China Visa-Free by Land: Which Border Crossings Work in 2026

Most visa-free China articles assume you are flying in. But plenty of people arrive overland: crossing from Hong Kong by train, entering from Laos by bus, or driving in from a neighboring country. Several land and cross-border railway ports can be used for visa-free entry, but which crossings are open to you depends heavily on which visa-free policy you qualify for.

This guide shows which land crossings you can actually use under each policy, what documents you need to have ready, and the conditions overland travelers need to meet to be eligible.

The one thing to understand first

China has two main nationwide visa-free routes, and they work very differently at a land border.

• The 30-day visa-free policy applies at any sea, road, or air port that is open to foreign nationals. There is no special short list of land ports for this policy.
• The 240-hour transit policy is much narrower. It works only at 65 specifically named ports, and only four of those are land or cross-border railway ports.

So before you plan an overland trip, double-check which policy you are using. It changes which crossings you can use, where you can travel afterward, and what documents you need to have ready.

Check your crossing

Entering by land on the 30-day policy

If your nationality is on the 30-day visa-free list (50 countries as of 2026), you can enter China for up to 30 days without a visa. This policy applies at all sea, road, and air ports open to foreign nationals, so you are not limited to a special land-port list. If a crossing is open to foreigners, an eligible traveler can generally use it, unless a separate law or agreement says otherwise.

Under this policy you can travel all around mainland China during your stay, and only a few areas require a separate permit.

For this policy you need an eligible country's ordinary passport, valid for at least your intended stay. Temporary passports, emergency documents, and other travel documents generally do not qualify.

Entering by land on the 240-hour transit policy

The 240-hour (10-day) transit policy is stricter. It covers 55 nationalities, but only through 65 designated ports, and as of 2026 just four of those are land or cross-border railway ports:

Once you are in China, you can travel across the policy's permitted areas, which cover 24 regions, during your stay. It is not the whole country, so check that everywhere you plan to go is inside the permitted zone.

To use the 240-hour policy you must:

• Be traveling from one country or region to a different one, with China in the middle. Your route is country A, then China, then a different country or region B. Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan each count as a separate region.
• Hold a valid international travel document with at least three months' validity.
• Have confirmed onward transport leaving China for that third country or region within 240 hours, counted from 00:00 on the day after you enter.
• Stay within the policy's permitted areas (24 regions in total).

An example that works: arriving from Laos through Mohan Railway Port, then later leaving China for a different country or region. Another: entering Guangdong from Hong Kong over the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge, then later leaving mainland China for somewhere other than Hong Kong.

Mutual visa-exemption agreements

Some countries have mutual visa-exemption agreements with China. If the agreement covers ordinary passport holders, travelers can usually enter through any Chinese port that is open to foreign passengers, including eligible land crossings.

The allowed stay and travel purposes depend on the agreement for your country, so check the exact rules before traveling.

What you can and cannot do

Under these policies you can travel for tourism, business, exchanges, and visits to relatives or friends, plus transit. Paid work, formal study, and news reporting need the appropriate prior approval and visa. If that is your reason for crossing, visa-free entry is not enough.

How long you can stay

The 30-day policy gives up to 30 days; the 240-hour policy gives up to 10 days. Both are counted from 00:00 on the day after you enter, so your arrival day is effectively extra time.

What to carry at the border

The two policies ask for different documents, so here they are separately.

Using the 30-day policy:

• An eligible ordinary passport, valid for at least your intended stay
• Your accommodation address or hotel booking
• Your arrival card (online in advance or at the port)
• An onward or return ticket is not an official requirement, but officers may ask, and China recommends carrying documents that support your purpose, such as bookings or an invitation letter

Using the 240-hour transit policy:

• A valid international travel document with at least three months' validity
• Confirmed onward transport to a third country or region, leaving within 240 hours
• Entry through one of the four designated land or rail ports, then staying within the policy's permitted areas
• Your arrival card

You do not apply in advance. You present your documents at the border and the officer processes you under the policy. Meeting the conditions does not guarantee entry. Final approval is made by the immigration inspection authorities at the port.

Operating hours

Land border crossings do not all have the same opening hours. Some, such as Hengqin and the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge, have passenger channels open 24 hours a day, while others close earlier.

