TL;DR Verdict
There is no longer a choice to make: the 144-hour scheme was upgraded to 240 hours in December 2024 and now covers every port that used to offer 72- or 144-hour transit. If your nationality is eligible for transit, you get 240 hours (10 days), the freedom to move across the provinces that host designated ports, and nothing extra to apply for in advance. If your nationality is already on the 30-day visa-free list, you do not need the transit scheme at all — ordinary visa-free entry is strictly better. The 240-hour transit now applies to 57 countries (since 2026-08-20, per NIA announcements); among the nationalities we track, Vietnam uses it as its main visa-free route, and Ireland and the United States hold it as their only paper-free lane. Use the visa checker to see which lane your passport is in.
What Happened to the 144-Hour Policy
The 144-hour scheme is not a rival option that still exists alongside the 240-hour one — it is gone, absorbed into it. The timeline:
- 2013–2016: China pilots 72-hour transit visa-free in a handful of cities, then extends select hubs (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and others) to 144 hours.
- 2019–2023: the 72- and 144-hour zones coexist, each restricted to a single city or province cluster. This is the era most guidebooks still describe.
- December 2024: the National Immigration Administration unifies everything into one 240-hour visa-free transit scheme. All former 72- and 144-hour ports move to 240 hours, the permitted stay area expands from city clusters to entire provinces, and the port list grows to around 60 ports of entry across 24 provinces, including rail and sea ports.
So when a search result or an older article offers you "144 vs 240", the honest answer is: take 240 — it is the only transit scheme on offer, and it beats the old 144-hour rules on every dimension.
How the 240-Hour Transit Works Now
Eligibility: check the 30-day list first
If your nationality is on the 30-day visa-free list (94 of the 120 nationalities we track — most of Europe, the Americas, Asia and Oceania), skip transit entirely. Ordinary visa-free entry gives you 30 days, no onward-ticket requirement, and any port of entry. The 240-hour scheme itself applies to 57 countries (since 2026-08-20, per NIA announcements); the lane that matters most is for passports that hold it as their only paper-free route — among the nationalities we track, Vietnam uses transit as its main visa-free route, and Ireland and the United States hold it as their only paper-free lane. If you are on neither list — as UK, Indian and Russian passports are — the transit scheme is not open to you and you need a visa in advance; Ireland and the US are visa-required as well, but the 57-country transit lane stays open to them.
The third-country ticket rule
Transit means arriving from one country or region and departing to a different third country or region. London–Beijing–London does not qualify; London–Beijing–Seoul does. Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan do count as third regions — flying London–Beijing–Hong Kong is a valid transit. The onward ticket must be confirmed and must leave within 240 hours.
Movement area and clock
Since December 2024 you may travel freely within the provinces that host designated ports — enter in Shanghai and exit from Beijing is fine, and a Beijing–Xi'an–Shanghai rail loop fits inside the permitted area. The 240-hour clock starts at 00:00 the day after you enter under the standard Chinese counting method, which effectively gives you parts of 11 calendar days.
Q&A: Which Policy Is Right for You?
Q: I found an article about the 144-hour policy. Is it still usable?
No. Its ports and rules were merged into the 240-hour scheme in December 2024. Anything describing 72-hour or 144-hour transit as current policy is out of date — the duration is now 240 hours everywhere.
Q: How many days do I actually get?
240 hours = 10 days by the clock, and because counting starts at midnight after entry you typically hold parts of 11 calendar days. There is no per-port variance anymore — the duration is national.
Q: Can I enter in Shanghai and exit from Beijing?
Yes. Since December 2024 the permitted area is province-wide and interconnected: you may enter at any designated port and exit from any other, as long as your stay stays inside the provinces that host designated ports and within 240 hours.
Q: Do I need a return ticket or just an onward ticket?
An onward ticket to a third country or region different from where you arrived from is required. Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan count as third regions; flying back to your origin country does not qualify. Confirm the routing with your airline before booking — check-in agents verify this before the Chinese border does.
Q: Which passport holders are eligible?
