Tianjin Port: Location, Transportation, Visa, Embark & Tianjin Port Tours

As the main maritime gateway to Beijing, Tianjin Port is the largest man-made port in mainland China, the second largest general port in China, inferior to Shanghai port. Located in the western shore of Bohai Gulf, on the estuary of the Haihe River, Tianjin Port is about 70km away from the northwest Tianjin City and 140km away from Beijing. It stretches for about 121 square kilometers, covering about 32km quay shoreline, with over 150 production berths. By the end of 2013, Tianjin Port has made itself the second and first respectively on handling capacity of foreign trade and export volume from mainland China. Aiming to become the most important logistics and shipping hub of North China, Tianjin Port is an ambitious development program of Binhai New District of Tianjin.

Tianjin Port (Tianjin Cruise Port) Location Map

For travellers arriving in China from Tianjin Port, they can either choose to visit the attractions in Tianjin City or the Great Wall in the outskirts, besides they can get to the high speed railway stations around the port and Tianjin City or go to the airport, from all of which they can explore the capital Beijing, and more scenic cities in China.

However, when people are talking about Tianjin Port, there are always more concepts that need to be clear, in case that you get to the wrong address.

International Cruise Port or Xingang Port - Which Tianjin Port Are You Referring to?

When talking about Tianjin port, your may refer to the cruise port and Tianjin has two passenger terminal ports: one is the Tianjin International Cruise Home Port, Tianjin Port or Tianjin Cruise Port for short; the other is Tianjin Xingang Passenger Terminal, Tianjin Xingang Port, or Xingang Port for short.

Also, All the port areas in the east of Tianjin facing Bohai Sea can be called Tianjin Port, which is a large-scale logistics and shipping area. It can be divided into nine Port areas: Beijiang, Nanjiang, Dongjiang, Haihe, Beitang, Dagukou, Hanggu, Gaoshaling, Nangang.

Among the 9 port areas, Beijiang, Nanjiang and Dongjiang are the core area, and they are all around Xinggang fairway, therefore the three port areas are also called Xingang, or Xingang Port, the generalized one, which differs from Xingang Passenger Terminal. Some people also use the generalized Xinggang port to refer to the whole Tianjin Port. For the other six port areas, Hanggu, Gaoshaling, Nangang are still under construction; Haihe is the only port area along the River; Dagukou is in the estuary of Haihe River; Beitang port is around Beitangkou estuary.

Tianjin International Cruise Home Port and Tianjin Xingang Passenger Terminal Location Map
(Click to Enlarge)

Located in the southeast of Tianjin Port, the peninsula-like Dongjiang port is most important area for travellers by sea with the largest free trade zone in Tianjin – Dongjiang Free Trade Zone. It covers about 30 square kilometers (a 10-square-kilometer terminal operation area, a 10-square- kilometer logistics processing area and a 10-square-kilometer comprehensive service area), surrounded by the Bohai sea on its three sides. Besides a port area for logistics use, Dongjiang port is only port area serving passengers who would like to take a cruise ship. When people are talking about Tianjin Port, they may most likely refer to Tianjin International Cruise Home Port in Dongjiang Port, or Tianjin Xingang Port Passenger Terminal which is also located in Dongjiang Port.

Tianjin Xingang Passenger Terminal (Xingang Port) - Serving Domestic Ferries and Cruise Ships

▶ Chinese Name: 天津港客运站 (Pinyin: tiān jīn gǎng kè yùn zhàn)

▶ Port Address: #129 Xingang No. 1 Road, Binhai New Area, Tianjin 天津市滨海新区新港一号路129号

25 kilometers (16 miles) away from Tianjin International Home Port lies Tianjin Xingang Passenger Terminal. It is 45 kilometers from Tianjin and 165 kilometers from Beijing. Tianjin Xingang Passenger Terminal covers an area of 60,000 square meters. There are three standard berths for passenger transport. It can berth cruise ship, cargo, and luxury cruise ship. There are regular buses to Tianjin, Beijing, Shijiazhuang, Taiyuan and other cities. It’s very convenient transferring here. It mainly serves the domestic cruise ships. It may also accommodate some international cruise ships during the peak season. The terminal is a two-storey building with facilities. There is a ticket booking hall is the west of the main building for domestic cruise.

