Luggage Rules in China: Trains, Domestic Flights and Metro

On a Chinese high-speed train an adult can bring up to 20 kg of luggage free, and each bag should measure no more than 130 cm when you add its length, width and height together. On domestic flights there is no single national allowance; each airline sets its own, and Air China and China Southern both give economy passengers 20 kg of free checked baggage. On the metro in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou the limit is 30 kg per passenger, with a size cap that differs slightly by city.

All three put your bags through an X-ray machine, so what you carry matters as much as how much. One ordinary suitcase and a daypack per person usually fits the rules on all three.

Luggage limits at a glance: train, plane and metro

If your trip mixes trains and flights, pack for the strictest two numbers in this table: the bullet-train size limit and your airline's carry-on weight.

On trains, size matters more than weight: the 130 cm limit applies on the bullet trains most visitors ride, while slower conventional trains allow 160 cm.

High-speed trains: how much you can bring

China Railway publishes these rules on the 12306 luggage FAQ, and they apply to every train, including high-speed rail (高铁, gāotiě).

The free allowance

Each passenger can carry luggage free up to 20 kg for an adult, 10 kg for a child and 35 kg for a diplomat. Each piece should weigh no more than 20 kg, and the sum of its length, width and height should be no more than 130 cm on bullet trains (动车组, dòngchēzǔ, the G, D and C trains) or 160 cm on conventional trains. Long thin items such as fishing rods can be up to 200 cm. A folding wheelchair or baby stroller travels free and does not count toward these limits.

Measure your suitcase before you leave and add the three sides together: many large checked-size suitcases come out above 130 cm.

What happens if you go over

Overweight or oversized items found at the departure station can be refused entry. If they are found on the train or at your arrival station, you pay a luggage fee on the excess weight, and an item that cannot be split up is charged on its full weight. How strictly this is checked varies by station, so pack to the limit rather than hoping nobody looks.

Security at the station

Every passenger goes through security at the station entrance: your bags go through an X-ray machine and you walk through a metal detector. Allow extra time at big stations such as Beijing South. Our train station navigation guide walks through the steps from entrance to platform.

You can check luggage on the railway, but not at the gate

There is no airline-style bag drop on Chinese trains; you carry your bags on board. The railway does run a separate checked-luggage service between stations that handle it, for items up to 50 kg each and up to 200 cm in total dimensions, with a valid ticket and your ID, and with no cash, jewellery or documents inside.

The catch is timing: the delivery deadline is 3 days for the first 600 km plus 1 day for each additional 600 km, and the bag is then stored free for 3 days. That suits a box of shopping or a bicycle, not the suitcase you need tonight. Ask the station luggage office (行李房, xínglifáng) for the current fee.

Where to put your bags on the train

You have the overhead rack, the large-luggage area near the carriage doors (大件行李处, dàjiàn xíngli chù), and the space under the seats. China Railway asks you to put heavy, sharp or long items in the large-luggage area or under the seat, and to hold on to wheeled cases on the platform so they cannot roll onto the tracks. The large-luggage area fills first, so board early with a big case, and keep your passport, phone and cash in a small bag at your seat.

What you cannot bring on a train

The national list of items banned and restricted on trains has applied since 1 July 2022. Banned outright, carried or checked: guns and replica guns, fireworks and other explosives, controlled knives such as daggers and long spring-loaded folding knives, stun guns, flammable liquids such as petrol or paint thinner, and spirits stronger than 70% alcohol or with an unclear label.

Allowed in limited amounts:

• Power banks and lithium batteries up to 100 Wh each.
• Drinks between 24% and 70% alcohol, up to 3,000 ml in total.
• Aerosol sprays up to 150 ml per can and 600 ml in total.
• Up to 2 ordinary lighters and 2 small boxes of safety matches.

Not allowed in your hand luggage, but accepted by the railway's checked-luggage service: everyday knives with a blade longer than 60 mm, bats, tools such as hammers and saws, bows, and self-defence spray up to 50 ml. Pets cannot ride with you; they can only be checked, in a proper container with a quarantine certificate, and guide dogs are the exception. Hoverboards and scooters are allowed on board only in hard packaging.

For booking, seat classes and boarding, see our complete guide to China's high-speed trains.

Domestic flights: checked bags, carry-on and liquids

Since 1 September 2021, China's aviation rules leave the free baggage allowance to each airline, and the online booking page must clearly show the allowance for your flight. So the number that counts is the one on your ticket; the two big airlines below are a useful reference.

Checked baggage

On Air China domestic routes you get 20 kg free in economy, 30 kg in business and 40 kg in first, and an infant ticket gets 10 kg plus a folding stroller. China Southern gives the same 20 / 30 / 40 kg, but some of its fares include no free checked bag, so check what your ticket shows. Budget airlines work differently: on Spring Airlines the cheapest fare includes no free checked bag.

Any single checked bag also has a maximum size: 45 kg and 100 × 60 × 40 cm on Air China domestic flights, and 50 kg and 40 × 60 × 100 cm on China Southern. Extra weight on both airlines costs 1.5% of that day's full economy fare for the route per kilogram, so the price depends on the route.

