The 240-hour transit trip: Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou

This itinerary is designed around the 240-hour visa-free transit policy, not around a visa. That means the route has to satisfy the policy first: an eligible passport, a third-country onward ticket, entry through a listed port, and a stay inside the permitted area.

The Shanghai port area covers Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang, which makes it the best transit region in China for a short trip: a global city, classical gardens and a lake, all within an hour or two by train.

Check the current port table before booking. Ports and permitted areas have changed several times since the policy launched.

The eligibility check

1. Your passport is from one of the 57 eligible countries.
2. You are flying into Shanghai from one country and out to a different country within 240 hours.
3. You enter through Pudong or Hongqiao, both listed ports.
4. You stay in Shanghai, Jiangsu or Zhejiang.
5. You have a confirmed onward ticket with a date and seat.

If any of those fail, use a regular visa or the 30-day visa-free entry instead.

Days 1–3 — Shanghai

• Day 1: Land at PVG, activate your eSIM, test Alipay, take the Maglev and metro or a DiDi to the city. Stay in the Former French Concession or Jing’an. Walk, eat, sleep.
• Day 2: The Bund at dawn, Yu Garden at opening, Shanghai Museum in the afternoon, skyline ferry at dusk.
• Day 3: French Concession walk, West Bund art, or a slow café day. Book a train to Suzhou for the next morning.

Day 4 — Suzhou

Take a 25–35 minute high-speed train from Shanghai to Suzhou. Leave your big bag in Shanghai if you can.

• Humble Administrator’s Garden (book early).
• Suzhou Museum (reserve ahead).
• Pingjiang Road at dusk.
• Return to Shanghai in the evening or stay one night.

Days 5–6 — Hangzhou

Take a 45–60 minute train from Shanghai to Hangzhou.

• Day 5: West Lake loop by bike, Lingyin Temple, tea village.
• Day 6: Xixi Wetlands or the Grand Canal, then return to Shanghai.

Day 7 — Shanghai buffer day

Keep a buffer day before your onward flight. Use it for shopping, a museum you missed, or a day trip to Zhujiajiao. Do not schedule a tight train on departure day.

Day 8 — Departure

Fly out to your third country from PVG or SHA. Arrive three hours early for an international flight.

Where to stay

• Shanghai: French Concession or Jing’an for the whole trip; use it as a base.
• Optional Suzhou: Pingjiang Road for one night.
• Optional Hangzhou: West Lake or Hubin for one night.

What to book ahead

• Shanghai–Suzhou and Shanghai–Hangzhou trains.
• Suzhou Museum and Humble Administrator’s Garden.
• Shanghai Museum.
• Your onward flight (obviously).

Common mistakes

• Flying back to the country you came from. That is not a transit.
• Adding Beijing. The Shanghai transit area does not cover Beijing. Keep the trip inside Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang unless you have confirmed that your exact route is allowed.
• Cutting the buffer day. A delayed train or flight on departure day can turn a legal transit into an overstay.
• Assuming the clock starts at landing. The 240 hours start at 00:00 the day after entry, but the onward ticket still has to be within the window.

Budget guide

Mid-range: $100–160 per person per day in Shanghai, less in Suzhou and Hangzhou. The trains are cheap; the hotels are the main variable.