Help! Booked an accidental 23hr layover in Guangzhou
#76
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Southeast USA
Programs: various
Posts: 6,710
I'm flying HAN-CAN-YVR with only 2h40m for transit in CAN. I believe that I will need to get a boarding pass at CAN, but I'm not sure whether I will have to pick up my baggage at CAN or not.
My recent experience with a similar trip via Shanghai (HAN-PVG-YVR) was not fun at all. At PVG, I had to get a temporary visa, get my baggage, change terminals by bus, and check in again. The whole process took >3 hours.
Do you think that 2h40m for a transit in CAN is going to be enough for my case? Any advice is greatly appreciated.
My recent experience with a similar trip via Shanghai (HAN-PVG-YVR) was not fun at all. At PVG, I had to get a temporary visa, get my baggage, change terminals by bus, and check in again. The whole process took >3 hours.
Do you think that 2h40m for a transit in CAN is going to be enough for my case? Any advice is greatly appreciated.
As always, try to doublecheck with the airline beforehand but at least at check-in, so you can see if your bags are tagged to YVR (or not) and you know where you stand with your boarding pass. Worst case, 2:40 is enough time to accomplish a full manual transit, bag reclaim and recheck, particularly if the plane is on time into CAN. If you feel time is short and you need to get things speeded up, don't stand around in endless queues--speak up, get attention, move to the front, enlist a CZ staffer to help you get dealt with on a priority basis.
#77
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 244
Also check on the China Southern Airlines, they are offering Hotel accomodation for passengers on long layover, but they may only apply if there is no earlier flight available.
They also offer free lounge access, it's all pretty clearly written there.
Finally, if there is an earlier flight, why not ask them what a rebooking would cost?
They also offer free lounge access, it's all pretty clearly written there.
Finally, if there is an earlier flight, why not ask them what a rebooking would cost?
#78
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Southeast USA
Programs: various
Posts: 6,710
Also check on the China Southern Airlines, they are offering Hotel accomodation for passengers on long layover, but they may only apply if there is no earlier flight available.
They also offer free lounge access, it's all pretty clearly written there.
Finally, if there is an earlier flight, why not ask them what a rebooking would cost?
They also offer free lounge access, it's all pretty clearly written there.
Finally, if there is an earlier flight, why not ask them what a rebooking would cost?
#79
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 244
Not sure who you are answering, but if it is the latest poster @philly, I don't think your suggestions apply. Philly's layover is 2 hours and 40 minutes, and the question pertains to this possibly being too short, not too long. The next earlier poster, posted 6 months ago, has presumably resolved her issue.
#81
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 14
Thanks jiejie and everyone else for your comments.
I contacted China Southern office in Hanoi (via facebook), and they assured me that my luggage will be routed to YVR. I must say that I'm really impressed with their customer service team on Facebook: all questions are answered within minutes during their office hours.
I contacted China Southern office in Hanoi (via facebook), and they assured me that my luggage will be routed to YVR. I must say that I'm really impressed with their customer service team on Facebook: all questions are answered within minutes during their office hours.
#82
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,352
overnight at CAN?
I am considering an itinerary that has me spending approx. 2300-1000(+1) in Guangzhou. I would prefer to stay awake during that time, so as to adjust to my onward time zone.
Is there anything worthwhile in Guangzhou at those hours? Or would I be better served piling up some work and staying in CAN? I've never been to Guangzhou, and I believe I'm arriving too late to use the ditie /地鐵 to go from airport to city.
Is there anything worthwhile in Guangzhou at those hours? Or would I be better served piling up some work and staying in CAN? I've never been to Guangzhou, and I believe I'm arriving too late to use the ditie /地鐵 to go from airport to city.
#83
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,090
The airport bus to Guangzhou Station will be running; it runs till the last arrival.
That said, Guangzhou Station is not a great area. At night or during the day. There's a 24-hour street with small restaurants and such about a 15-minute walk away, but I wouldn't send you there unless you're desperate to escape the airport.
You might look on the booking sites for a place near the airport to stay for a few hours. I recall there are a few.
That said, Guangzhou Station is not a great area. At night or during the day. There's a 24-hour street with small restaurants and such about a 15-minute walk away, but I wouldn't send you there unless you're desperate to escape the airport.
You might look on the booking sites for a place near the airport to stay for a few hours. I recall there are a few.
#84
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,352
The airport bus to Guangzhou Station will be running; it runs till the last arrival.
That said, Guangzhou Station is not a great area. At night or during the day. There's a 24-hour street with small restaurants and such about a 15-minute walk away, but I wouldn't send you there unless you're desperate to escape the airport.
You might look on the booking sites for a place near the airport to stay for a few hours. I recall there are a few.
That said, Guangzhou Station is not a great area. At night or during the day. There's a 24-hour street with small restaurants and such about a 15-minute walk away, but I wouldn't send you there unless you're desperate to escape the airport.
