7 Days in China: Beijing → Xi'an → Shanghai Classic Itinerary (2026)

Seven days is the standard “first-time China” itinerary. It covers China’s three most iconic cities — Beijing, Xi’an, and Shanghai — and links them with high-speed trains, the most efficient transport system in the world. The Beijing-Xi’an leg takes 4.5–5.5 hours by train; Xi’an-Shanghai takes 6–7 hours or 2 hours by flight. This itinerary assumes you fly into Beijing and out of Shanghai (the most common routing). Plan ¥6,000–10,000 ($840–1,400) per person for the week excluding international flights, or ¥9,000–16,000 ($1,260–2,240) with mid-range hotels.

Day 1: Beijing arrival + Forbidden City

Land at Beijing Capital (PEK) or Beijing Daxing (PKX). Immigration is fast (15–30 min) thanks to the dedicated 240-hour transit lanes. Pre-arrange a hotel transfer via Trip.com (¥200–400) or use the airport express subway (¥25 to downtown, 30 min).

Drop your bags at the hotel, then head to the Forbidden City (¥60 / $8.50, closed Mondays). Buy tickets online in advance. Allow 3 hours. Exit through the north gate, climb Jingshan Park (¥2) for the iconic photo, then dinner in the Wangfujing area — Peking duck at Quanjude or Da Dong (¥300–500 / $42–70 for a whole duck).

For booking platforms and lodging advice, see our Trip.com vs Booking.com comparison.

Day 2: Great Wall (Mutianyu) + Olympic Park

Full day to Mutianyu Great Wall (¥40 / $5.50 entry). Take the MuBus from Wangfujing (¥80 / $11 round-trip, departs 7:30 AM) or a DiDi (¥200–250 / $28–35 one-way). Take the cable car up (¥100 / $14), walk east to Tower 23 (the highest point, 2 km), then return for the toboggan down (¥100 / $14). Back in Beijing by 6 PM, dinner in Houhai lake area.

Day 3: Beijing landmarks + overnight train to Xi’an

Morning: Temple of Heaven (¥35 / $5, open 6 AM) — see locals doing tai chi. Then Tiananmen Square (free) and the National Museum of China (free, but book a slot in advance).

Afternoon: high-speed train from Beijing West Railway Station to Xi’an North Railway Station (G-series train, 4.5–5.5 hours, ¥623 / $87 second-class). Trains depart every 20–30 minutes from 7 AM to 7 PM. Book through Trip.com at least 3 days in advance. On the train, dinner is a boxed meal (¥40–80) or buy at the station.

Arrive Xi’an by 7–9 PM. Check into a hotel inside the City Wall (¥400–800/night).

For visa-free entry to Xi’an, see our 240-hour visa-free guide.

Day 4: Terracotta Warriors + Muslim Quarter

Morning: Terracotta Warriors (¥120 / $17, book online). Take Tour Bus 5 from Xi’an Railway Station (¥7 / $1, 1 hour) or a DiDi (¥200 / $28). Spend 2.5–3 hours at the three pits and the Bronze Chariot exhibition.

Afternoon: return to Xi’an for Shaanxi History Museum (free, book online in advance) and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda (¥50 / $7, plus the fountain show at 9 PM).

Evening: Muslim Quarter for yangrou paomo (¥40), biang biang noodles (¥20), and rou jia mo (¥10). Try Lao Sun Jia or Tong Sheng Xiang.

For a more in-depth Xi’an experience, see our 4-day Xi’an itinerary.

Day 5: Xi’an City Wall + overnight train to Shanghai

Morning: climb or bike the Xi’an City Wall (¥54 / $7.50, 13.7 km around). Rent a bike at the South Gate (¥45 / 2 hours). Then Bell Tower and Drum Tower at the city center.

Afternoon: high-speed train from Xi’an North to Shanghai Hongqiao (G-series, 6–7 hours, ¥669 / $94 second-class). Or fly — 2 hours, ¥400–800 ($56–112). Book the train 3+ days ahead; flights 2+ weeks ahead in peak season.

