Beijing and Shanghai are two important cities in China that serve as international gateways and showcase the country's rich historycultureand modernity. Here are some useful tips on how to plan your itinerary for a Beijing and Shanghai trip.
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- How Long to Stay For
- A Classic Itinerary
- Transportation Choice
- Costs
- Accommodation Choice
- Best Times to Travel
How Long to Spend in Beijing and Shanghai
Typicallya classic Beijing and Shanghai itinerary takes about 1 weekwith 4-5 days spent in Beijing and 2-3 days in Shanghai.
Beijing has richer tourist resources than Shanghaiwith more attractions to explore. There are also more opportunities to immerse yourself in the Chinese culturesuch as taking a tai chi class or learning to write Chinese calligraphy. Thereforewe recommend spending more time in Beijing.
How Long to Spend in Beijing
Beijing has many historical and cultural sites to explore. You could spend 2 to 3 days exploring the essence of Beijingsuch as the Great Wallthe Forbidden Cityand the Temple of Heaven.
If you want a more authentic experience of local life and Chinese culturesuch as watching Peking operayou can add one or two more days to your itinerary. See our 1-Day Beijing Hutong Tour (walk into a family's house in a hutong and watch a classical drum performance) and our Beijing Food Tour.
How Long to Spend in Shanghai
Shanghai's main attractions are the Bund and Yu Garden. One day is enough to explore the highlights.
If you want to learn about Shanghai's colonial history or even lesser-known storiessuch as about the Jews and Shanghaitake half a day or one day to explore the French Concession or a Jewish ghetto.
Water towns are also a feature of the area around Shanghai. If you have the timeyou could spend half a day visiting Zhujiajiao Water Town.
A Classic Beijing and Shanghai Itinerary
- Day 1: Arrival in Beijing with free time to explore
- Day 2: Visit the Forbidden City and enjoy a hutong tourwhere you can visit a local family and learn about Beijing from their perspective.
- Day 3: Go to the Temple of Heavenwhere you can join in with the local elderly people's morning activities and then visit the Great Wall.
- Day 4: Visit the Summer Palacea former royal retreatand then depart to Shanghai.
- Day 5: Explore Shanghai (a walking tour in the Bunda Huangpu River ferry tourand a visit to Yu Gardenetc.).
- Day 6: Departure (or add a half-day trip to Zhujiajiao Water Town).
If you have an extra 2 or 3 daysyou could extend your trip to nearby Hangzhou and Suzhou where you can see more exquisite garden scenery and experience the traditional water village life. You can also learn about the Chinese tea culture by visiting a tea plantation in Hangzhou to see the process of making tea. See our 5-Day Yangtze River Delta Bullet Train Tour
All our tours can be adjusted or customized based on your needs. Just contact us.
Choices of Transportation
Flying and taking high-speed trains are the two most popular ways to travel between Beijing and Shanghai. We recommend taking the bullet train which takes about 4½ to 6 hours. Taking the train is also a more convenient and flexible option.
The flight time takes about 2½ hours. Howeverthe road to the airport could be crowded. Considering the time spent in traffic jams and the waiting time at the airportthe whole process is similar to taking a high-speed trainalthough it could take even longer.
Beijing to Shanghai or Shanghai to Beijing
Both Beijing and Shanghai are the most convenient and major ports of entry and exitwith abundant international and domestic flights. It doesn't make much difference whether you go from Shanghai to Beijing or from Beijing to Shanghai. Choose your preferred route according to the most convenient departure/arrival timesticket pricesand travel dates.
Costs for a Trip to Beijing and Shanghai
Beijing and Shanghai are first-tier cities in China in terms of consumption and economic level. For a private tourthe average cost per day is about US$220–350 per personincluding flights/trains within China4- or 5-star hotelslunchesattractionsguidesand private transport.
In the peak seasonthe prices of hotels and airfares can go up by 50 to 100%. When you book with usyou'll receive a 100% refund of any payments made to China Highlights if you cancel up to 3 weeks before departure (more details here⇒).
Accommodation Choices in Beijing and Shanghai
In Beijingif you prefer a more central location for entertainment and shoppingthen you can choose a hotel in the Wangfujing area. If you want a more unique accommodation experiencewe recommend a hutong- hotel.
In Shanghaihotels around the Bund and Nanjing Road are popular choices if you prefer a bustling vibe and a great nighttime view. If you want a relatively quiet surrounding with an old colonial vibewe recommend you choose to stay near the French Concession.
Best Times to Visit Beijing and Shanghai
Weather-wisethe best time to visit Beijing and Shanghai is in autumnespecially in September and October. These months have the most comfortable weatherwhich is warmsunnyand dry.
The rainy season usually lasts from May to Augustbut it doesn't rain much in Beijing. Shanghailocated in the southexperiences more rain. Howeverthe rain doesn't last continuously for long periods of time. In case of rainy weatherwe will adjust the itinerary to make sure your travel experience is not affected.
Moreoverthe main attractions in Beijing and Shanghai are mostly cultural sights. So they are not affected much by the weather.
No matter what season you are visiting inwe will plan the itinerary with suitable activities according to your preferences or your family's preferences.
Insider tips: The first weeks of May and October are peak timesfollowed by the summer holidays. If you plan to travel during these periodsplease book at least 6 months to 1 year in advance.
Tour China with Us
All our tours can be tailor-made based on your needs. See our popular China tours including Beijing and Shanghai for inspiration: