China Essentials
Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai linked by high-speed rail: the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Terracotta Army and the Bund.
The short answer
China Essentials is an eight-day private or small-group trip that links Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai by high-speed rail, with no internal flights. You start with three nights in Beijing for the Mutianyu Great Wall and the Forbidden City, take the 4h30 train to Xi'an for the Terracotta Army, then continue by rail to Shanghai for the Bund. All intercity trains, four-star hotels, breakfast and English-speaking guides are included. Departures run year round, and the trip suits a first visit of about ten days away from work.
- Eight days, three cities, three high-speed rail legs — Beijing–Xi'an in 4h30 and Xi'an–Shanghai in 6h
- The Mutianyu Great Wall and the Terracotta Army are both included, not sold as optional extras
- Fly into Beijing, home from Shanghai, so the route never doubles back
- Four-star hotels, each within a ten-minute walk of a metro station
- Fits inside two weeks of UK annual leave once travel days are counted
Day by day
-
Day 1 · Beijing
Arrival in Beijing
Meet your guide at Beijing Capital or Daxing and transfer by private car to a four-star hotel near Wangfujing. The rest of the day is free; your guide leaves a SIM card and a printed plan for the week. Most flights from LHR land in the late morning, so an easy afternoon walk around the hutong lanes is realistic.
-
Day 2 · Beijing
Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City
Walk through Tiananmen Square, then spend three hours inside the Forbidden City, with its 980 buildings across 72 hectares. After lunch the route climbs Jingshan Park for the view back over the palace roofs, then drops into the lanes of Nanluoguxiang. Door-to-door this is a 7 km (4.3 miles) walking day.
-
Day 3 · Beijing
Mutianyu Great Wall
A 70 km (43 miles) drive northeast to the Mutianyu section, which carries far fewer visitors than Badaling. Ride the cable car up, walk the 2.4 km (1.5 miles) of restored wall between towers 14 and 20, and take the toboggan down if the weather allows. Return to the city for dinner and an early night.
-
Day 4 · Beijing
Temple of Heaven, then rail to Xi'an
A morning at the Temple of Heaven, where locals practise taiji from about 07:00, before a transfer to Beijing West. The high-speed train to Xi'an North takes 4h30 and runs at up to 300 km/h (186 mph); second-class seats are included. Arrive in Xi'an in the evening and walk the Muslim Quarter food street for dinner.
-
Day 5 · Xi'an
The Terracotta Army and the city wall
Leave early for the Terracotta Army, 40 km (25 miles) east of the city, and reach Pit 1 before the 10:00 coach wave. Pit 1 holds around 6,000 figures, all facing east. Back in Xi'an, walk or cycle the 13.7 km (8.5 miles) Ming city wall, which takes about 90 minutes by bike, then eat in the old town.
-
Day 6 · Xi'an to Shanghai
High-speed rail to Shanghai
A leisurely morning for the Big Wild Goose Pagoda or the Shaanxi History Museum, then the 6h high-speed service from Xi'an North to Shanghai Hongqiao. Settle into a hotel near the Bund or People's Square. Arrival is early evening, in time for the riverside lights.
-
Day 7 · Shanghai
The Bund and the old town
Walk the 1.5 km (0.9 miles) riverside promenade of the Bund, then cross into the Yu Garden and the old town lanes. After lunch, ride the metro to the Pudong side for the view back across the Huangpu. In the evening the Bund is at its best about 30 minutes after sunset, when the tower lights come on.
-
Day 8 · Shanghai
Departure
A free morning for last shopping on Nanjing Road, then a private transfer to Pudong or Hongqiao for the flight home. Direct services to LHR and MAN leave in the late morning and early afternoon, so the timing works without an overnight wait at the airport.
What stands out
Mutianyu Great Wall
2.4 km (1.5 miles) of restored wall with a cable car up and a toboggan down, and a fraction of the crowds at Badaling.
The Forbidden City
980 surviving buildings across 72 hectares, entered through the Meridian Gate and best tackled in the morning.
The Terracotta Army
Three pits of figures buried around 210 BC; arrive before 10:00 to see Pit 1 ahead of the day-trip coaches.
Xi'an city wall
A 13.7 km (8.5 miles) Ming loop you can cycle in about 90 minutes, with the old town spread out below.
Beijing to Xi'an by rail
4h30 at up to 300 km/h (186 mph) — the journey that makes this route possible without a flight.
Practical
| High-speed rail legs | Beijing–Xi'an 4h30, Xi'an–Shanghai 6h, Beijing–Shanghai direct 4h30 |
|---|---|
| Best months | April–May and September–October |
| Internal flights | None required |
| Walking per day | 6–10 km (4–6 miles) on city days |
| Hotels | Four-star, city centre |
| Group size | 2–12 travellers |
| Trip length | 8 days / 7 nights |
| Flights from the UK | LHR to Beijing and Shanghai to LHR, both direct |
What's included
- Seven nights in four-star hotels, twin share (single supplement available)
- Daily breakfast and four dinners
- All intercity high-speed rail tickets, second class
- Private airport and station transfers
- English-speaking local guide in each city
- Entrance fees for every site listed in the itinerary
- Mutianyu cable car and city-wall bike hire
- 24-hour support line in the UK and in China
Not included
- International flights to and from China
- Chinese visa, only if your stay needs one (UK passports are visa-free for up to 30 days until 31 December 2026)
- Travel insurance
- Lunches, and dinners not listed in the itinerary
- Personal spending and drinks
- Tips for guides and drivers