A fuller 14-day first-timer route: Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Shanghai, plus Hangzhou or Suzhou. Adds pandas and Sichuan food at a balanced pace.
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Beijing
4 planned days
HSR · 4.5-6 h
Xi'an
2 planned days
HSR · 3-4 h
Chengdu
3 planned days
Flight · 2.5-3 h
Shanghai
3 planned days
HSR · 30-60 min
Hangzhou or Suzhou
2 planned days
Duration14 days
Pacebalanced
Starts / EndsBeijing → Shanghai
Themes
classichistoryfoodculturelocal
Build the day from modules
Modules used in this itinerary
day tripFull day (9-11 hours door-to-door)heavy
Terracotta Warriors & Huaqing Palace Day Trip
The Terracotta Warriors and Huaqing Palace share the Lintong corridor east of Xi'an, so pairing them avoids a second long round trip. The catch is stamina: this is a nine-to-eleven hour door-to-door day with heavy walking, best for fit travelers. Families with young children or anyone with limited mobility should split it into two half-days instead. Confirm your Terracotta ticket tier at purchase so a same-day combo does not assume one ticket covers everything, and book the optional 长恨歌 evening show well ahead.
Terracotta Army
Huaqing Palace
eveningHalf evening (2.5-3.5 hours)light
Bell Tower, Drum Tower & Muslim Quarter Evening
This is Xi'an's classic evening: the two illuminated Ming towers at the city's heart, then straight into the Muslim Quarter for dinner. It works because everything is within a few hundred flat meters and most of it is free — you only pay if you climb the towers. The main hazard is crowds, so families and elderly should favor the quieter side lanes over the packed main street. Treat the towers as exterior night views and let the food walk be the real event.
Bell Tower
Drum Tower
Muslim Quarter
half dayHalf day (4-5 hours)light
Shaanxi History Museum & Tang Pagoda Half-Day
Xi'an's two best museum experiences in one calm half-day, both centered on Tang Chang'an. Shaanxi History Museum is the headline collection but demands a hard-to-get free ticket, so it anchors the plan only if you have booked it. The Small Wild Goose Pagoda compound next door is free, quieter and pairs a Tang pagoda with the underrated Xi'an Museum. Because it is almost entirely indoors, this route doubles as a reliable bad-weather day — just remember the Tuesday closure at the pagoda compound.
Shaanxi History Museum
Small Wild Goose Pagoda
half day4-5 hours (incl. transit from city center)moderate
Panda Base Early-Morning Half Day
Arrive when the gates open at 7:30 a.m. and head straight for the adult panda villas and the sun and moon nurseries, where the bears are fed and most active between 8 and 10 a.m. By late morning most pandas are napping, so an early start is the single most important factor in a good visit. After roughly three hours among the enclosures, exit through the south or west gate and find lunch nearby. This is a half-day built entirely around beating the crowds and the pandas' own sleep schedule.
Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
Important
Chengdu has two airports (TFU Tianfu, ~60km from city; CTU Shuangliu, closer) -- verify which. The Panda Base can sell out on weekends/holidays; book morning slot in advance. Forbidden City tickets are released roughly a week ahead and walk-up tickets are generally not available. Yu Garden in Shanghai is closed on Mondays. Check the [holiday calendar](/start-here/holiday-calendar/) before traveling during peak periods.
Day-by-day plan
Days 1-4
Beijing
Imperial history with breathing room
Keep one flexible day for the Great Wall, museums, or a deeper hutong/neighborhood route. Book the Forbidden City in advance (tickets released roughly a week ahead).
Forbidden City / 故宫 (book in advance when tickets are released)Great Wall / 长城Summer Palace / 颐和园
Days 5-6
Xi'an
-- Transfer to Xi'an · HSR, 4.5-6 hours — G-trains on Beijing-Xi'an HSR. Check the official 12306 release calendar for your travel date and book promptly for peak periods.
Ancient capital and northwest food
Use Xi'an as the history bridge between Beijing and the southwest.
Terracotta Army / 兵马俑Xi'an City Wall / 西安城墙Tang culture context / 唐文化
Days 7-9
Chengdu
-- Transfer to Chengdu · HSR, 3-4 hours — Xi'an-Chengdu HSR crosses the Qinling Mountains through tunnels; scenic route. Direct G-trains take ~3-4 hours; door-to-door ~4.5-5.5 hours including station transfers.
