Beijing & Shanghai Express: 6-Day Modern & Ancient China
arrow_backnone Guides
RoutesItinerary

Beijing & Shanghai Express: 6-Day Modern & Ancient China

schedule18 min readcalendar_todayMarch 19, 2026personChinaTravelFix Team

Ancient imperial capital meets futuristic megacity — connected by one of the world's fastest trains

💡
This is the fastest meaningful China trip you can do. Beijing for imperial history, Shanghai for modern China, connected by the 350km/h high-speed train.

Route Overview

Beijing (3 nights) → Shanghai (2 nights). The 4.5-hour high-speed train between them is an experience in itself — one of the world's most advanced rail systems.

Days 1-3: Beijing

Beijing Highlights

Forbidden City from Wanchun Pavilion — the classic panoramic view
Badaling Great Wall — most iconic section over the mountains
Temple of Heaven — the sacred Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests
Summer Palace — imperial garden paradise on Kunming Lake
Meridian Gate (Wumen) — the grand entrance to the Forbidden City
Yonghe Lama Temple — Beijing's most magnificent Tibetan temple
Forbidden City panoramic view — 600 years of imperial grandeur
Temple of Heaven — ceremonial architecture under blue skies

Beijing Itinerary

Day 1

Arrival + Evening Explore

Arrive Beijing. Evening: Wangfujing Street or Qianmen for dinner and first impressions.

Day 2

Imperial Beijing

Tiananmen Square → Forbidden City (don't miss Treasury Gallery) → Temple of Heaven → Evening: Peking Duck dinner.

Day 3

Great Wall Day

Mutianyu Great Wall (round-trip cable car, walk between towers 14-23) → Hutong rickshaw ride → Local family visit.

Days 4-6: Shanghai

Shanghai Highlights

The Bund — Shanghai's legendary waterfront promenade
Pudong skyline — Oriental Pearl Tower and Lujiazui
Yu Garden — classical Chinese garden oasis
Wukang Building — the iconic flatiron of French Concession
Jing'an Temple — golden Buddhist temple amid skyscrapers
1000 Trees — Shanghai's most extraordinary building
The Bund at night — colonial architecture meets Pudong lights
Nanjing East Road — Shanghai's busiest shopping street

Shanghai Itinerary

Day 4

Train to Shanghai + First Impressions

Morning: Summer Palace. Afternoon: 4.5-hour high-speed train to Shanghai. Evening: walk The Bund at night — the skyline will blow your mind.

Day 5

Shanghai Highlights

Shanghai Museum → Yu Garden & Old Town Bazaar → French Concession walking tour → Huangpu River sunset cruise.

Day 6

Departure

Free morning for Nanjing Road shopping or Xintiandi cafes. Transfer to airport.

ℹī¸
Book your Beijing-Shanghai high-speed train on Trip.com or 12306 (China Railway official app). Second class is comfortable and affordable (~550 CNY).

Budget Estimate (6 Days)

  • Transport: ~550 CNY (train)
  • Hotels: ~2,500-4,000 CNY
  • Attractions: ~500 CNY
  • Food: ~1,000 CNY
  • Total: ~4,500-6,000 CNY per person

More Guides

Best of China in 8 Days: Beijing → Xi'an → Shanghai
RoutesItinerary

Best of China in 8 Days: Beijing → Xi'an → Shanghai

20 min read

China Delights: 11-Day Beijing → Xi'an → Guilin → Shanghai
RoutesItinerary

China Delights: 11-Day Beijing → Xi'an → Guilin → Shanghai

25 min read

Ultimate China: 15-Day Beijing → Xi'an → Guilin → Chengdu → Yangtze → Shanghai
RoutesItinerary

Ultimate China: 15-Day Beijing → Xi'an → Guilin → Chengdu → Yangtze → Shanghai

30 min read

arrow_backAll GuidesBrowse All Citiesarrow_forward