Carry-on bags

Air China allows one carry-on of up to 5 kg in economy and two of up to 8 kg each in business and first, all within 55 × 40 × 20 cm, plus a small personal item under the seat. China Southern allows one bag in economy and two in business and first, each up to 8 kg and 55 × 40 × 20 cm, plus a small laptop bag or handbag. The 5 kg limit on Air China is low, so move a heavy laptop or camera to your checked bag or the personal item.

Connecting from an international flight

If the domestic flight is on the same ticket as an international one, for example London to Guangzhou to Guilin, China Southern applies the international allowance on the domestic leg. A separately booked domestic flight follows domestic rules, and other airlines set their own policy, so check with yours.

Liquids, alcohol and power banks

• Liquids: on domestic flights you cannot carry liquids through security except your own toiletries: one of each cosmetic in a container of no more than 100 ml, which may be opened for checking, and one tube each of toothpaste and shaving cream of up to 100 g or ml; everything else, including drinks, goes in checked baggage. Baby milk and liquid medicines you need are handled separately, so tell the security officer and confirm what they will allow.
• Alcohol: checked only, in retail packaging, in containers of up to 5 litres; drinks of 24% to 70% alcohol are limited to 5 litres per passenger, and anything stronger than 70% is banned.
• Power banks: hand luggage only, and since 28 June 2025 a power bank without a clear CCC (3C) mark is not allowed on flights within mainland China. Watt-hour limits are covered in our tech and adapters guide.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China lists the full liquid, battery and dangerous-goods rules on its baggage information page.

If your bag does not arrive

The airline must send a delayed bag on a later flight and tell you, and if the delay was not your fault and you ask, deliver it free or agree another solution. Report it at the baggage counter in arrivals before you leave. For check-in and booking, see our domestic flights guide.

Metro: luggage size and security checks

You can take a normal suitcase on the metro. Each city sets its own rules; the three biggest systems allow:

• Shanghai: up to 30 kg, a sum of length, width and height of no more than 1.8 m, and a volume of no more than 0.2 cubic metres.
• Guangzhou: up to 30 kg, with a sum of the three sides of no more than 1.8 m; luggage over either limit is not allowed in. The size limit was raised from 1.6 m in 2024, so older guides are out of date.
• Beijing: up to 30 kg, a length of no more than 1.8 m, and a width and height of no more than 0.5 m each.

A standard suitcase is fine in all three; the limits mainly catch furniture, big boxes and long sports gear. In other cities, check the passenger rules posted at the station entrance.

Security on the metro

Your bags go through an X-ray machine every time you enter a station, and refusing the check means you will not be let in. The banned lists are close to the railway's, with some city differences:

• Beijing bans all kitchen and utility knives, more than 2 lighters, nail polish or remover over 20 ml, and aerosols such as hair spray over 120 ml.
• Shanghai bans bicycles, including folding bikes, while Guangzhou allows a folding bike that is fully packed and within the luggage limits.
• Electric scooters and similar devices are banned in Beijing and Guangzhou, apart from wheelchairs, and Shanghai bans riding balance boards, scooters and skates in the system.
• Pets (except guide dogs) are banned in Shanghai and Beijing, and inflated balloons in all three cities.

The harder part is the ride itself: rush-hour carriages are packed and not every exit has a lift, so with two large cases a taxi from the airport is often easier. Flying out of Beijing Daxing, you can check in and drop your bags at Caoqiao station on the Daxing Airport Express. See our airport-to-city transfer guide and the metro systems guide for more.

Luggage storage at stations and airports

Your hotel. The easiest option for the gap between checkout and an evening departure: most hotels will hold your bags at the front desk if you ask.

Airports. Large airports have left-luggage counters (行李寄存, xíngli jìcún). Beijing Capital Airport has 24-hour counters in its T2 and T3 arrivals halls and also offers door-to-door bag delivery within Beijing:

Other airports set their own prices and hours, so check the airport website or the counter. Our Beijing and Shanghai airport guides show where the main services are.

Train stations. Many big stations have a left-luggage counter or lockers, but prices and locations vary by station, so ask at the station and allow time for a queue on holidays.

Tourist sites. In Wuzhen water town, for example, the Dongzha visitor centre stores luggage, and overnight guests can have their hotel send bags to the Xizha visitor centre luggage room to collect when they leave.

Courier delivery. Couriers such as SF Express (顺丰, Shùnfēng) can send a suitcase to your next city, and your hotel can usually book the pickup; ask for a quote first.

Choosing your luggage for a China trip

For most trips, take one mid-size suitcase within the 130 cm bullet-train limit, plus a backpack that stays with you on trains and works as your flight carry-on. Four-wheel hard-shell cases roll well on station floors; backpacks are easier on stairs and in old towns. A cabin-size spinner case and a small hanging luggage scale are easy to find on Amazon. For what goes inside, see our China packing guide and the essential items checklist.

Frequently asked questions

In short: one suitcase that fits the 130 cm train limit, your airline's carry-on weight checked before you fly, no knives or extra lighters in your daypack, and power banks in your hand luggage with a visible 3C mark.

Last updated: October 2026