The 240-hour transit applies to 57 countries (since 2026-08-20, per NIA announcements) — 40 European states including Ireland, the US, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Chile, Australia and New Zealand, and nine Asian states including Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam, the UAE and Qatar. Among the nationalities we track, Vietnam uses it as its main visa-free route, and Ireland and the United States hold it as their only paper-free lane. India, Cambodia, Egypt and Russia are not on the list — their passports need an advance visa. The visa checker applies the current lists to your passport in two seconds.
Q: Can I use this for business meetings?
The transit exemption covers tourism, family visits and transit-style business contacts (meetings, negotiations) — the same purposes as visa-free entry — but not employment, paid performances or long-term study. For those, apply for the matching M, Z or X visa.
Side-by-Side Comparison: the Old 144-Hour Era vs Now
| Factor | 144-Hour Policy (until Dec 2024) | 240-Hour Policy (now) |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum stay | 6 days (144 hours) | 10 days (240 hours) |
| Coverage | ~20+ entry ports, city by city | ~65 ports of entry across 24 provinces |
| Movement area | City cluster of the entry port | Entire provinces hosting designated ports |
| Clock start | Midnight the day after entry | Same |
| Eligibility countries | ~54 countries | 57 countries (since 2026-08-20); among tracked nationalities Vietnam relies on it, and Ireland and the US hold it as their only paper-free lane |
| Onward ticket required | Yes — third country | Yes — third country or region (HK/Macau/Taiwan count) |
| Cost | Free | Free |
| Best for | Short single-city layovers | Multi-province itineraries up to 10 days |
Scenario Decision Matrix
| Scenario | Recommendation | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 5-day Beijing + day trip to Tianjin | 240-hour transit | Both inside the permitted area (Hebei hosts ports) |
| 8-day Shanghai deep stay | 240-hour transit | Well within 10 days |
| 7-day Beijing → Xi'an → Shanghai route | 240-hour transit | Allowed since Dec 2024 — all stops in designated-port provinces |
| 12-day multi-region trip | Neither | Exceeds 240 hours; apply for an L visa |
| Return flight back to your origin country | Neither | Transit requires a third country or region; use visa-free entry (if eligible) or an L visa |
| US passport, any itinerary | 240-hour transit, with a third-country ticket | The US is on the 57-country transit list — it is the only paper-free lane a US passport holds; anything without the onward leg needs a visa |
| UK passport, any itinerary | Neither | The UK is on neither the 30-day list nor the 57-country transit list — apply for a visa in advance |
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these policies still active in 2026? Yes — the 240-hour scheme has been extended repeatedly since December 2024, with each announcement typically covering the following calendar year. Confirm close to your travel date on the National Immigration Administration site (nia.gov.cn) or at your nearest Chinese consulate.
Is the 240-hour transit available at all airports in China? No — only at designated ports, now around 65 of them across 24 provinces. Check the official list before booking; most international hubs (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xi'an, Hangzhou and more) qualify.
Can I enter China by train or sea with the transit exemption? Yes. Unlike the old 144-hour scheme, the 240-hour policy explicitly includes rail and sea ports among its ~65 designated ports of entry, plus selected land borders.
Do children need their own passports? Yes. Every traveler, including infants, must hold a valid passport and meet the eligibility requirements independently.
What if I miss my onward flight and overstay accidentally? Contact the local exit-entry administration immediately and carry your original ticket. Unintentional overstay due to flight cancellations is treated more leniently than willful overstay, but fines (from CNY 500 per day) can still apply — travel insurance covering trip interruption is the real protection.
Can I stay in a hotel with the transit exemption? Yes. Hotels register your stay with local police automatically — that registration is mandatory for all foreign visitors. Staying in a private apartment requires a visit to the local police station within 24 hours.
Final Verdict
The "144 vs 240" question is settled: 240 hours is the only transit scheme, and it is strictly better than the 144-hour rules it replaced — double the time, whole provinces instead of city clusters, rail and sea ports included. Use it if your nationality is among the 57 countries it now covers (since 2026-08-20, per NIA announcements) and your trip fits 10 days ending in a third country or region — among tracked nationalities Vietnam relies on it, and Ireland and the US hold it as their only paper-free lane. If your passport is on the 30-day visa-free list, ignore transit and enter normally. In every other case — longer trips, one-way returns, or a passport on neither list, Indian and UK passports included — an ordinary tourist (L) visa is the honest answer, and neither transit exemption will paper over it.