Before you travel, check the opening hours for the exact crossing you plan to use with China's immigration authorities or the local border inspection station.

If you overstay

Overstaying can cause a warning. More serious cases can bring a fine, and in the most serious cases detention or a ban on returning to China.

Practical travel prep

• Book accommodation early. A confirmed reservation can help show where you plan to stay if officers ask for supporting documents, and refundable options may be a good idea in case your plans change, or in case you are not let into the country, so you can still save your money. You can book mainland hotels on Trip.com, which supports bookings in almost every language.
• Set up mobile data before you arrive. Get a China eSIM or set up roaming so you have internet the moment you are in China.
• Download a VPN before you enter China. In China, apps like Instagram, WhatsApp, and even Google usually will not work without a VPN, or an eSIM that has a VPN built in. Set it up before you are in China, because you usually cannot download one once you are there. Our VPN guide explains how it works.
• Get the payment apps ready. Almost everything is paid by phone. Download WeChat and Alipay and link your card before you are in China. Our first-China-trip guide walks you through the apps, payments, eSIM, and VPN step by step.

If you would rather have everything in one place, we have put it into one big PDF guide. Buy it once and it is yours to keep.

FAQ

Can I enter China visa-free by land?
Yes, if your nationality qualifies and you use the right crossing for your policy. The 30-day policy works at any road or rail port open to foreign nationals. The 240-hour transit policy works only at its four designated land or rail ports. Final approval is made by the immigration authorities at the port.

Which land borders support visa-free entry?
For the 30-day policy, any land crossing open to foreign nationals can generally be used. For the 240-hour transit policy, the only land or rail entry ports are Hengqin, the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge, West Kowloon Station, and Mohan Railway Port.

Can I cross from Hong Kong or Macao by land?
Yes. The Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge, West Kowloon Station, and Hengqin are the designated land and rail ports for the 240-hour transit policy, and eligible nationalities can also use open crossings under the 30-day policy. Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan count as separate regions for transit routing.

Do I need an onward ticket if I enter by land?
On the 240-hour transit policy, yes. You need confirmed onward transport leaving China for a different country or region within 240 hours. On the 30-day policy an onward ticket is not an official requirement, though officers may ask to see onward or return travel.

Can I enter China from Vietnam and leave to Vietnam?
Not under the 240-hour transit policy, which needs different countries before and after China. If your nationality is on the 30-day list, you can use that instead, since it has no third-country routing requirement.

Can I travel anywhere in China after entering by land?
On the 30-day policy you can travel almost anywhere in mainland China, apart from a few areas that need a special permit. On the 240-hour policy you can travel around the permitted areas, which cover 24 regions, not just the one where you entered, so check that the places you want to visit are inside the zone.

How long does it take to cross at a land border?
It depends on the crossing, how busy it is, and how you are traveling. Leave yourself extra time, especially during busy periods and on holidays.

What if I miss my onward departure and overstay?
Overstaying is a violation. Depending on the case it can bring a warning, a fine, or detention, and in serious cases a ban on returning to China.

Are land border crossings open 24/7?
Not all of them. Some passenger channels at Hengqin and the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge are open 24 hours a day, while others have shorter hours. Check the working hours of the exact crossing you plan to use before you travel.

Where do I book tours and activities in China?
Trip.com and Klook both offer bookings in almost every language for China travel, including tours, attraction tickets, and transfers across the mainland cities you will visit.

Sources

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs — FAQs on Visa-Free Entry into China
• National Immigration Administration — 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy and Designated Ports
• National Immigration Administration — Policy Interpretation, Unilateral Visa Exemption
• National Immigration Administration — Exit and Entry Administration Law (penalties)

Bottom Line

Eligible travelers can enter mainland China by land without a visa, but the available crossings depend on the policy being used. The 30-day policy applies at sea, road, and air ports open to foreign nationals and does not impose a port-based provincial travel zone. The 240-hour transit policy is much narrower: among its 65 designated entry ports, the only land and cross-border railway options are Hengqin, the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge, West Kowloon Station, and Mohan Railway Port. Travelers using the transit policy must hold confirmed onward transport to a third country or region, remain within the policy's permitted areas, and meet all other conditions. Final admission is decided by the immigration inspection authorities at the port.