The Facade of Tianjin Xingang Passenger Terminal

*Note: As its opening in 2010, Xingang Passenger Terminal will no longer be used for the International cruise ships, and Tianjin International Cruise Home port is the only international cruise terminal in Tianjin. Please mind your embarking and disembarking site. Since the Cruise Ship Schedules update in every month, please do not hesitate to contact us for the detailed info!

Tianjin International Cruise Home Port (Tianjin Cruise Port) - Serving Only International Cruise Ships

▶ Chinese Name: 天津国际邮轮母港 (Pinyin: tiān jīn guó jì yóu lún mǔ gǎng)

▶ Port Address: No. 1001 Guanhai Road, Binhai New District, Tianjin天津市滨海新区观海道1001号

Tianjin International Cruise Home Port, or Tianjin Cruise Port for short is in the comprehensive service area of Dongjiang Port. It is the largest international cruise port in Asia. A 2-kilometer-long beautiful man-made beach, Dongjiang Bay is right next to the port.

Tianjin international home port (Tianjin Cruise Port) has been put into use since 2010. It has 2 deep berths with the capacity of accommodating 220,000 tons cruise ships and 6 more berths planned to be built. The terminal building can handle about 500000 tourists annually. It is the chosen home port of Italy’s Costa Cruise and Royal Caribbean for their luxury lines, and accommodates many other international cruise ships, such as Ovation of the Sea, Oceania Cruises, Crystal Symphony, Silver Sea Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Voyager, Silver Shadow, P & O Arcadia, Celebrity Millennium, Holland America, Seabourn Sojourn, Azamara Club Cruises, Celebrity Millennium, Princess Cruises, etc. Most of the vessels offer passengers fantastic excursions off the beaten path offshore throughout the most unmissable Asia Pacific ports.

At present, the main routes covered by Tianjin International Cruise Home Port have reached the cities of South Korea such as Jeju Island, Busan, and coastal cities of Japan, such as Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, etc. After another two new berths putting into operation next year, the annual passenger flow is expected to reach 300,000 people.

Inside the terminal buildings, it offers the comfortable arrival and departure hall, duty-free shopping area, baggage claim area, hotels and restaurants, currency exchange, customs and migration facilities. On the second floor of the building is a nice spot to enjoy the seascape.

Tianjin International Cruise Home Port

Check-in Counter of Tianjin International Cruise Home Port

The Regular Sailing Route and Arrival/Stopover Port for Cruise Ship Departing from Tianjin

As the largest port in northern China, Tianjin port serves multiple cruise ships everyday, some of which depart from Tianjin and stopover at the costal cities in Japan and South Korea and head back to Tianjin Port, while other cruise ships from Tianjin sail for other Asian region/country to the south of Tianjin such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam and Philippines,etc.

There are some Regular Sailing Routes for your reference:

▶ Tianjin - East Asia Sailing Route: Tianjin - Nagasaki - Fukuoka - Tianjin; Tianjin - Jeju Island - Kobe - Yokohama

▶ Tianjin- Southeast Asia Sailing Route: Tianjin- Fukuoka - Keelung - Hong Kong - Chan May - Singapore; Tianjin - Dalian - Shanghai - Hong Kong

*Since the actual sailing route depends on many affecting factors, please do not hesitate to contact us for the updated cruise info from/to Tianjin Port.

Layout & Facilities

Tianjin International Cruise Home Port has a total size of 60,000 square meters and a total length of 328 meters. Its main function areas are for passenger waiting, baggage checking, ticket vending, customs clearance, duty-free shopping, catering services, entertainment and leisure.