You might look on the booking sites for a place near the airport to stay for a few hours. I recall there are a few.
#85
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: AMS
Programs: KLM PLAT, Qatar PLAT, AA Silver, Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Diamond, Starwood Gold, IHG Plat
Posts: 184
Assuming this is all on one ticket and I assume all on China Southern, you shouldn't have to deal with luggage. CAN is like PEK (but not PVG) and generally autoroutes baggage for intl-to-intl transfer passengers so you don't have to go through full Immigration, Bag Claim/Customs, etc. You should just be able to go through "International Transfer/Transit" Immigration desk. I'd be surprised if you didn't get your onward Boarding Pass in Hanoi, but if not, there should be an airline transfer desk somewhere between deplaning and the the Immigration transit/transfer check desk, where you can get it.
As always, try to doublecheck with the airline beforehand but at least at check-in, so you can see if your bags are tagged to YVR (or not) and you know where you stand with your boarding pass. Worst case, 2:40 is enough time to accomplish a full manual transit, bag reclaim and recheck, particularly if the plane is on time into CAN. If you feel time is short and you need to get things speeded up, don't stand around in endless queues--speak up, get attention, move to the front, enlist a CZ staffer to help you get dealt with on a priority basis.
As always, try to doublecheck with the airline beforehand but at least at check-in, so you can see if your bags are tagged to YVR (or not) and you know where you stand with your boarding pass. Worst case, 2:40 is enough time to accomplish a full manual transit, bag reclaim and recheck, particularly if the plane is on time into CAN. If you feel time is short and you need to get things speeded up, don't stand around in endless queues--speak up, get attention, move to the front, enlist a CZ staffer to help you get dealt with on a priority basis.
Ok Question related to this. I booked a QR turn where I arrive at 15:00 and leave the next morning at 01:00. Could I stay in the airport and not leave in order to not need to get the transit visa? As its returning to the same location I am afraid the 72 hour visa wont apply. What if I book another ticket (to HKG) get the 72 hour visa, fly back and cancel the HKG the next day?
Just trying to figure out creative options. Thanks in advance!
Last edited by bison1847; Jul 16, 2017 at 2:51 pm
#86
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Southeast USA
Programs: various
Posts: 6,710
Ok Question related to this. I booked a QR turn where I arrive at 15:00 and leave the next morning at 01:00. Could I stay in the airport and not leave in order to not need to get the transit visa? As its returning to the same location I am afraid the 72 hour visa wont apply. What if I book another ticket (to HKG) get the 72 hour visa, fly back and cancel the HKG the next day?
Just trying to figure out creative options. Thanks in advance!
Just trying to figure out creative options. Thanks in advance!
If you are arriving on QR nonstop DOH-CAN midafternoon, you can book and fly the evening CAN-HKG flight then return on the next morning HKG-CAN and take the wee hours QR flight, a day later than you originally planned. Each way you'd get 24 hours TWOV.
Another option is to fly the inbound to China as you'd planned, book a one-way CAN-HKG so you can use TWOV on the inbound, then change the return flight from CAN-DOH to HKG-DOH and not return to the mainland.
You'll have to decide whether the cost of changing the QR flight arrangements, plus cost of flying to/from HKG and possibly spending night in HK, is worth foregoing getting a Chinese visa. But you must do something, as your current plan is untenable.
#87
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: MPC,CA,MU,AF
Posts: 8,171
Ok Question related to this. I booked a QR turn where I arrive at 15:00 and leave the next morning at 01:00. Could I stay in the airport and not leave in order to not need to get the transit visa? As its returning to the same location I am afraid the 72 hour visa wont apply. What if I book another ticket (to HKG) get the 72 hour visa, fly back and cancel the HKG the next day?
Just trying to figure out creative options. Thanks in advance!
Just trying to figure out creative options. Thanks in advance!
* As jiejie said, you probably meant Transit without Visa (TWOV), not Transit Visa (G Visa).
* You must depart to a third country, or you may stay in China longer than you may hope for. That applies for TWOV, and probably also for the G Visa.
#88
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Southeast USA
Programs: various
Posts: 6,710
Since G transit visas are pretty much the same price as L tourist visas and take the same amount of hassle to get, it's a no-brainer to just get the L visa, if one is getting a visa.
The main reason for G's to still exist is that some "questionable" nationalities cannot get regular L or other types of visas without a sponsor or joining a group tour, and if they need to pass through China as an individual traveler, a G is the most practical legal way they are allowed to do it. This situation doesn't apply to most nationalities though.
The main reason for G's to still exist is that some "questionable" nationalities cannot get regular L or other types of visas without a sponsor or joining a group tour, and if they need to pass through China as an individual traveler, a G is the most practical legal way they are allowed to do it. This situation doesn't apply to most nationalities though.