North & East China · 8 days
Beijing, Xi’an & Shanghai: The 8-Day Classic China Route
The single most requested China route, and the right first multi-city trip. Three cities, two high-speed rail journeys, and the three sights that decide whether a first visit lands: the Forbidden City, the Terracotta Army and the Bund.
The route
What this trip actually feels like
- The Forbidden City at opening, with the Forbidden City and the Jingshan viewpoint
- The Terracotta Warriors with the booking strategy that actually gets you in
- Xi’an’s city wall and the Muslim Quarter in the evening
- The Bund at dawn, and the high-speed rail that links all three cities
Best for
- First-time visitors who want the three cities that matter
- Anyone with exactly a week
- Travellers who prefer rail over domestic flights
Along the way
The places this route passes through
Day by day
The plan, as it would actually run
Arrive Beijing, the axis and the park above it
Arrive at Peking International (PEK) or Daxing (PKX) and transfer into the centre. Keep the afternoon light and walk the length of the imperial axis — Tiananmen Square, the Meridian Gate, the Jingshan Hill viewpoint. The view down onto the Forbidden City roofline from the top of Jingshan is the best orientation you will get, and it takes five minutes of climbing.
- Morning
- Airport arrival and transfer
- Afternoon
- Tiananmen Square and the Jingshan Hill viewpoint
- Evening
- First dinner — Peking duck
- Meals
- Dinner included
Night 1 Rosewood Beijing
Note. Buy the Forbidden City ticket now, before you arrive. It sells out days ahead and the slot system is strict.
The Forbidden City, then the hutongs
Enter through the Meridian Gate at opening and walk north against the flow, so the ceremonial halls are nearly empty for the first ninety minutes. Exit through the Imperial Garden and continue to the Shikumen lanes and the Drum Tower. A private guide for the old city makes a real difference — the lanes are easy to get lost in, and the workshops worth seeing are the ones working by hand.
- Morning
- The Forbidden City, north to south
- Afternoon
- The Imperial Garden and the old city hutongs
- Evening
- Dinner in a courtyard restaurant
- Meals
- Breakfast included
Night 2 Rosewood Beijing
Note. Timed entry is mandatory and sells out. Book two to three days ahead and arrive fifteen minutes before your slot.
The Great Wall at Jinshanling
Drive east to Jinshanling, about 70 minutes from the city. Take the cable car up and walk the towers westward for two to three hours — the original Ming stonework is visible here in a way it is not at Badaling. Back in the city by early evening for the Temple of Heaven at dusk, when the locals are practicing tai chi under the cypress trees.
- Morning
- Drive to Jinshanling, cable car and the wall
- Afternoon
- Return to the city
- Evening
- Temple of Heaven at dusk
- Meals
- Breakfast included
Night 3 Rosewood Beijing
Note. A private car with a fixed return time is far more reliable than public transport for a full day here.
High-speed rail to Xi’an, the city wall
Take the morning bullet train from Beijing West to Xi’an North, arriving in the early afternoon. Check in near the Bell Tower and walk the Ming city wall — 14 kilometres of rampart around the old city, and the best single view of Xi’an. The wall is about two hours at a steady walk, and the bike ride on top of it is a better use of the light.
- Morning
- High-speed rail to Xi’an, check in
- Afternoon
- The Ming city wall
- Evening
- Muslim Quarter street food
- Meals
- Breakfast included
Night 4 Sofitel Beijing Central
Note. The Tang West Market food district is a better bet for dinner than the Muslim Quarter if you want a seat rather than a stall.
The Terracotta Army
The Terracotta Warriors are 40 kilometres east of Xi’an and need a half day. Go at opening, and take a guide with an archaeology background rather than a flag-and-pointer one. The pits are numbered and there are more of them than most visitors realise — Pit 1 is the famous one, Pit 3 is the best preserved, and the Bronze Chariots in Pit 2 are extraordinary and usually missed.
- Morning
- The Terracotta Army, Pit 1 and Pit 3
- Afternoon
- The Bronze Chariot Hall and the museum
- Evening
- Return to Xi’an, free evening
- Meals
- Breakfast included
Night 5 Sofitel Beijing Central
Note. Book the official museum ticket online. It includes the shuttle bus from the city, which saves an hour of the day.
Rail to Shanghai, the Bund at dusk
The morning train from Xi’an North to Shanghai Hongqiao takes about seven hours. Check in and go straight out. The Bund is best in the evening: the colonial buildings lit against the Pudong skyline, with the Huangpu in between. Walk west along the promenade afterwards, through the old financial district as it fills up.
- Morning
- High-speed rail to Shanghai
- Afternoon
- Check in, the French Concession
- Evening
- The Bund promenade at dusk
- Meals
- Breakfast included · Dinner included
Night 6 Aman Yangyun
Note. The maglev from Pudong to Longyang Road is worth it for the speed alone if you arrive with energy and time.