There are totally 5 floors. The 1st floor mainly serves the passengers who are going to embark/disembark with waiting lounge, cafe, currency exchange, duty free shops; the 2nd floor is mainly for commercial use with multiple duty free shops and cafes; the 3rd floor is the restaurant areas with lots of food for you to choose; the 4th and 5th floors are not for public yet.

Tianjin International Cruise Home Port Floor Plan (1st Floor)

How to Embark from Tianjin Port (Tianjin Cruise Port)

▶ Step 1: You should arrive at the port at least three hours before the vessel is scheduled to sail and check in in time. In order to make the cruise ship sail on time, all the passengers must board the ship one hour before its departure from the port, and you are not be able to board the ship if you are late.

▶ Step 2: Luggage Checking: Please write the cabin number and your name on the baggage tag (the same name as the English name shown on your passport). The luggage will be put in your cabin after you board the ship according to the information you have filled in. Please be careful and do not to put the boarding documents and valuable items in the checked luggage.

▶ Step 3: Check-in procedures: After checking baggage, you can go to the cruise terminal service counter to check in. Your passport, boarding documents and credit cards need to be checked.

▶ Step 4: Seapass: After the boarding procedure is completed, each passenger will get a SeaPass card. This card is your passenger identification card on the ship. You will not only need it when you get on or off the ship, but also use it as a key card and check-in card on the cruise ship. Therefore, it will accompany you throughout the tour. Please take this card with you. If lost, please immediately apply to the service counter on the cruise ship for the lost cards.

▶ Step 5: Accept security checks and customs checks.

▶ Step 6: Collect Your Passport: The cruise ship will keep your passport for you temporarily and return it to you before you get off the ship.

▶ Step 7: After boarding, the attendant will guide you to your cabin. And there will be an emergency lifesaving exercise for one hour before the cruise ship sets sail.

Do I need a Visa to Disembark from Tianjin Port (Tianjin Cruise Port)

Passengers should have valid passports, and children must also have passports. After the end of the voyage, the passport should be valid at least six months before its expiration. The names on your cruise documents must also be identical to those on your passport. As an important northern seaport, Tianjin has a 144-hour visa-free exemption policy for visitors from more than 50 countries/regions around the world. If you comply with the relevant policy, you may not need to apply for a visa to China. Otherwise, you will need to prepare a legal visa to China in advance before boarding. Before you leave, please check the visa requirements of your destination with your travel agency or consulate concerned. If any passenger does not hold the required documents, their boarding request will be refused.

Foreigners Were Applying 144-Hour TWOV at Tianjin Port

Currency Exchange at Tianjin Port (Tianjin Cruise Port)

The official currency for Tianjin is Chinese Yuan Renminbi and the exchange rate at Tianjin port is 1 CNY = 0.14 USD/ 1USD = 7 CNY (Aug. 2019). You can have you money exchange near the Gate 3 on the first floor.

Tianjin Port (Tianjin Cruise Port) Transportation

Located in the east of Tianjin outskirts, Tianjin port is the 70km away from Tianjin downtown, and 140km away from Beijing. The nearest high speed railway station is only about 30km to it, serving multiple bullet trains to Beijing everyday. Passengers getting to China by sea can visitor both Beijing and Tianjin with lots of stunning attractions to see. Also, it serves visitor who has had a wonderful time in China and get ready sailing for Japan, South Korea, Singapore, etc.

There are mainly 3 ways to transfer from Tianjin port to Beijing/Tianjin downtown area, namely travelling with China Discovery, taking a taxi, and public transportation methods.

