The plan
| Day | City | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Beijing | Land. Didi to hutong hotel. Wander Nanluoguxiang. Peking duck dinner at Siji Minfu. |
| Day 2 | Beijing | Forbidden City → Jingshan Park sunset over the rooftops. Evening: Houhai lake area. |
| Day 3 | Beijing | Great Wall at Mutianyu (skip Badaling — it's the crowded one). Private driver ~$80. |
| Day 4 | Beijing → Shanghai | Morning: Temple of Heaven. 14:00 HSR to Shanghai (4.5 hrs, $77). Evening: the Bund. |
| Day 5 | Shanghai | Yu Garden → French Concession lunch → Shanghai Museum (free, book ahead) → Xintiandi. |
| Day 6 | Shanghai | Day trip to Suzhou on HSR (25 min). Classical gardens. Back for rooftop drinks at Bar Rouge. |
| Day 7 | Shanghai | M50 art district → Tianzifang shopping → late flight home (Pudong has a Maglev: 7 min to airport). |
Estimated budget (per person, mid-range)
- Hotels (6 nights, 4-star): ~$500
- Food: ~$200 (you'll struggle to spend more)
- HSR Beijing → Shanghai 2nd class: $77
- Great Wall day: $80–120 with driver
- Local transit (Didi + subway): ~$60
- Sights & museums: ~$80
- Total ex-flights: roughly $1,000
Book in this order
- Confirm your visa situation (most travelers are now visa-free).
- Book the flight into Beijing (PEK or PKX), out of Shanghai (PVG).
- Book hotels on Trip.com — filter for "accepts foreign guests".
- Book the Beijing → Shanghai HSR ~10 days before on Trip.com (passport = ticket).
- Before you fly: set up Alipay and buy a travel eSIM.
Want more time?
With two weeks you add Xi'an (the warriors), Chengdu (pandas + Sichuan food), and Guilin or Zhangjiajie for landscape. Pure China classic — and still under $2,000 all in.