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China Highlights is well known and reliable.

You time estimate for the train is rather pessimistic. And not only will the bus need to make stops at multiple hotels but you won't leave Tianjin until everyone is off the boat. The advantage of the bus is not travel time but rather convenience (not having to figure you way around).

I just read on another board that passengers with Costa Cruises have been advised that they do not need a visa anymore for the stop in Shanghai. I guess that other cruise companies will follow eventually.

The bus is just a transportation that takes you around. It is about the stops that you get to see, not the bus. So I am not clear why the bus would get negative reviews. Maybe those people just did not like Shanghai.

Frankly, you can see all these place cheaply using the subway.

When trying to explain to a cruise company that you think a visa is no longer required. send them this official link: http://www.sh-immigration.gov.cn/listPageEn.aspx?lx=40&id=4421

Obviously, you also need to show them a copy of your flight out of Shanghai to a third country.

What we just spent $263.00 for the 2 of us to get visas for one day in Shanghai cruising in on the QM2, nothing said from consulate re this?

You apply for a visa so they give you one. They do not provide advice. Maybe you want the visa so you can visit again. They have no way to know your intentions.

Secondly, read this thread carefully, while it is now allowed, it does not mean that the cruise companies cares. They need to change their policies or they won't let you on board without a visa.

What China visa is available to US citizens for 20 years?

Right, obviously a typo. 10 years is the standard.

As an update for this thread, here is a link to an official website about this extended visa-free stay: http://www.sh-immigration.gov.cn/listPageEn.aspx?lx=40&id=4421

With more details in this Q&A: http://www.sh-immigration.gov.cn/listPageEn.aspx?lx=40&id=4421

Unless there are new rules in place VOA to Shenzhen (5-day visa) is not available to US or French citizens and most of the Middle Eastern countries.

Last time I checked the US citizens were eligible but the price was prohibitive and it was about the same as getting a regular visa (which is good for all of China and valid for 20 years).

@philob - if a tour guide needs to pay admissions to attractions, it means that he/she is not a licensed guide.

While it is no longer illegal, there is generally no tipping in China. There is a saying in China, Americans are expected to tip but service is included for others. ;-)

Seriously, the exception to no tipping seem to be tours. Some tours companies will tell you how much to tip and will even collect the money ahead of time. Not sure I call this tipping. Despite the money that you pay the tour agencies, often guides and drivers get no salary and totally depend on tipping and commissions on shopping. If you hire a private guide directly, then tipping is not required. No tipping to taxi drivers for sure and no tipping in restaurants at all. Some high end restaurants or those in hotels will often add a service charge. I wonder where that money goes.

The Yujiapu Railway Station is the place to go now. The above is the current information.

Nothing unusual here. Most nationalities need a visa for a transit in the USA even if only in the airport for an hour to catch another flight. At least the Chinese make your transit visa free. It is the airlines that you need to blame for not applying the visa exemption rules.

Once you land you can visit as you wish, it is your choice to go directly to the cruise.

Despite the change in rules, they won't let you board your flight unless you have a visa. you are going to China so you need a visa, don't see what's annoying about that.

Every year I need to buy tickets to China around this date for my wife's nephew who studies in Canada. I have yet to see a good deal. A ton of Chinese students are returning home around those dates and they return to school when you return. This explains the high price.

I am not shocked by these prices although they are on the high side. It is not surprising that the "best" flight would be cheaper than flights with multiple stops and longer layovers.

As you have lots of time to book this, wait for an airline seat sale. They happen regularly. However Any trip that straddles the Christmas holiday will cost more for sure. Actually in that time period next year you have both Christmas and Chinese new year, two busy travel periods when deals are rare.

There are no visas on arrival in China. You either have a visa, or you are eligible for TWOV - transit without visa.

Actually, there are VOA in China. The most famous one being the Shenzhen visa issued at the border. There are similar ones at Zhuhai, Xiemen and in addition, the VOA is also available for travelers on international cruise ships who disembark in Haikou or Sanya.

Nothing for Shanghai though other than the "emergency" visa that can also be obtained on arrival.

Do you know pearls? Better be very knowledgable before you venture to buy some. You need to be able to judge quality and tell real from fake.

That is 3 months from the date of stamping so don't apply more than 3 months from the arrival date in Shanghai.

 

To complicate matters over here in the UK the Chinese consulate have stopped issuing single entry visas and now issue 2 year multiple entry ones. This might now apply for Australia as well.

I don't see how this complicates things, it makes it easier actually.

Regarding the above post, the policy has been effective for a week now. Here is the announcement that refers to ports: http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2016-01/26/c_1117898349.htm

Firstly, whether you are leaving the ship or not is not relevant. In the past cruise companies have asked for a visa in all cases. You are entering Chinese territory in any case.

However, since last week end the visa exemption rules for transit have been clearly changed to accommodate cruises. However it is unclear how this will work for cruises specifically. And it depends on the cruise company's interpretation of the rules.

So I suggest that you ask them and I suspect that for the near future getting a visa is the safe approach.

Thank you very much for the link to the subway map. Do you know if it is easy/difficult to find the subway from the train?

 

I've read that the bus 877 is much quicker than taking the train to the Great Wall.

 

Thanks again.

It is very easy. The subway station (that bears the same name as the train station) is just under the train station.

Go to YouTube.com and search for videos about the Beijing south train station.

You get on the subway. See a map here: http://www.explorebj.com/subway/

you get off at Jishuitan on line 2.

you could also take the train from the Beijing north station near Xizhimen.

Use the subway to get around. Simple, cheap and no traffic. It will take you everywhere.

Agree. That's what I said already.

The other question is, will cruise companies let you board if you plan to disembark in Shanghai to catch a fly or if they only stop in Shanghai for a few days? I suspect that it may take the cruise companies quite some time before to get around to changing their policies.

Yes, there is a difference if you say AND rather than OR. Actually it is not because it is the US, to qualify for a transit you cannot go to the same country that you came from. That would not be a transit.

However I assume that someone who is flying from the US into Shanghai to catch a cruise will not sail to the US. If you go to a third country (say Japan) then you'd be fine. However, As I said in my first comment, the current version of Timatic is silent on cruises even though it is in the regulations.

Where did you read this? Flights from the US have always been ok to qualify for the visa-free transit. Tons of people have done this.