Originally Posted by
CPMaverick
Hello-
I recently booked a transit itinerary in CAN (international-to-international, paid economy class), and successfully reserved my hotel online.
After booking the website told me the following:
I then got the following confirmation email from CZ:
Questions:
- One tells me to go to the transfer desk, the other implies I can go directly to the hotel. Is it my choice (transfer desk only if I want a free shuttle)? Or am I required to do the transfer desk before I can check-in?
- Any advice for how to return from the hotel (is there a free option as well?)
Thanks
Firstly...congratulations on booking on line (something eluding me at present). When you arrive you need to go to the transfer desk with your voucher which they will check...you’ll also need your boarding pass. Depending on your origin...and randomly....you’ll be issued with a new onwards boarding pass. If you have a Chinese visa you then just line up to go through immigration. If you don’t have a visa and are taking advantage of the 24 hour visa-free scheme then you’re in for a surprise!! This used to take 5 minutes, now you have to fill out an additional form. The CZ staff collect them and given them to the Chinese police. Then you sit and wait....and wait....and wait!! If you get out in an hour, you’ve done brilliantly...anything up to 90 minutes is normal. Once that’s been done, there’s a short queue to get the passport stamped, then you’re on your way. You can expect a shuttle from the hotel coming back to the hotel, but for safety I’d confirm at the transit desk. Catching your onwards flight, you’d be safe to allow about an hour to get through customs and immigration.,,it will probably take way less, but better safe than sorry. It’s far less hassle than in the US.There’s not much to do once you’ve got through security unless you have lounge access.