Shanghai: the old city and the lanes
Yu Garden and the bazaar in the morning, then the Shikumen lanes and the old city wall. The afternoon goes to the French Concession — the plane trees, the villas and the cafés — and the Shanghai Museum or the Long Museum if the weather is poor. Finish with a dinner on a rooftop above the Bund.
- Morning
- Yu Garden and the old city
- Afternoon
- French Concession and a museum
- Evening
- Rooftop dinner above the Bund
- Meals
- Breakfast included · Dinner included
Night 7 Aman Yangyun
Note. Hire a private guide for the old city and the lanes for three hours. The workshops where the craftspeople actually work are the point.
Departure, or an overnight in a water town
A last morning by the river, then transfer to Pudong or Hongqiao for the flight. If you have an extra night, spend it in one of the water towns — Zhouzhuang, Wuzhen or Tongli are all on the rail line between Shanghai and Suzhou, and overnight is when they are at their best.
- Morning
- Free morning by the river
- Afternoon
- Transfer to the airport
- Evening
- Departure
- Meals
- Breakfast included
Note. If your flight is from Hongqiao, allow an extra hour for the airport transfer from the old city.
In pictures
Scenes from the Beijing · Xi’an · Shanghai route
Where you sleep
Handpicked stays on this route
Rosewood · Luxury
Rosewood Beijing
A courtyard compound in the middle of the embassy district, with a proper residential feel and one of the best spa programmes in the capital.
- Stay 4, pay for 3
- Daily breakfast for two
- US$100 dining credit
- Welcome card and gift on arrival
From US$1,620 per night
Valid to 2026-12-31
Sofitel · Luxury
Sofitel Beijing Central
On the edge of Wangfujing, the most convenient base for first-time visitors who want to walk to the Forbidden City, Tiananmen and the hutong lanes.
- Stay 3, pay for 2
- Daily breakfast for two
- Room upgrade
- Welcome gift on arrival
From US$100 per night
Valid to 2027-03-31
Aman · Ultra Luxury
Aman Yangyun
A relocated Ming-dynasty camphor tree and a collection of antique villas set inside a forest in Jing’an. Forty minutes from the Bund, and the most quietly spectacular hotel in Shanghai.
- Daily breakfast for each bedroom
- US$100 dining credit
- Room upgrade
- Early check-in and late checkout
From US$960 per night
Valid to 2026-12-31
Fairmont · Luxury
Fairmont Peace Hotel
The 1930s Sassoon House on the Bund, with the legendary Jazz Bar and a rooftop terrace facing the Pudong skyline. History is the selling point here, and it delivers.
- Stay 3, pay for 2
- Daily breakfast for two
- Room upgrade
- US$100 dining credit
From US$970 per night
Valid to 2026-12-31
Our verified hotel rates currently cover the Beijing and Shanghai nights on this route. Xi’an is not yet in the confirmed rate set — we arrange it through our local partner desk with the same verification standard, and confirm the exact property and benefits before booking.
Practicalities
The things to get right before departure
Visa and entry
A mainland visa is required for all three cities. Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai are all in the standard visa-on-arrival eligible list for most Western passports, with a 30-day allowance that can be extended once.
Getting between the cities
Beijing West to Xi’an North takes 4 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours 30 minutes on the fastest G-series trains, with roughly 20 departures a day in each direction. Xi’an North to Shanghai Hongqiao takes about 7 hours and runs several times daily. Book on 12306 with your passport number — the ticket is issued against the document, not the name.
Questions
Asked by travellers on this route
Is 8 days enough for Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai?
Yes, and it is the standard length for this route. Two nights in Xi’an is the minimum that works, because the Terracotta Warriors need a half day and the city deserves an evening. Eight days gives you five in Beijing, one transfer day, and two in Shanghai.
How long is the high-speed train from Beijing to Xi’an?
Between 4 hours 30 minutes and 5 hours 30 minutes on the fastest G-series services, with roughly 20 departures a day in each direction. Second class is around US$70.
Should I take the train or fly between Beijing and Xi’an?
The train. It arrives in the centre of Xi’an, takes seven hours, and the flight plus airport time is barely faster. Xi’an to Shanghai is a longer run at about seven hours, and there the choice is closer.
How do I get tickets for the Terracotta Warriors?
Book the official museum ticket online in advance. It includes the shuttle bus from the city centre, and the site limits daily numbers, so it sells out in peak season. Add a guide with an archaeology background rather than a flag-and-pointer one.
Which Shanghai hotel suits a first visit?
Stay near the Bund for the first night to see it at dawn and at dusk, then move to the Jing’an or French Concession side for the quiet. Both are within the metro network, and the difference is fifteen minutes on the train.
Is this route suitable for older travellers?
With one modification, yes. The Great Wall at Jinshanling involves uneven stone and some climbing — a private car with a driver who can meet you partway up makes it manageable. Everything else is flat, and the high-speed rail stations have lifts throughout.