Question on Guangzhou trip via Shanghai - 240h visa-free & l

Question

Hi everyone,

We’re a Swedish family flying from Copenhagen (CPH) to Guangzhou (CAN) with China Eastern, with a 2-hour layover in Shanghai (PVG). I’ve read about the new 240-hour visa-free policy for China, but I’m a bit unsure how it works in our case.

Has anyone recently flown this route with China Eastern? Will our checked luggage go all the way to Guangzhou, or do we need to pick it up in Shanghai (PVG), clear immigration, and check in again? And if Shanghai counts as our “entry” point to China, will we need to apply for the temporary 240h visa-free stay there?

Would love to hear from anyone who’s done something similar.

Thanks in advance!

Answer

For your route Copenhagen → Shanghai → Guangzhou with China Eastern, here’s how the 240-hour visa-free transit (VFT) typically works and what to expect regarding luggage and immigration:

1. Checked luggage: If you booked your flights on the same ticket with China Eastern, your checked luggage is usually tagged through to Guangzhou. You should not need to collect it in Shanghai PVG for a 2-hour layover. The airline staff at Copenhagen should check it all the way to your final destination.

2. Transit and visa-free stay: The 240-hour visa-free transit is intended for travelers who are passing through China and do not leave the airport for more than 10 days. However, it applies only if you have a confirmed onward flight departing from the city or province where you enter China.

In your case:

Shanghai PVG is your entry point to China.
Guangzhou is your final destination within China.
Even if you are only transiting in Shanghai, you will go through the normal domestic transfer process at PVG. You usually do not need to apply for the 240-hour visa-free transit for a domestic connection, as long as you remain in the transit area and your luggage is checked through.

3. Immigration: Since Shanghai is just a domestic transfer in your itinerary (no exit from transit to explore Shanghai), you generally will not need to pass through immigration at PVG. Immigration clearance typically happens at Guangzhou, your final destination.

4. Precautions and tips:

Confirm at Copenhagen check-in that your luggage is tagged through to Guangzhou.
Double-check with China Eastern’s customer service that your transfer in Shanghai is on the same ticket and does not require collecting luggage.
If your flight segments are on separate tickets, you would need to clear immigration in Shanghai, collect luggage, and check in again, in which case the 240-hour transit policy would apply and you may need to arrange a temporary visa-free permit at PVG.
Keep all flight confirmations and boarding passes handy, especially for short layovers.

In summary, with a single-ticket booking and a 2-hour layover in Shanghai, your luggage should be checked through to Guangzhou, and you will not need the 240-hour visa-free transit for Shanghai. Immigration will be cleared at Guangzhou.

Question on Guangzhou trip via Shanghai - 240h visa-free & l

More Guangzhou Travel Questions

The attractions mentioned in this question

Popular Destinations

Popular Travel Questions