Can I take the high-speed bullet train Beijing–Hong Kong under Chinese 144 h visa-free transit rules?
In a few days I should go fly to Beijing and then would like the 8 hour train from Beijing to Hong Kong using 144 TWOV.
The issue is that I have read a lot of articles/discussions online about people getting denied with having Turkish stamps in their passport.
The second issue is that I would like to take the high speed bullet train from Beijing West to Hong Kong, but I also read that this train doesn't qualify and only the slow 24 hour train qualify.
Third issue that doesn't help to these two previous are final destination Hong Kong, since the growing anti-Chinese protests in Hong Kong.
Should I ditch the fly ticket and move on or risk it and go?
Best Answer
While Doc’s answer covers the most important formalities, in case you are interested why you can only take the slower Z sleeper train, The Man in Seat 61 has the answer:
The fast G train calls multiple times between Beijing and Hong Kong, making it a ‘normal’ train. TWOV rules require you to stay in a small area of the country (i.e. the Beijing area) but once you’re on that train you could just exit anywhere en route and defy the rules.
The slow Z sleeper train has no passenger stops between Hong Kong and Beijing. To quote:
The train stops twice between Beijing and Hong Kong but you can't get off the train for a smoke or small walk as they lock the doors.
That’s also why they can do immigration formalities at Beijing West: they know that everybody who boards that train will leave China. Thus, that is indeed an international departure in the Beijing area.
(In actual operation, the Hong Kong train gets coupled to one from Guangzhou. While passengers between Guangzhou and Beijing can board or alight at any intermediate station, passengers going to our coming from Hong Kong can only board or alight at Beijing.)
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Does China allow transit?
24 hour visa-free transitForeign citizens travelling to a third country or region through China by plane, ship or train may stay up to 24 hours in China without a visa. The application for a preliminary entry permit at the Chinese border is a requirement for the visa-free entry.Can you transit through China without a visa?
Under the 24-hour visa-free transit rule, no visa is required for international flight, ship, or train passengers who transit directly through mainland China and will stay for less than 24 hours. Passengers should hold tickets to a third country or region and have a confirmed seat.Can you get a train from Hong Kong to China?
The Guangzhou-Kowloon high-speed rail link opened on 23 September 2018. A high-speed Fuxing (revival) train now links Hong Kong West Kowloon Station with Beijing West every day, 1,516 miles in 8h56 at an incredible average speed of 168 mph, right across China.How do I get a 144 hour visa for China?
ConditionHIGH SPEED BULLET TRAIN Beijing to Shanghai: An amazing ride at 350 kmh. I try a shake test on board
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Answer 2
There are 2 issues here:
- You have to make sure you're holding a passport in the list of eligible countries, having a Turkish visa stamp on your passport doesn't matter but having a Turkish passport will NOT make you eligible for this program
- If you use the 144 hour visa, you can only stay within the administrative precincts of your port of entry (Beijing), so getting on a train to Hong Kong would likely violate that
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Ryutaro Tsukata, Mathias Reding, Soulful Pizza, Elena Saharova