Girona to Hangzhou (GRO–HGH) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

Spanish passport holders need a visa to enter China for most purposes. The standard tourist visa (L visa) is obtained at a Chinese embassy or consulate before departure. The fee is EUR 126 for single entry. Processing takes 4 business days for regular service, or 2 to 3 days for express at a higher fee. Apply through the Chinese Visa Application Service Center (CVASC) in Madrid or Barcelona.

China offers 144-hour visa-free transit at major airports including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and others. You must hold a confirmed onward ticket to a third country (not Spain, if that is where you came from) departing within 144 hours. You must stay within the designated administrative region for that port of entry. This is a genuine option for short layover visits.

Required documents for the L visa: completed application form, passport valid for at least 6 months with 2 blank pages, recent passport photo (48mm x 33mm, white background), round-trip flight booking, and hotel reservations for the full stay. Invitation letters are not required for tourist visas but can speed up processing.

Metro Line 7 connects the airport to the city. Transfer to Line 1 or Line 2 for most central destinations including the West Lake area; total journey 60–80 minutes (¥7–10). Operating hours: 6am to 11pm.Taxis to the city centre cost ¥70–110 (metered). DiDi ride-hailing is cheaper and convenient. Airport shuttle coaches (¥20–30) run fixed routes to major hotels. Car rental is available at the terminal. Hangzhou is a 45-minute high-speed train from Shanghai Hongqiao if connecting overland.

Humid subtropical climate. Summers are hot and extremely humid (30–38°C) with heavy monsoon rainfall June through September. Thunderstorms and the Meiyu (plum rain) season in June cause regular delays. Typhoons from the South China Sea occasionally affect the region in August–September.

Winters are cold but rarely severe (0–8°C) with occasional frost and light snow. Spring (April–May) is rainy and foggy, which can reduce runway visibility. October and November are the most pleasant and reliable for travel.