The Classic Loop: Beijing → Xi'an → Shanghai

This is the route we recommend to almost everyone visiting China for the first time. It covers the imperial north, the ancient capital and the modern coast, and every leg is a high-speed train rather than a flight — which means no security queues, no baggage fees, and city-centre to city-centre travel.

Route at a glance

• Beijing (4 days) — Forbidden City, Great Wall at Mutianyu, hutongs, Temple of Heaven.
• 🚄 Beijing → Xi'an — G-train, 4.5–6 h, depart Beijing West, arrive Xi'an North.
• Xi'an (2 days) — Terracotta Army, city wall by bicycle, Muslim Quarter.
• 🚄 Xi'an → Shanghai — G-train, 6–7.5 h, arrive Shanghai Hongqiao.
• Shanghai (4 days) — The Bund, Yu Garden, French Concession, day trip to Hangzhou.

Days 1–2 · Beijing: the imperial centre

• Day 1 (arrival): land, activate your eSIM at the gate, and buy nothing at the airport kiosk. Take the Airport Express or a Didi to the hotel, then walk Wangfujing or a nearby hutong to reset your body clock.
• Day 2 morning: Forbidden City — book the timed entry slot in advance with your passport number, enter via Tiananmen, exit north into Jingshan Park for the classic rooftop view.
• Day 2 afternoon: hutongs around Nanluoguxiang and the Drum Tower. Dinner: Peking duck (Quanjude or Dadong — reserve).

Day 3 · Beijing: the Great Wall

Skip Badaling. Go to Mutianyu: restored, scenic, and a fraction of the crowds. Cable car up, toboggan down. Real-name booking with your passport is required — read the full Great Wall guide before you buy anything from a street tout.

Day 4 · Beijing → Xi'an

• Morning: Temple of Heaven park (go early, locals are doing tai chi) or the Summer Palace if you prefer gardens.
• Afternoon: G-train from Beijing West to Xi'an North (4.5–6 h). Arrive 45 minutes early — the station is airport-scale.
• Evening: check in inside the city wall if you can; most sights, the Muslim Quarter and the best noodles are all walkable from there.

Days 5–6 · Xi'an: the ancient capital

• Day 5: Terracotta Army — half a day with a guide, out at Lintong. Book a tour or take the tourist bus from the railway station; ignore anyone offering a "private car" at the gate.
• Day 5 evening: cycle the city wall at sunset (bike rental at the South Gate), then eat in the Muslim Quarter: biang-biang noodles, roujiamo, skewers.
• Day 6: Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Shaanxi History Museum (free, book ahead), then the evening train or an early morning train to Shanghai.

Days 7–10 · Shanghai: the modern coast

• Day 7: the Bund at dusk, then the riverside promenade and a Huangpu river cruise if the skyline is worth it to you (it is).
• Day 8: Yu Garden and the old town in the morning, the French Concession (Wukang Road, Tianzifang) in the afternoon.
• Day 9: day trip to Hangzhou — 1 h by train, West Lake, tea villages. This is the single best-value side trip in China.
• Day 10: Shanghai Museum or Power Station of Art, last shopping, Maglev or Didi to Pudong airport.

Book the trains

Buy on 12306 (official, passport registration) or on an English-language reseller that accepts foreign cards. Your passport is your ticket — enter the name exactly as printed.

Where to stay (2 bases + 1)

Two hotel bases do the work of four: Beijing (4 nights), Xi'an (2 nights), Shanghai (4 nights). Stay inside the Second Ring in Beijing, inside the city wall in Xi'an, and near a metro line 2/10 stop in Shanghai.

Experiences worth booking ahead

⚠ What trips people up on this route

• Real-name bookings everywhere. Trains, the Forbidden City and the Great Wall all need your passport number — book with the exact spelling on your passport.
• Two passport checks per train. Security + real-name gate. 45–60 minutes early, always.
• Data before departure. Didi, Amap and Alipay all need a connection; airport Wi-Fi needs a phone number you may not have. Sort your eSIM first.
• Payments, not cash, are the default. Set up Alipay with a foreign card at home and carry ¥200–500 as backup.
• Shoulder seasons win. March–May and September–November; avoid Golden Week (early October) and Spring Festival entirely.