Travel with China Discovery

China Discovery offers high-quality transportation service from/to Tianjin Port.Our skilled driver and knowledgeable guide will escort you from Beijing/Tianjin all the way to the port, or pick you up from the port to your hotel, railway stations, airport and scenic sites you want! You won’t need to worry about the complicated transportation and language barriers anymore and just focus on sightseeing!>>Contact us now

Approximate Taxi Fee from/to Tianjin Port

Taking a taxi from Tianjin cruise port might be the easiest transferring way, while you may get confused by the different price the taxi driver wants you to pay. The followings are the reasonable prices according to the distance for using a taxi from Tianjin Port for your reference. Since it may also change in different season, please do not hesitate to contact us for the actual price.

How to Travel from Tianjin Port (Tianjin Cruise Port) to Beijing/Tianjin

As you arrive at Tianjin Port, taking the high speed bullet train departing from Binhai railway station near Tianjin Port, you can get to Beijing city with about 1 hour. Beside, you can either head to the city center by subway and enjoy the attractions in Tianjin, or march for Tianjin Airport and multiple railway stations where you take a flight/train to Xian, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and many other provincial and scenic cities in China.

>>Tianjin Port to Tianjin Airport

>>Tianjin Port to Tianjin Railway Stations

>>Tianjin Port to the Great Wall of China

>>Tianjin Port to Tianjin Downtown

>>Travel from Tianjin to Beijing

How to Travel from Beijing to Tianjin Port (Tianjin Cruise Port)

If you come from Beijing and would like to visit Tianjin and leave for other countries by cruise ship from Tianjin Port, there are 3 ways travelling from Tianjin port, namely by air, by train and by bus, and the most recommended way to get to Tianjin Port from Beijing is taking a bullet train for it is comfortable and frequently scheduled every day.

>>Beijing Railway Stations to Tianjin and Tianjin Port

>>Beijing Airport to Tianjin and Tianjin Port 

>>Beijing Buses to Tianjin and Tianjin Port

>>Travel from Beijing to Tianjin

Tianjin Port Transportation Map (click to enlarge)

Beijing Railway Stations to Tianjin Transfer Map (click to enlarge)

How to Plan a Tianjin Beijing Tour

How to Plan a Tianjin Tour

It usually needs two or three days to cover the highlights of Tianjin. You can spend one day visiting North Jiefang Road Financial Street (the “Wall Street in the East”), Five Great Avenues (Wudadao Area), and Jingyuan Garden which is the former residence of the Last Emperor of Qing Dynasty – Puyi. Then spend another day exploring the most eye-catching building in Tianjin - Porcelain House (China House), Shi Family Courtyard, a large and well-kept civil residence with unique features of Qing Dynasty in north China, and Tianjin Ancient Culture Street, where you can enjoy the special architectural styles, take folk crafts, and taste the delicious local snacks. At night, you can try a relaxing cruise (available from April to November) trip on Haihe River to appreciate the beautiful cityscape of Tianjin. If you are a hiking lover, the ancient and steep Huangyaguan Section of the Great Wall is highly recommended to be added to your itinerary.

>>2 Days Tianjin Highlights Tour

>>3 Days Tianjin Huangyaguan Great Wall Tour

Tianjin Attractions

How to Plan Your Beijing Tour

As the capital city of China for centuries, Beijing is an internatinal metropolis with numerous historic scenic sites. You can visit the Forbidden City to witness the royal buildings of the ancient China empire, hike on the incredible Great Wall, and wander along the traditional hutongs to experience the authentic local life...all of your dreams about Beijing can be tangible in our Beijing tours.

In only 2 or 3 days, ypu can have a trip in Beijing which will cover the most popular attractions - Forbidden City, Great Wall, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Hutongs, which is available for to 144 Hours Visa-free for Transit in Beijing. If you have more time, you can go for an in-depth Great Wall hiking or photography tour, and explore more attractions in the city.

Also, you can easily travel from Beijing to any other hot travel destinations in China by flight or train, such as Xian, Shanghai, Guilin, Lhasa, Hong Kong, etc. China Discovery has designed many classic China tour packages including Beijing for you. Let us customize one for you.>> Contact Us Now

★ Recommended Beijing Tour

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Beijing Attractions