Beijing Forum: Long Layover Experiences...? And will feel like a zombie?

Yes, I looked into it and I will need the double entry visa, which will add $140 each to the cost of our trip, but again, how could I NOT go see the Great Wall, ect....

Visa, maybe not, I read elsewhere on TA forum, someone said US passports get 48 hours landing visa or transit visa in China, however it is called. This is what was stated, but better check, not all data on TA are correct, I never heard of the 48 hours visa before. Worth $140 saving to look into it and let us know.

Few years ago, one needs to buy a One-Day-Visa at the boarder. We did that at Shenzhen boarder when friends took us there from HKG to go shopping. Not much money, but it was a small room full of 100s of foreigners all pushing to the front, not a pleasant experience. I am sure Beijing should be far more civilized.

I have read the official report from the Chinese Embassy, and it states that I do not need a visa if I will be there for less then 48 hours and i do NOT leave the airport.

Since I plan on leaving the airport I will just get one. Now I have heard they don't always check, but I am just not willing to take a chance!!!

The 48-hour rule is for Shanghai only. Get visas.

Doing the Great Wall is a good idea. However no point going to the Ming tombs. It is a waste of yime even if you have 5 days. Pick other attractions.

I went to china recently via helsinki. did not want to do the long stopover but after researching helsinki and time difference, it made much sense.

going there we arrive 850 and depart 6 pm. helsinki time. Helsinki is 7 hours ahead of NYC. Being daytime there and forcing the kids out in the sun helps them get over jet lag faster. We saw the UNESCO world heritage site- the suomenlinna fortress; the senate square, the market square- and got stuck here shopping the flea market. We got back on time to the airport.

Beijing was 5 hours ahead of Helsinki and we arrive at beijing at 650 a.m. I purposely had a car pick us up and go straight to the greatwall mutianyu. being a 1-1/2 hour drive, everybody got to sleep a little. This staggered jet lag adjustment period interspersed with sightseeing worked very well. By the second day beijing, we had minimal jet lag. Of course, the homeopathic medicine Jetzone, and the west-east finnair route helped.

The question is will you see the great wall going there or coming back?

Have a look at this link. It allows 24hrs so long as you ask permission

visaforchina.org/LON_EN/…250022.shtml

visaforchina.org/LON_EN/…250022.shtml

That is the exact website I went to and it says:

Foreigners who have confirmed onward tickets and seats on international flights and directly transit through China and stay for no more than 24 hours within the airport boundaries shall not need to apply for a transit visa. Anyone desiring to go beyond the airport boundaries temporarily should obtain permission from the frontier inspection office.

Which yes, seems like I just need to ask permission.....

But what if they say NO??? hahahahahahah

And every other website that I have read says that you don't need one if you don't leave the airport, but you do need one to leave the airport. With a country like China I just want to make sure I don't get it wrong and get stuck!!

So I was plannig to see the Great Wall and one additional attraction on my way to Thailand. Then I was going to see the Forbidden Palace on my way home.

The only reason I picked the great wall first is because in the beginning of November it is warmer than by the end of November, the weather site I looked at shows the end being a whole 12F colder!!! I am from California, and I do NOT handle cold well, and it sounded like the Great Wall will be cooler and windier than down in the city....?

That whole weather thing really made me think about how to pack, I wasn't even planing on bringing a long sleeve shirt to Thailand, just a light jacket! I think instead of bringing a heavy coat I will pile on like 4 layers. Or my co-worker suggested I could bring a huge jacket, pay for a locker in the Beijing airport, and then come back for it 3 weeks later, hahahaha.

Yes the Great Wall will be even colder than the city, especially in early morning. It is also on the top of mountains, making it colder also.

If you go to the Mutianyu sectioin of the Wall then it is not far from the airport.