Is TFU (Chengdu) a valid 240-hour transit air port?

Yes. Chengdu Tianfu Intl is on the 65-port list under the National Immigration Administration's 240-hour visa-free transit policy. Both entry and exit at TFU are allowed for qualifying passport holders on an A→China→B itinerary.

Which provinces can I visit if I enter at TFU?

Once admitted, you can travel within the eligible 240h stay areas during your stay (up to 240 hours total). Many regions are province-wide, but a few are city-limited under the official table, so verify city-level coverage before booking side trips.

Can I enter at TFU and exit from a different port?

Yes. The entry and exit ports do not have to be the same. Both must be on the 65-port list. For example: enter TFU, travel by HSR to another city, exit from a different listed port.

What should I have ready at TFU immigration?

Passport, confirmed onward ticket to a different country/region within 240 hours, completed Digital Arrival Card (CDAC) reference, and the address of your accommodation in China.

TFU Chengdu: 240-hour visa-free transit port guide

Port basics

IATA / port code: TFU
City: Chengdu
Province: Sichuan
Type: International airport
240h status: Eligible for entry and exit
Sister ports in the same metro: CTU

Arrival tip

Chengdu Tianfu is the newer of Chengdu's two airports (opened 2021) and now handles most international arrivals. International arrivals process through Terminal 1, 2nd floor — quarantine + border inspection. Online CDAC encouraged; paper cards still in use on-site. Allow ~1 hour from gate to baggage. The Foreign Guest Payment Service Center near the international arrival exit offers ATM, currency exchange, mobile-payment setup, and SIM-card help for foreign passport holders.

Don't forget: complete the Digital Arrival Card within 72 hours before landing.

Onward transport from TFU

Metro Line 18 — direct from airport toward central Chengdu / Tianfu Square
Taxi to city center — ~¥150
Airport Express buses to multiple city stops

Accessible provinces from this port

Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan.

The list above reflects what's practical by direct transport from TFU. Some eligible regions are city-limited under the official table; run the checker and verify the exact cities before booking.

Check your route through TFU

The check below has TFU pre-filled as your China entry port. Adjust the other fields to fit your trip.

240h Transit Eligibility CheckBased on NIA policy as of 2026-05-18

EDGE · Needs airline verification

Passport

Last stop before mainland China

China entry port

Exit mode

First stop after mainland China

Arrival date

Arrival time

Departure date

Departure time

Provinces / cities you plan to visit

Sichuan

Ticket arrangement

Can the airline see your onward leg?

Onward ticket proof

HK / Macau / Taiwan count as separate regions, so they are valid third-region exits. Exit by HSR to West Kowloon (WKL) counts.

Continue to Boarding Kit Arrival Card recipe

Result · EDGE

This route needs airline verification.

United States passport · SFO (United States) → TFU → ICN (South Korea) · about 119h in China · exit by air.

Recommended entry path: Regular visa or itinerary change needed. This trip does not clearly fit ordinary visa-free entry or the 240h transit route checks. Use a regular visa or change the route before booking.

Source: China National Immigration Administration — 240h visa-free transit policy. Last checked 2026-05-18. Confidence: medium.

Policy choice

240h transit or ordinary visa-free?

Use the comparison guide if the route result looks stricter than your passport's visa-free path.

Compare policies

Closest fix

Confirm the exact city-level stay area before booking

Your selected stay area has official city-level limits: Sichuan is limited to listed cities including Chengdu, Leshan, Yibin, Deyang, Meishan, Ziyang, Zigong, Luzhou, Suining, Neijiang, and Ya'an. Keep the itinerary inside those listed cities, or switch to a province-wide route.

Rule detail

240h transit checks

8 of 9 checks pass

Passport eligible for 240h transit

Pass

United States is on the 55-country 240h list.

Entry port is a listed 240h port

Pass

Chengdu Tianfu Intl (TFU, Sichuan) is on the 65-port list.

Stay is 240 hours or less

Pass

Calculated stay: about 119 hours (5 days).

A → China → B route shape (different countries/regions)

Pass

SFO (United States) → China → ICN (South Korea).

Hong Kong / Macau / Taiwan handled correctly

Pass

Your route does not involve HK/Macau/Taiwan. (These would count as third regions if used.)

Exit mode (air / rail / sea) is supported

Pass

Exit by air to a third country/region — standard 240h exit path.

Planned regions are inside the 24 eligible provinces

Pass

Planned regions: Sichuan.

City-level stay-area caveats checked

Info

Sichuan is limited to listed cities including Chengdu, Leshan, Yibin, Deyang, Meishan, Ziyang, Zigong, Luzhou, Suining, Neijiang, and Ya'an.

Onward destination is not inside mainland China

Pass

Onward leg is outside mainland China — correct.

Airline counter risk

Boarding proof check

High

High airline-counter risk: bring printed proof and budget escalation time.

This does not necessarily mean the route fails. It means the check-in agent may need clearer proof or supervisor escalation.

Policy result is not clean

high

Fix the 240h eligibility issue before relying on airline-counter proof. A printout cannot rescue an itinerary that does not fit the rule.

What to say at check-in

I'm using China's 240-hour visa-free transit. Here is the NIA policy excerpt, my route, and my confirmed onward transport to a third country or region. Could you verify the Timatic override condition?

If the agent hesitates

Could a supervisor or international policy desk verify the China 240-hour transit override in Timatic? My itinerary is A to mainland China to a different country/region within 240 hours.

Carry these at airline check-in

Printed Boarding Kit with NIA policy QR code.
Printed onward ticket to a different country/region within 240 hours.
Hotel booking or host address in China, preferably with Chinese address.
CDAC reference or QR code if already submitted.
Adjust the route, stay length, passport policy path, or province plan before booking.

Recommended next steps

Set up before arrival regardless of visa path.

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TFU Chengdu: 240-hour visa-free transit port

Check your route through TFU

240h transit checks

Passport eligible for 240h transit

Entry port is a listed 240h port

Stay is 240 hours or less

A → China → B route shape (different countries/regions)

Hong Kong / Macau / Taiwan handled correctly

Exit mode (air / rail / sea) is supported

Planned regions are inside the 24 eligible provinces

City-level stay-area caveats checked

Onward destination is not inside mainland China

Boarding proof check

High airline-counter risk: bring printed proof and budget escalation time.

Policy result is not clean

Build a Boarding Kit for your TFU arrival