning comes after the route shape is legal.
Pick an A→China→B template before you pay for flights, hotels, or train tickets.
Compare route templates →02 · HotelUse a foreign-passport-friendly hotel with a Chinese address that matches your arrival-card proof.
Open hotel guides →03 · TrainHandle 12306 verification, name order, payment, and station-entry checks after the route is legal.
Open train guides →The risky part is not whether Beijing or Shanghai is worth visiting. The risky part is whether your A→China→B route, exit mode, and stay areas survive airline check-in and Chinese immigration.
| Route template | A→China→B example | Compliance watchpoint | Check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic 3-city: Beijing → Xi'an → Shanghai Different entry/exit ports: fly into Beijing, leave mainland China from Shanghai to a third country/region. | SFO → PEK → PVG → ICN | Do not book PVG back to your origin country. Your onward leg after Shanghai must be a different country/region such as ICN, NRT, HKG, or SIN. | Check route |
| Yangtze Delta: Shanghai → Hangzhou → Suzhou Same mainland entry/exit port is fine if the onward destination after China is a different country/region. | SFO → PVG … PVG → ICN | PVG in / PVG out is not the issue. The issue is A→China→B: your pre-China stop and post-China stop cannot be the same country/region. | Check route |
| South coast: Guangzhou → Shenzhen → HK exit Rail exit to Hong Kong: enter mainland China by air, leave by HSR through West Kowloon. | LAX → CAN → WKL → HKG | Airline check-in agents outside China may not recognize WKL as a listed rail exit. Carry the Boarding Kit and a confirmed HK onward plan. | Check route |
| Southwest spice: Chengdu → Chongqing Different entry/exit ports in western China: enter Chengdu, exit Chongqing to a third country/region. | HKG → TFU → CKG → SIN | Sichuan has city-level stay-area limits under the official table. Keep the route to the listed cities and avoid assuming the whole province is open. | Check route |
| Northern history: Beijing → Datong → Xi'an Northern route with different mainland exit: Beijing in, Xi'an out, onward to a third country/region. | SFO → PEK → XIY → ICN | Shanxi is city-limited under the official stay-area table. Keep the Shanxi stop to Datong or Taiyuan; do not swap in Pingyao unless the official table changes. | Check route |
Once the route shape works, choose by pace, interests, and season.
By pace
By interest
By season
After your route is legal
The itinerary templates show which rail legs are practical. The train guides explain how to book those legs on 12306 or Trip.com, what passport fields matter, and what to do when verification or payment fails.
Click any row to open route assumptions, HSR legs, and the day-by-day plan.
| Template | Days | Pace | Mainland enter / exit | First stop after mainland | Best for | Budget / day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic 3-city: Beijing → Xi'an → Shanghai | 10 | Balanced | PEK → PVG | ICN | First-time visitors who want the iconic landmarks — Forbidden City, Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors, Yu Garden — without overcommitting on time | US $90-160 |
| Yangtze Delta: Shanghai → Hangzhou → Suzhou | 8 | Relaxed | PVG → PVG | ICN | Repeat China visitors who've already seen Beijing/Shanghai and want depth in one region | US $80-140 |
| South coast: Guangzhou → Shenzhen → HK exit | 7 | Fast | CAN → WKL | HKG | Food obsessives — Guangzhou dim sum culture is the world's best, hands down | US $100-150 |
| Southwest spice: Chengdu → Chongqing | 7 | Balanced | TFU → CKG | SIN | Food and spice lovers — Sichuan cuisine is the headliner | US $70-120 |
| Northern history: Beijing → Datong → Xi'an | 9 | Balanced | PEK → XIY | ICN | Repeat China visitors who've done Beijing+Shanghai and want depth in northern history | US $80-140 |
Balanced pace · 10 days
The most-searched China itinerary. Heavy on history (Forbidden City, Terracotta Warriors, Yu Garden), HSR-friendly, exit from Shanghai.
Mainland route: PEK → PVG · onward: ICN
Do not book PVG back to your origin country. Your onward leg after Shanghai must be a different country/region such as ICN, NRT, HKG, or SIN.
Relaxed pace · 8 days
Slower-paced, food and gardens, all within 1-hour HSR of each other. Best if you want depth over distance.
Mainland route: PVG → PVG · onward: ICN
PVG in / PVG out is not the issue. The issue is A→China→B: your pre-China stop and post-China stop cannot be the same country/region.
Fast pace · 7 days
Food, tech, modern China. Exit by high-speed rail to Hong Kong (West Kowloon) — counts as third-region exit.
Mainland route: CAN → WKL · onward: HKG
Airline check-in agents outside China may not recognize WKL as a listed rail exit. Carry the Boarding Kit and a confirmed HK onward plan.
Balanced pace · 7 days
Pandas, Sichuan food, mountain hotpot. Two cities, both major air ports.
Mainland route: TFU → CKG · onward: SIN
Sichuan has city-level stay-area limits under the official table. Keep the route to the listed cities and avoid assuming the whole province is open.
Balanced pace · 9 days
For travelers who want imperial Beijing, Buddhist cave art, and Silk Road origins without leaving the listed 240h stay areas.
Mainland route: PEK → XIY · onward: ICN
Shanxi is city-limited under the official stay-area table. Keep the Shanxi stop to Datong or Taiyuan; do not swap in Pingyao unless the official table changes.
FAQ — picking a 240h itinerary
Which itinerary should a first-time China visitor pick?
Classic 3-city (Beijing → Xi'an → Shanghai) for almost everyone. It's the most-searched route for a reason — covers imperial history, dynastic depth, and modern China in 10 days with two HSR moves. Skip it only if you've been to Beijing before or you want a slower regional focus.
Can any of these itineraries fit inside 240 hours (10 days)?
Yes — 240h is exactly 10 days, and all five templates are designed to fit within it. The South Coast and Southwest Spice templates are shorter (7 days) on purpose, leaving slack for arrival delays or a final-day Hong Kong / Bangkok stopover.
Do I have to enter and exit at the same port?
No. Different entry / exit ports are explicitly allowed under 240h. Most templates here use different ports (e.g. enter PEK, exit PVG) because it saves a redundant HSR leg back to where you started.
What happens if my trip exceeds 240 hours?
You'll overstay and may be fined, denied future entry, or detained. Build a buffer — plan for 8-9 days inside China and let your 10th day be a flight to a third region. 240 hours is counted from local entry time to local exit time.
Can I customize a template's dates and stops?
Yes — these are starting points, not bookings. Pick a template, then adjust nights and add/remove cities. The HSR legs and accommodation district guidance still apply. Run the eligibility checker once your dates and ports are firm.
Itinerary templates are starting points. HSR durations, prices, and attraction fees are approximate (2026 data). Verify schedules and book in advance. Policy snapshot 2026-05-18. Sponsored partner links (Klook, Trip.com) may pay us a commission if you book — this never affects which templates or stops we recommend.