Arrive Shanghai by 8–10 PM. Check into a hotel near The Bund or Xintiandi.

For more Shanghai options, see our 5-day Shanghai itinerary.

Day 6: Shanghai highlights

Morning: Yu Garden (¥40 / $5.50) and the Yu Garden Bazaar for xiaolongbao at Nanxiang Xiaolongbao (since 1900, ¥30–50/st steamer). Then walk the Bund and the colonial architecture.

Afternoon: Shanghai Museum (free, book online) and the French Concession walk (Fuxing Park → Wukang Road → Anfu Road → Tianzifang).

Evening: Huangpu River night cruise (¥120–180 / $17–25, 1 hour) for the illuminated Pudong skyline. Dinner at Lost Heaven (Yunnan) or Ultraviolet (book months ahead, ¥6,000+).

Day 7: Pudong + departure

Morning: Shanghai Tower observation deck (¥180 / $25, tallest in China, 632 m). Then Zhujiajiao water town if you have time (1.5-hour metro ride, see our Shanghai itinerary for details).

Afternoon: depart from Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG). Maglev train from Longyang Road to the airport (¥50, 7 minutes, 431 km/h).

High-speed train routes and prices

Route	Duration	Second-class price	Frequency
Beijing West → Xi’an North	4.5–5.5 hours	¥623 / $87	Every 20–30 min, 6 AM–8 PM
Xi’an North → Shanghai Hongqiao	6–7 hours	¥669 / $94	Every 30 min, 7 AM–7 PM
Beijing → Shanghai	4.5–6 hours	¥553 / $78	Every 15 min, all day

Book through Trip.com (English interface, accepts foreign credit cards) or 12306.cn (Chinese interface only, more options). For full train booking advice, see our China high-speed rail guide.

Sample 7-day budget (per person, mid-range)

• Hotels: ¥1,200 × 6 nights = ¥7,200 ($1,008)
• Trains: ¥1,292 ($181)
• Entry tickets: ¥500 ($70)
• Food: ¥1,200 ($168)
• Local transport: ¥300 ($42)
• Alipay/WeChat top-up: ¥1,000 ($140)
• Total: ¥11,500 / $1,610

Budget travelers can do it for ¥5,000–7,000 ($700–980) with hostels and slower transport. Luxury travelers can do it for ¥25,000+ ($3,500+) with business-class trains and 5-star hotels.

Visa-free entry

Citizens of 47+ countries can enter China visa-free for up to 30 days (tourist visa-free agreements) or transit through Beijing/Xi’an/Shanghai for 240 hours. See our 240-hour visa-free guide and visa-free countries 2026 for eligibility.

Extending your trip

If you have more time, add:

• Day 8–9: Guilin — karst mountains, Li River cruise, 2.5-hour flight from Shanghai
• Day 8–10: Chengdu — pandas, Leshan Buddha, 2.5-hour flight from Shanghai
• Day 8–10: Zhangjiajie — Avatar mountains, 2.5-hour flight from Shanghai
• Day 8–14: Tibet (Lhasa) — requires special permit, 4-hour flight from Shanghai

For multi-city extensions, see our city guides for Beijing, Xi’an, Shanghai, and Chengdu.

Booking essentials

• 240-hour visa-free transit: confirmed eligibility before booking — see our visa guide
• Alipay setup: do this before arrival — see our Alipay guide
• High-speed train tickets: book 3+ days ahead on Trip.com
• eSIM data: see our eSIM guide so you’re online from minute one
• VPN if needed: see our VPN guide

Book this classic China route

Everything in this 7-day itinerary — Beijing, Xi’an, and Shanghai hotels, all three high-speed train legs, Forbidden City and Terracotta Warriors tickets, and the Huangpu River cruise — can be booked on these three platforms. Click through to compare prices for your dates.