Checked on 30 October 2026.
These routes use the cities we cover and the fastest sensible link between each pair. Train times are for the fastest direct services on recent 12306 timetables; flight times are scheduled time in the air. Timetables change, so check the times for your date on 12306 or an airline site before you book.
How many days in China
Seven days is the minimum for a first trip to three cities, and 10 days is a more comfortable length. Fourteen days is enough for five places without rushing. A good rule is one city for every 2–3 nights.
Count travel days honestly. A four-hour train takes half a day once you add the trip to the station and the security and ID checks, and you lose most of a day to any flight. Keep your first day light for jet lag.
7-day China itinerary
Beijing, 3 nights. The Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Great Wall at Mutianyu and an evening in the hutongs. See Beijing.
Train to Xi’an. Beijing West to Xi’an North, about 4 hours 10 minutes on the fastest trains, with about 32 a day.
Xi’an, 2 nights. The Terracotta Army on one day, the city wall and the Muslim Quarter on the other. See Xi’an.
Xi’an to Shanghai. The fastest train takes about 5 hours 40 minutes, but most take 6 hours or more. A flight is about 2 hours 10 minutes to Pudong, with about 11 a day.
Shanghai, 2 nights. The Bund, Yu Garden and the former French Concession. See Shanghai.
10-day China itinerary
Beijing 3 nights, Xi’an 2, Chengdu 2, Shanghai 3.
- Xi’an North to Chengdu East: about 3 hours, with about 80 trains a day.
- Chengdu: the Panda Base early on your first morning, then the People’s Park teahouse and Kuanzhai Alley.
- Chengdu to Shanghai: fly, about 2 hours 45 minutes from Tianfu to Pudong. The fastest train takes about 10.5 hours.
- Shanghai: use the third night for a day trip to Suzhou, from about 25 minutes by train, or Hangzhou, from about 45 minutes.
With Guilin instead. Beijing 3 nights and Xi’an 2, then fly to Guilin, about 2 hours with about three flights a day. Spend 3 nights between Guilin and Yangshuo for the Li River. Then take the direct train from Guilin West to Hong Kong West Kowloon, about 3 hours, with about three a day, for 2 nights in Hong Kong.
14-day China itinerary
Beijing 3 nights, Xi’an 2, Chengdu 2, Zhangjiajie 3, Shanghai 3.
- Chengdu East to Zhangjiajie West: about 4 hours on the fastest train and 4 hours 40 minutes to 5.5 hours on most, with about seven a day.
- Zhangjiajie: two days in the forest park and one for Tianmen Mountain or the Glass Bridge.
- Zhangjiajie to Shanghai: fly, about 2 hours to Pudong. There is only about one nonstop a day, so book it early.
- Shanghai: stay a night in Hangzhou on the way out if you prefer a slower finish.
South China variant. Beijing 3 nights, Xi’an 2, Chengdu 3, then fly to Guilin, about 1 hour 40 minutes from Tianfu, or take the train, about 5–7.5 hours. Spend 3 nights in Guilin and Yangshuo, then take the train to Hong Kong for 2 nights and fly home from there.
Fly in and out of different cities
Book a multi-city ticket: into Beijing and out of Shanghai or Hong Kong, or the reverse. Every route above runs in one direction, so you never pay twice for the same leg, and Beijing to Shanghai alone is about 4 hours 20 minutes by train. Compare the multi-city fare with a return before you decide.
As a rule, take the train for legs of up to about 5 hours: Beijing to Xi’an, Xi’an to Chengdu, Beijing to Shanghai, Chengdu to Chongqing and Guilin to Hong Kong. Fly Chengdu to Shanghai, Xi’an to Guilin and Zhangjiajie to Shanghai. Our high-speed trains guide covers booking with a passport.
Two weeks for second-timers
If you have seen Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai, the southwest makes a good second trip with only two short flights:
- Chengdu, 3 nights. Add the Leshan Giant Buddha or a slow day of tea and food.
- Chongqing, 2 nights. From about 1 hour by train, with more than 100 trains a day.
- Kunming, 1 night. Fly from Chongqing, about 1 hour 40 minutes.
- Dali, 2 nights. About 2–2.5 hours by train, with more than 100 a day.
- Lijiang, 3 nights. About 1.5–2.5 hours further by train, with about 13 a day.
- Shangri-La, 2 nights. About 1 hour 10 minutes to 1.5 hours by train, to a town above 3,000 meters, so take the first day slowly. Fly back to Kunming, about 1 hour 10 minutes, for your flight home.
Tibet and Xinjiang each need 7–10 days on their own, and Tibet requires a permit and a licensed guide.
Visas, tickets and timing
Check which entry rule fits your route in visa-free entry. The 30-day visa-free stay covers every route here, but for most countries it currently ends on December 31, 2026. Americans using the 240-hour transit rule are limited to 10 days, must leave for a third country or region, and need every city on the route to be in the permitted areas.
Train tickets go on sale 15 days before departure, so book each leg as soon as its date opens, and avoid Chinese holidays (see best time to visit China). Set up Alipay before you go with paying in China, and your maps and translation apps with apps and internet. If you would rather hand over the bookings, see our services or plan a trip with us.
