Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Will my DD be allowed out of the airport during a 12hr stopover in Bejing?

9 replies

MarieJeanne · 15/09/2015 15:38

My DD is about to book a long haul flight from Paris to Melbourne with a 12 hour stopover in Bejing. Does anyone know if she will be allowed out of the airport during this time without any extra visas or permits. She has a European passport and is going on a working holiday visa.
Is 12 hours enough to visit a bit of Bejing?

OP posts:
MelanieCheeks · 15/09/2015 15:41

Unlikely. There are quite strict visa requirements fro visiting China. Plus Bejing is HUUUUUGE and has massive traffic jams.

backinthebox · 15/09/2015 15:44

Not without a visa. Sorry. My brother learnt the hard way when he factored in a day stopover to watch the Grand Prix motor racing there once. (He managed to bribe someone to get him a visa quickly, but he is an experienced dodgy sort, and bribery in somewhere like China really is not worth the potential hassle.)

Original poster
MarieJeanne · 15/09/2015 15:48

Ok, thanks, I will warn her. I don't think bribery and corruption are feasible options Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
MarieJeanne · 15/09/2015 16:03

She has seen this on the travel China website
www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/visa/free-72hour/

OP posts:
backinthebox · 15/09/2015 17:48

Ah, that's something I wasn't aware of. I'd check with the Chinese embassy.

MelanieCheeks · 16/09/2015 08:54

Yes, I didn't know that either! I can see why it'd be tempting, Beijing is such a fascinating city. But it's not that easy to get around, and my experience of longhaul is that stopover time is best used catching up on some rest if possible.

Original poster
MarieJeanne · 16/09/2015 14:01

So, it looks like it could be possible. She wants to meet up with a friend who lives there, I'm thinking he will be able to show her around quickly . She's only 20, I'm sure she'll catch up sleeping on the plane.

OP posts:
NameChange30 · 16/09/2015 14:10

The traffic is horrendous and it would be a nightmare if she missed her next flight. But if they could get the metro from the airport to the centre it might be possible to visit one place maybe. Still, it would be so rushed that I'm not sure it would be worth it. Having said that I think the Art District is near ish to the airport. It has cool cafes, shops and galleries. Might be a good place for them to hang out for a few hours. I'd probably recommend that over dashing to one of the main attractions in the centre, like Tianaman Square or the Forbidden City.

MelanieCheeks · 16/09/2015 14:47

Can the friend meet her at the airport and suggest somewhere easy to get to?

New posts on this thread. Refresh page