China itinerary for 7 to 10 days: three sample routes and how to pace them

Choosing a route that fits your time

China is larger than most first-time visitors expect, and the main cities sit hundreds of kilometres apart. For 7 to 10 days, stay in one region and limit yourself to three cities. The table summarises three sample routes.

Route A: Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai

The classic first trip. Fly into Beijing and out of Shanghai on an open-jaw ticket from Bangkok so you never backtrack. Each city has its own guide with more detail.

• Days 1 to 3, Beijing (北京): the Forbidden City, Tiananmen, the Temple of Heaven and one Great Wall section such as Badaling or Mutianyu. Reserve timed entry through official channels.
• Days 4 to 6, Xi'an (西安): take the high-speed train to Xi'an North, then see the Terracotta Army, the ancient city wall and the Muslim Quarter.
• Days 7 to 9, Shanghai (上海): take the high-speed train or a flight from Xi'an. Walk the Bund, the Former French Concession and, if time allows, a nearby water town.
• Day 10: pack and fly home, which doubles as a buffer for anyone with the time.

Route B: Chengdu, Chongqing and optionally Zhangjiajie

• Days 1 to 3, Chengdu (成都): the giant panda research base, Kuanzhai Alley, Wenshu Monastery and Sichuan hotpot.
• Days 4 to 5, Chongqing (重庆): a short high-speed ride from Chengdu. See Hongyadong, the old town of Ciqikou and the monorail that passes through a building.
• Days 6 to 8, Zhangjiajie (张家界) if you have time: reach it from Chongqing by train or flight, then visit the national forest park and its sandstone pillars.

Route C: Guangzhou, Guilin/Yangshuo and Shenzhen or Hong Kong

• Days 1 to 2, Guangzhou (广州): dim sum, the old Xiguan district and Canton Tower.
• Days 3 to 5, Guilin (桂林) and Yangshuo (阳朔): the Li River cruise, cycling through farmland and karst peaks.
• Days 6 to 7, Shenzhen (深圳), then cross to Hong Kong, from where you can fly back to Bangkok if you wish.

Route C can end in Hong Kong, but Hong Kong has its own entry rules and networks, separate from the mainland, so check both before you commit.

Flights from Bangkok and open-jaw tickets

An open-jaw ticket means flying into one city and out of another, for example Bangkok to Beijing and Shanghai back to Bangkok. It removes a backtracking day and lets you plan the last city freely.

• Compare direct flights with connecting ones, and factor in the airport-to-city transfer time.
• Choose entry and exit cities that match the ends of your rail line, not only the cheapest flight.
• Check date-change and checked-baggage conditions with the airline before paying.

Pacing and buffer days

• Change city no more often than every two or three nights. Travel days cost more time than expected because of station transfers and security checks.
• Keep one buffer day before your flight home in case of sold-out trains, weather or illness.
• Save hotel addresses and station names in Chinese on your phone to show to taxi drivers or station staff.
• Visit big sights on weekdays where possible, and avoid China's long public holidays when crowds are heaviest.

Plan each day around one main sight and one or two extras. In Beijing, give the Great Wall its own day and the Forbidden City another, and keep an indoor museum as the rainy-day swap.

Booking trains and tickets ahead

Book high-speed rail through the official 12306 app or website, which has an English version and accepts foreign passports. Carry the same passport you booked with and arrive early for security. See the rail booking guide for the steps.

What to set up before you go

1. 1भुगतानSet up Alipay or WeChat Pay and verify your passport with a Visa or Mastercard linked. Carry some cash and a physical card as backup.
2. 2डेटाInstall a travel eSIM over Wi-Fi before departure and turn on data roaming for that line. Nobody can guarantee every app works on every network, so test before relying on it. Keep your Thai SIM on for bank SMS and OTP.
3. 3Maps and appsDownload offline maps, install Amap or Baidu Maps, Didi and 12306, and save your hotel addresses in Chinese.

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