Sichuan food, pandas, and slow city life
Add Chengdu when the traveler wants food and local rhythm, not just landmarks. Book panda base tickets in advance and arrive by 7:30-8:00 AM for best panda viewing. Chengdu has TWO airports (TFU and CTU) -- verify which.
Panda base / 熊猫基地 (book AM slot, arrive early)People's Park teahouse / 人民公园茶馆Sichuan food route / 川菜路线
Days 10-12
Shanghai
-- Transfer to Shanghai · Flight recommended, 2.5-3 hours flight / 10-12 hours HSR — Long distance; flight is strongly recommended over HSR (~2.5-3 hrs flight, ~5-6 hrs door-to-door; HSR takes 10-12 hrs). Chengdu has two airports (TFU Tianfu ~60km from center, CTU Shuangliu closer) -- verify which.
Modern China and neighborhood walking
Use Shanghai as a contrast to northern and western history.
The Bund / 外滩Former French Concession / 衡复风貌区Local shops and food / 本地店铺与美食
Days 13-14
Hangzhou or Suzhou
-- Transfer to Hangzhou or Suzhou · HSR, 30 min (Suzhou) / 1 hour (Hangzhou) — Frequent trains from Shanghai Hongqiao. Suzhou ~25-35 min; Hangzhou ~45-60 min. Door-to-door ~1.5-2 hours.
Soft landing before departure
End with gardens, lake, tea, or canal scenery instead of another intense city.
West Lake / 西湖Suzhou gardens / 苏州园林Tea or canal route / 茶或运河路线
What to book ahead
These route-specific items may sell out. Recheck official channels before travel:
~1 week
Forbidden City (Beijing)
Walk-up tickets are generally not available. Tickets are released roughly a week ahead; book promptly after release during peak season via official WeChat mini-program. Bring passport.
1-7 days
National Museum of China (Beijing)
Free but reservation required (released 1-7 days ahead). Closed most Mondays except national holidays. Passport required.
3-5 days
Terracotta Army (Xi'an)
Book via official WeChat or on-site (longer queues). Entry approximately ¥120; verify current price.
5-7 days
Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
Book morning slot in advance; arrive by 7:30-8:00 AM for best panda viewing (pandas are most active during early morning feeding). Entry approximately ¥55; verify current price.
Check operators
Intercity HSR and flight tickets
Check the official 12306 release calendar for rail and the airline's current inventory for the Chengdu-Shanghai flight.
G-trains on Beijing-Xi'an HSR. Check the official 12306 release calendar for your travel date and book promptly for peak periods.
Xi'an → ChengduHSR · 3-4 hours
Door-to-door: 4.5-5.5 hours
Xi'an-Chengdu HSR crosses the Qinling Mountains through tunnels; scenic route. Direct G-trains take ~3-4 hours; door-to-door ~4.5-5.5 hours including station transfers.
Long distance; flight is strongly recommended over HSR (~2.5-3 hrs flight, ~5-6 hrs door-to-door; HSR takes 10-12 hrs). Chengdu has two airports (TFU Tianfu ~60km from center, CTU Shuangliu closer) -- verify which.
Shanghai → Hangzhou or SuzhouHSR · 30 min (Suzhou) / 1 hour (Hangzhou)
Door-to-door: 1.5-2 hours
Frequent trains from Shanghai Hongqiao. Suzhou ~25-35 min; Hangzhou ~45-60 min. Door-to-door ~1.5-2 hours.
If you have fewer days
This is a 14-day route. If you have less time, remove one stop rather than compressing every day. Compare the route index for a plan designed around your actual trip length.
Route shape
Use this route when the traveler wants a fuller first trip and can handle one longer intercity jump.
With 14 days you have room to consider a nature add-on if you are willing to adjust:
Chongqing (add 1-2 days after Chengdu, 1-2 hrs by HSR): Mountain city, hotpot, Yangtze cableway.
Zhangjiajie (add 2-3 days): Avatar mountains, intense nature. Requires a flight or long train ride; best as a substitute for one of the later stops rather than an add-on.
Guilin & Yangshuo (add 2-4 days): Karst landscape, Li River cruise, cycling. Best reached by flight or via Guangzhou.
Nature routes require dropping or shortening another stop.
Planning note
This route should keep one flexible day for jet lag, rail timing, or weather.
