The golden triangle of a first China trip: imperial Beijing, ancient Xi'an and its Terracotta Army, then bullet-train east to Shanghai's skyline. History, food and future in ten days.
Route
Estimated budget per person, excluding international flights. Actual costs may vary.
Morning
Land, Airport Express to Dongcheng, check in.
Afternoon
Hutong wander: Nanluoguxiang, Drum & Bell Towers.
Evening
Peking duck dinner; early night.
Food: Peking duck (¥100–160/person)
Transport: Airport Express ¥25 + metro
Est. cost: $90–160
Sort out Alipay + eSIM on day one; everything else is easy after that.
Morning
Tiananmen Square + Forbidden City (book 7 days ahead).
Afternoon
Jingshan Park panorama; Qianmen street snacks.
Evening
Zhajiangmian dinner, lakeside stroll at Houhai.
Food: Zhajiangmian (¥25)
Transport: Metro Lines 1/8
Est. cost: $15–30
Enter the palace at 8:30am sharp — afternoon tour groups triple the crowds.
Morning
7:30am departure to Mutianyu; cable car up.
Afternoon
Towers 14–20, toboggan down, farm lunch, back by 4pm.
Evening
Ghost Street lamb skewers.
Food: Skewers + beer (¥80)
Transport: Private driver ¥400–600/car
Est. cost: $70–120
UNESCO stairs have no mercy in sandals.
Morning
Temple of Heaven at 8am with the dancing locals.
Afternoon
Summer Palace: Long Corridor and lake views (or Lama Temple + 798 Art District).
Evening
Pack; early night before the train.
Food: Imperial snacks (¥30)
Transport: Metro Lines 5/4
Est. cost: $20–35
Summer Palace needs 3+ hours — don't squeeze it after lunch.
Morning
G-train Beijing West → Xi'an North (4.5 h, ¥515).
Afternoon
Check in near the South Gate; walk the City Wall at sunset.
Evening
First Muslim Quarter food crawl.
Food: Roujiamo + biangbiang noodles (¥50)
Transport: Metro from Xi'an North (Line 2/4)
Est. cost: $95–140
Sit on the right side (F seats) for riverside scenery most of the way.
Morning
8:30am at the pits (bus 306 or driver); do Pit 3 → 1 → 2.
Afternoon
Huaqing Palace hot springs en route back.
Evening
Big Wild Goose Pagoda northern-square fountain show.
Food: Yangrou paomo (¥45)
Transport: Bus 306 ¥8 or tour
Est. cost: $35–60
Audio guide is worth it — the First Emperor's story is the best part.
Morning
Shaanxi History Museum (book ahead) or Great Mosque.
Afternoon
G-train Xi'an North → Shanghai Hongqiao (6–7 h, ¥660).
Evening
Check in; Nanjing Road night walk if energy remains.
Food: Train bento + Shanghai soup dumplings (¥70)
Transport: Metro + G-train
Est. cost: $110–150
The long train is a feature: catch up on sleep and podcasts.
Morning
Yu Garden early, before the bazaar fills.
Afternoon
Nanjing Road → the Bund; ¥2 river ferry round trip.
Evening
Bund skyline at full illumination; xiaolongbao dinner.
Food: Xiaolongbao (¥40)
Transport: Metro Line 10/2
Est. cost: $15–25
Ferry > sightseeing tunnel. Always.
Morning
French Concession by bike: Wukang, Anfu, Fuxing roads.
Afternoon
Tianzifang + coffee, Shanghai Tower deck at dusk.
Evening
Farewell Shanghainese dinner (Dongpo pork!); optional jazz bar at the Fairmont.
Food: Shanghainese dinner (¥100)
Transport: Shared bikes + metro
Est. cost: $40–80
Book the 5pm tower slot: daylight, sunset and neon in one visit.
Morning
Slow breakfast, last museum hour or souvenir sprint.
Afternoon
Maglev to PVG; fly home with a full camera roll.
Evening
—
Food: Breakfast (¥30)
Transport: Maglev ¥50 + airport
Est. cost: $10–20
Customs at PVG can be slow — arrive 3 hours before an international flight.
Recommended
Reserve bullet-train seats with an English interface — much easier than the official 12306 app for first-time visitors.
Book Train TicketsRecommended
English-guided tours for the Great Wall, Terracotta Army and more — reserve now, pay later, free cancellation.
Browse China ToursFor Beijing + Xi'an + Shanghai — yes, comfortably. Resist adding more cities: China is bigger than it looks and this pace already moves.
Mid-April–May or mid-September–October: best weather in all three cities and shoulder-season crowds.
About $1,900/person mid-range including hotels, food, entries and trains — excluding international flights. Backpackers: $950.