China's Three Great Cities
Xi'an, Beijing and Shanghai in nine days, by high-speed train
China's best-known sights are spread over a very large country, and the high-speed rail network is what makes a short trip workable. This route starts in Xi'an, with the Terracotta Army and the old city wall, moves by train to Beijing for the Forbidden City and a day on a restored section of the Great Wall, and ends in Shanghai, where the pace changes completely. A private guide and driver meet you in each city; the train legs are the only stretches you travel on your own.
This is a starting-point itinerary — we adapt every detail to your travel dates, interests, pace, and group. Speak to our concierge to begin.
Indicative price
from €250 per person per day
For 2 travellers sharing a room, from published entry-level hotel rates and ground costs read on 10 October 2026. How we calculate it
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Marco Setti
East Asia Specialist
Your specialist
“Culture trips in Asia work best when the pace allows you to actually absorb a place. I design them with breathing room built in.”
Speak with MarcoIncluded
- 8 nights' accommodation in one of the hotels named in each city
- A private English-speaking guide and driver on four sightseeing days
- High-speed train tickets between Xi'an, Beijing and Shanghai
- A named Excurze concierge before and during the trip
Each stage has two or three hotels we know well. We propose the one that fits your dates and budget, and swap it if you prefer another.
Xi'an2 nights
Heritage
Sofitel Legend People's Grand Hotel Xi'an
City centre
A hotel in a landmark building from the 1950s, close to the old city.
Luxury
The Ritz-Carlton, Xi'an
City centre
A large international luxury hotel in the centre.
Boutique
W Xi'an
High-tech zone
A design-led hotel, newer and more informal in style.
Beijing3 nights
Luxury
The Peninsula Beijing
Wangfujing
A central hotel a short walk from the Forbidden City.
Luxury
Rosewood Beijing
Chaoyang
A modern luxury hotel in the Chaoyang business district.
Shanghai3 nights
Heritage
Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund
The Bund
Housed in the former Shanghai Club building, on the waterfront.
Boutique
Capella Shanghai, Jian Ye Li
Former French Concession
A small luxury hotel built within restored lane houses.
Luxury
The Peninsula Shanghai
The Bund
A classic luxury hotel at the northern end of the Bund.
Xi'an
Arrive in Xi'an
Private transfer to the hotel
Evening walk in the Muslim Quarter, where the street food is
Sleep: Xi'an (2 nights)
Xi'an
The Terracotta Army
Early start at the Terracotta Army, before the tour groups
The Xi'an city wall in the late afternoon, which you can cycle along
Sleep: Xi'an
Xi'an, Beijing
Xi'an to Beijing
Morning at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda or the Shaanxi History Museum
High-speed train to Beijing in the afternoon
Dinner of Peking duck
Sleep: Beijing (3 nights)
Beijing
The Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven
The Forbidden City with a private guide
Jingshan Park for the view back over the palace roofs
The Temple of Heaven, where locals gather in the afternoon
Sleep: Beijing
Beijing
The Great Wall at Mutianyu
Drive to Mutianyu, about 90 minutes from the city, for a quieter section of the wall
Walk the wall; a cable car and a toboggan run are options for the descent
Evening in the hutongs
Sleep: Beijing
Beijing, Shanghai
Beijing to Shanghai
Morning at the Summer Palace or free time
High-speed train to Shanghai, about four and a half hours
The Bund lit up at night
Sleep: Shanghai (3 nights)
Shanghai
Old and new Shanghai
Yu Garden and the old town
The former French Concession on foot
Views from Pudong's towers in the evening
Sleep: Shanghai
Shanghai
A water town, or a free day
Half-day to the canal town of Zhujiajiao, or museums and shopping in the city
Farewell dinner
Sleep: Shanghai
Shanghai
Departure
Transfer to the airport
Add Chengdu and the pandas
Two nights in Sichuan between Xi'an and Beijing, by train or a short flight.
A night on the Great Wall
Stay at a lodge near a wild section of the wall instead of returning to Beijing.
Hangzhou and West Lake
A day trip from Shanghai by a train of under an hour.
Hutong cycling and a cooking class
A half-day on bicycles in the old lanes, with a lunch cooked with a local family.
Best time to go
April to May, and September to October
Mild, dry weather in all three cities, and clear air for the Great Wall. Early October brings the Golden Week national holiday, when the main sights are very crowded; book well ahead or avoid its first week.
Less suited: July and August (hot, humid and busy with domestic travellers) and the national holiday week in early October
from €250 per person per day
This is an indication, not a quote. It adds up the lowest published entry-level rates we found for the hotel we priced at each stage, plus the cost of a private guide and car, divides by 2 travellers and 9 days, and rounds up to the next €50. Peak-season rates, larger rooms and the other hotels named above will change it. Your quote will be built on your dates.
| Item | Rate | In euros |
|---|---|---|
Xi'an, 2 nights at Sofitel Legend People's Grand Hotel Trip.com, Xi'an luxury hotels | 197 USD × 2 | €352 |
Beijing, 3 nights at The Peninsula Beijing (rate with taxes, November) Expedia, The Peninsula Beijing | 383 USD × 3 | €1,025 |
Shanghai, 3 nights at Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund (from, per night) Shanghai Tourism, luxury hotels guide | 3,500 CNY × 3 | €1,400 |
Private English-speaking guide and driver, 4 days (Xi'an 1, Beijing 2, Shanghai 1); the rate is quoted for Xi'an, at the top of its range MyChina.guide, Xi'an guide and driver | 1,500 CNY × 4 | €800 |
High-speed train, Xi'an to Beijing, second class (top of the published range), per person Travel China Guide, Beijing to Xi'an high-speed train | 593 CNY × 2 | €158 |
High-speed train, Beijing to Shanghai, second class (top of the published range), per person Travel China Guide, Beijing to Shanghai high-speed train | 697 CNY × 2 | €186 |
| Total for 2 travellers | €3,921 | |
| Per person per day (€3,921 ÷ 2 ÷ 9), rounded up to €50 | €250 | |
The figure covers
- 8 nights at one of the hotels named in each city (Sofitel Legend, The Peninsula Beijing and the Waldorf Astoria are the ones priced; Capella Shanghai starts at around US$850 a night and would raise the figure)
- A private guide and driver for four sightseeing days
- Second-class high-speed train tickets between the cities
Not included
- International flights and the airport transfers
- Entrance fees (the Terracotta Army ticket is about 120 yuan) and meals not included in the hotel rate
- Chinese visa or transit arrangements, the optional modules and tips
Converted at the European Central Bank reference rates of 9 October 2026. Hotel rates come from third-party booking and guide sites and change with dates and availability; each line links to the page we read.
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