Is WKL (Hong Kong) a valid 240-hour transit rail port?

Yes. West Kowloon Station (HK high-speed rail) is on the 65-port list under the National Immigration Administration's 240-hour visa-free transit policy. Both entry and exit at WKL are allowed for qualifying passport holders on an A→China→B itinerary.

Which provinces can I visit if I enter at WKL?

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 WKL 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 WKL, travel by HSR to another city, exit from a different listed port.

Is rail entry/exit at WKL eligible?

WKL is the high-speed rail crossing at West Kowloon Station. Exit by HSR through WKL is allowed as a 240h transit exit to Hong Kong. Note: this port is primarily for exit, not initial 240h entry.

WKL Hong Kong — China 240h transit port

Port basics

IATA / port code: WKL
City: Hong Kong
Province: Cross-boundary
Type: Rail crossing (HSR)
240h status: Eligible for entry and exit

Arrival tip

West Kowloon Station is a RAIL port, not an air port. It's the HSR terminal in Hong Kong. Used for 240h EXIT by high-speed rail from mainland China to Hong Kong (e.g. Shenzhen Futian → West Kowloon, 20 minutes). NOT an entry port for 240h — you cannot start your 240h transit by arriving here. For airline check-in agents at your departure airport unfamiliar with rail-based exits: bring printed proof that WKL is a listed 240h port.

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

Onward transport from WKL

From WKL: Airport Express to Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), 30 minutes
From WKL: MTR to Tsim Sha Tsui (5 min), Central (10 min), and all of Hong Kong
From WKL: taxi to most HK Island / Kowloon destinations within 30 minutes

Accessible provinces from this port

Cross-boundary.

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

Decision pages that mention West Kowloon (WKL).

GuideExit China to Hong Kong by HSR (WKL · 240h)The rail exit through Shenzhen Futian or Guangzhou South to Hong Kong West Kowloon is a valid 240h exit: how it works and travel-day steps.West Kowloon (WKL) · Hong Kong RouteGuangzhou to Hong Kong by high-speed railThe cross-boundary HSR to Hong Kong West Kowloon does the trip in as little as 48 minutes and clears mainland exit and HK entry under one roof — relevant if you're exiting a 240h transit to Hong Kong.West Kowloon (WKL) · Guangzhou RouteShenzhen to Hong Kong by high-speed railThe shortest cross-boundary HSR leg: Futian or Shenzhen North to Hong Kong West Kowloon in as little as 14 minutes.West Kowloon (WKL) · Shenzhen

Onward from Hong Kong

Other ports with arrival notes

All 65 listed ports are searchable in the eligibility checker.

Check your route through WKL

The check below has WKL 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

YES · Likely compatible

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

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 · YES

This 240h transit route looks compatible.

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

Recommended entry path: 240-hour visa-free transit. This route fits the 240h transit structure in the current checker: eligible passport, listed entry port, stay within 240 hours, third-country/region onward leg, and eligible stay area.

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

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

Guides for this route

Rule detail

240h transit checks

9 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

West Kowloon Station (HK high-speed rail) (WKL, Cross-boundary) 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: (none specified).

City-level stay-area caveats checked

Pass

No special city-level stay-area caveats for the provinces selected.

Onward destination is not inside mainland China

Pass

Onward leg is outside mainland China — correct.

Airline counter risk

Boarding proof check

Low

Low airline-counter risk: standard proof should be enough.

Your route shape and ticket proof are easy for airline staff to verify. Still print the Boarding Kit and onward ticket.

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.

Recommended next steps

Book a first-night hotel with a usable Chinese address for the Arrival Card, airline counter, and Boarding Kit.

Find hotels on Trip.com →

Activate data before takeoff so CDAC, maps, translation, and ride-share work immediately.

Browse eSIM plans on Airalo →

Sponsored · we may earn a commission if you book.

WKL Hong Kong: 240-hour visa-free transit port

Check your route through WKL

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

Low airline-counter risk: standard proof should be enough.

Build a Boarding Kit for your WKL arrival

WKL Hong Kong: 240-hour visa-free transit port

Arrival and onward tasks

Check your route through WKL

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

Low airline-counter risk: standard proof should be enough.

Build a Boarding Kit for your WKL arrival