Quick Answer

For ten days and nine nights, use three bases: Beijing for three nights, Xi'an for three, and Shanghai for three. Keep the Beijing–Xi'an and Xi'an–Shanghai moves as travel days. This gives each city at least two usable sightseeing days without placing a long rail trip and a major attraction on the same afternoon. Check every train and timed attraction for your actual dates.

Route Overview

Beijing — 3 nights → Xi'an — 3 nights → Shanghai — 3 nights

This is a fast first-trip route, not a complete survey of China. It combines imperial-era sites, the Terracotta Warriors, and Shanghai neighborhoods while limiting the number of hotel changes.

The day numbers below include arrival and departure. If an international flight lands late or leaves early, treat that as lost sightseeing time rather than trying to add another stop.

Days 1–3: Beijing

Day 1 — Arrive and settle in

Keep the first day light. Check in, confirm your hotel location, set up the travel apps and payment methods you need, and eat near the hotel. Do not book a timed attraction for an international arrival day.

If you arrive early and have energy, choose a nearby walk. Leave Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City for a separate day so reservation and security arrangements do not depend on your flight.

Day 2 — Forbidden City and Jingshan

Reserve the Palace Museum through its official booking channel and follow the entry instructions for the date on your reservation. Carry the same passport used for booking.

After the museum, consider Jingshan Park if you still have time and energy. Avoid stacking the Temple of Heaven onto this day: the palace complex is large, and both sites require their own entry planning.

Day 3 — Great Wall at Mutianyu

Use this as a dedicated Great Wall day. Check the official Mutianyu visitor notice for current ticket and access details, then choose a transport option that matches your departure point and comfort with transfers. The official route page describes public-transport and tourist-line options; confirm the current service before leaving.

Do not schedule a second major attraction for the evening. Return to Beijing, collect anything needed for the next morning, and verify the station and departure time shown on your train ticket.

Day 4 — Train from Beijing to Xi'an

Treat the intercity move as the day's main activity. Search the exact date and station pair in 12306; Beijing West to Xi'an North is a common pair to check, but use the stations shown on the current result rather than relying on a saved itinerary.

After arrival, check in and have dinner near your accommodation. Do not plan the Terracotta Warriors for this afternoon. Delays, station transfers, luggage, and the onward trip to the museum can make a same-day visit fragile.

Days 5–6: Xi'an

Day 5 — Terracotta Warriors

Reserve the museum through its official ticketing channel and confirm the entry instructions for your date. Plan this as the main activity of the day, including the trip between the city and the museum. Keep the evening flexible.

Day 6 — Xi'an city day

Choose a city-center plan based on your interests and current access information. Options include the City Wall, a walk around the historic center, or a museum visit if you have secured a reservation. Check each venue's official ticket and opening information; do not assume a museum has walk-up availability or the same opening day every week.

If you would rather move at a slower pace, make one site the priority and keep the rest of the day open.

Day 7 — Train from Xi'an to Shanghai

Make this another transfer day. Search Xi'an North to Shanghai Hongqiao in 12306 for your date and compare the actual departures, arrival time, and station shown. If the available rail plan would leave you arriving too late for a comfortable evening, adjust the hotel or route rather than attaching a fixed sightseeing commitment.

After arriving, check in and rest. The Bund can wait until the next day.

Days 8–9: Shanghai

Day 8 — The Bund and the Old City

Group the Bund and the Old City/Yu Garden area into one day if the current opening and ticket arrangements fit. Check the garden's own visitor information before you go, and leave time for the neighborhood rather than treating each stop as a quick photo point.

Use official Shanghai visitor-route information as orientation, then choose the order based on your hotel, weather, and the current operating details of each attraction.

Day 9 — Choose one Shanghai focus

Pick one plan rather than trying to cross the whole city repeatedly:

  • Pudong: choose a skyline or museum visit and check its official admission arrangements.
  • Former French Concession and central neighborhoods: build a walk around a compact area, with breaks.
  • Suzhou or Hangzhou day trip: replace the city plan, do not add it on top. Search the exact date in 12306, include the trip to and from the station, and check attraction reservations before committing.

A day trip is optional; the three-city route already includes two long-distance rail transfers.

Day 10 — Departure

Keep the final day simple. Check whether your flight leaves from Pudong or Hongqiao and use the Shanghai Airport Authority's current transport information to plan the transfer from your actual hotel. Allow a buffer for traffic, security, and international check-in. Avoid a timed attraction before departure.

Where to Stay

Choose accommodation for location and confirmed check-in arrangements rather than an unsourced price tier.

  • Beijing: prioritize a convenient metro connection and a manageable route to the Forbidden City day and your departure station.
  • Xi'an: stay near the historic center or another area that makes your chosen city-day plan practical.
  • Shanghai: choose a location with useful metro access and check the route to Hongqiao station or your departure airport.

Before booking, verify the exact property, room, cancellation terms, and that it can check in guests using your passport. See How to Book Hotels in China and Hotel Check-in in China for Foreigners.

What to Check Before You Go

  • Search each intercity leg in 12306 for the actual travel date and note the exact station names.
  • Keep your original passport, which must match the ticket identity information.
  • Reserve the Palace Museum and Terracotta Warriors through their official ticket channels.
  • Check the current Mutianyu visitor notice and transport route.
  • Recheck museum opening days, temporary closures, and entry requirements.
  • Save hotel addresses, tickets, and onward-transfer details for offline access.
  • Leave travel days open instead of booking non-refundable activities immediately after arrival.

For passport, payment, change, and refund steps, use How to Buy China Train Tickets as a Foreigner.

Common Mistakes

Visiting the Terracotta Warriors on the Beijing–Xi'an arrival day

The station arrival, hotel check-in, and onward trip to the museum create too many dependencies. Put the museum on a separate day.

Treating every train time or station as permanent

Schedules, availability, fares, and station assignments are date-specific. Use the current 12306 result for each leg.

Using an old budget or hotel-price estimate

Prices depend on travel dates, room type, availability, and cancellation terms. Build your own trip budget from current quotes rather than copying an unsourced total from an itinerary.

Trying to fit a day trip into the route without replacing anything

Suzhou or Hangzhou can be a separate choice from a full Shanghai day. If you add a day trip without removing another activity or extending the stay, the plan becomes less realistic.

  • 7 Days in China — a shorter Beijing and Shanghai route.
  • 14 Days in China — more time for Chengdu and a slower pace.
  • How to Buy China Train Tickets as a Foreigner — check passport and booking details for both long rail legs.

Sources & Verification

All factual claims in this guide are verified against the primary sources listed below. Official Chinese government sources take priority.

Read next

First Trip 7 Days in China

A compact one-week Beijing and Shanghai route with a protected intercity transfer day and date-specific attraction and train checks.

 First Trip 14 Days in China

A two-week Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, and Shanghai itinerary with separate intercity travel days and date-specific ticket checks.

 Transport How to Buy China Train Tickets as a Foreigner

Choose a purchase channel, use your passport details exactly, check both station names, and distinguish ordinary sales from the official Beijing–Shanghai advance-reservation pilot. Station arrival and boarding are covered separately.