China 7-Day Itinerary: Beijing & Shanghai (Two Cities, Deeper)

Last updated: March 2026. Opening hours, ticket prices, and train times can change—verify before you go.

This route is for people who have a visa or visa-free entry, only a week, and want to go deeper in two cities without rushing a third. Four days in Beijing, three in Shanghai, one high-speed train between them—no Xi’an, no packing and unpacking every other day. You can spread out: Forbidden City, Great Wall, Temple of Heaven, Bund, French Concession.

In Beijing you get an extra half-day for Houhai (Shichahai) and the Drum Tower—stroll by the lake, walk Yandai Xiejie, dinner by the hutongs instead of “resting up for tomorrow’s train.” In Shanghai you get the usual Bund and French Concession, plus a proper morning on the last day: a walk along the Pudong riverside or a view from above, then head to the airport—no need to pack at dawn.

Is This Right For You

• ✅ Recommended for: Anyone with a visa or visa-free status, 7 days, and a wish to go deeper in two cities without adding a third; okay with walking and willing to book the Forbidden City and Great Wall in advance (no booking, no entry).
• ✅ Good fit: People who’d rather spend more time in Beijing and Shanghai than add Xi’an; one train, Beijing South to Shanghai Hongqiao in about 4.5 hours, saves a day on the rails compared with the three-city loop.
• ❌ Not recommended: You have 10 days and want to cover Beijing, Xi’an, and Shanghai—use the China 10-Day Itinerary: Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai. You’re only in China on a 144/240-hour transit—use the transit itinerary. Or you’d rather go deep in one city only; 7 days all in Beijing or all in Shanghai would be more relaxed.
• ❌ Not a fit: If you want one stop per day and an afternoon back at the hotel; 7 days in two cities still means full days, and it will be tiring, but the schedule is doable.

Route Overview

Day 1: Land in Beijing—Feel the Scale

Morning / noon

• Arrive at Capital or Daxing; airport express or metro to the city is about 1 hour, taxi costs more but is simpler.
• Stay near Qianmen or Wangfujing, within 5 minutes of a metro station.
• If you land before noon, check in and grab a bite, then head out in the afternoon; don’t pack day one full.

Afternoon: Tiananmen Square

• Where: Tiananmen Square (free, book in advance). From the gate tower to the Monument it’s a solid 10 minutes in a straight line; first-timers often don’t expect that scale.
• How: Metro Line 1, Tiananmen East or West; bring your passport, bags may be checked.
• Time: 1.5–2 hours is enough unless you go inside the National Museum.

Evening: Qianmen Street

• Where: Qianmen, Dashilan—old street and snacks; for a proper Peking duck meal try Quanjude or Bianyifang, book ahead or queue.
• How: Walk south from Tiananmen or Metro Line 2 Qianmen.
• Cost: Dinner mid-range ¥80–200 per person.

Day 2: Forbidden City—Expect a Lot of Walking

Morning: Forbidden City

• Where: Enter at Meridian Gate, do the three great halls on the central axis, then pick East or West Six Palaces, Imperial Garden, exit at Gate of Divine Prowess. Don’t try to see everything—after 3–4 hours your feet will complain.
• How: Metro Line 1 Tiananmen East, walk through the gate tower to Meridian Gate. Book 7 days ahead—WeChat “故宫博物院” or official site; closed Mondays, tickets go fast on holidays, no booking means no visit.
• Time: 3–4 hours. Tickets ~¥60 peak season.

Noon: Jingshan Front Street

• Exit at Gate of Divine Prowess, cross the street to Jingshan; eat somewhere on Jingshan Front Street before climbing Jingshan in the afternoon.

Afternoon: Jingshan + Qianmen or Nanluogu Xiang

• Jingshan: Climb to Wanchun Pavilion for the full Forbidden City view; ticket ¥2, worth it. About 1 hour.
• Then choose: More walking at Qianmen, Nanluogu Xiang, or Wudaoying; or head back to the hotel—tomorrow is the Great Wall.
• Evening: Eat in Nanluogu, Gui Street, or back at Qianmen and turn in early.

Cost

• Forbidden City ¥60 + Jingshan ¥2 + meals ¥100–250 per person.

Day 3: Great Wall Day (Mutianyu)

Full day: Mutianyu

• Why Mutianyu? Badaling is packed, Jinshanling is far; Mutianyu is less crowded and the views are enough. Cable car up, toboggan or walk down; the stretch from towers 14 to 20 has the best scenery.
• How: Buses from Qianmen or Shaoyaoju, or charter/day tour; about 1.5 hours each way.
• Time: Leave early, 7:30–8:00; back in town by 3–4 p.m.; allow 3–4 hours on the wall or you won’t finish the west section.
• Cost: Tickets + cable car ¥180–200 per person; bus round trip about ¥80–100; charter is more but flexible.

Evening

• Eat in town without a big program; tomorrow is Temple of Heaven and Houhai—no early train, so you can sleep in a bit.

Day 4: Temple of Heaven + Houhai, Drum Tower—Old Beijing Day

Morning: Temple of Heaven

• Where: South gate in, north gate out; Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, Echo Wall, Circular Mound. Smaller than the Forbidden City, 2 hours is enough.
• How: Metro Line 5 Temple of Heaven East Gate. Combo ticket ~¥34.

Noon: North gate or Qianmen

• Find lunch nearby after you leave.

Afternoon: Houhai + Drum Tower + Yandai Xiejie

• Where: Houhai is a lake in the city—boat in summer, a walk along the shore in winter. From Yinding Bridge toward the Drum Tower, Yandai Xiejie is a short commercial strip; at the end, look up at the Drum and Bell Towers (no need to climb both). This area feels different from Nanluogu—more water, more spread out, slower.
• How: Metro Line 8 Shichahai or Line 2 Gulou Dajie then walk south.
• Time: Allow 3–4 hours for the afternoon.

Evening: Eat by the hutongs or Houhai

• Plenty of options around Drum Tower and Houhai—skewers, hot pot, stir-fries; for something quieter, pick a small place in the hutongs. No early train today, so take your time.

Cost

• Temple of Heaven ¥34 + meals ¥80–200 per person.

Day 5: Train to Shanghai in the Afternoon, Bund at Dusk

Morning: Pack + Beijing South

• Check out and take the metro to Beijing South; allow about 40 minutes for security.
• Breakfast at the station is fine.

Noon: Beijing South → Shanghai Hongqiao

• Train: G-trains, about 4.5 hours (fastest ~4 h 18 min). Book a departure between 11:00 and 13:00 so you reach Hongqiao in the afternoon.
• Tickets: 12306 or Trip.com (Trip.com is easier for foreign cards); book 1–2 weeks ahead, popular times sell out. Second class ~¥553.
• Arrival: Shanghai Hongqiao; Metro Lines 2/10 to Nanjing East Road or People’s Square in 20–30 minutes. Book a hotel near those stops, close to the metro, for easy access to the Bund and French Concession.

Afternoon / evening: Check in + Bund

• Where: The Bund—Zhongshan East 1st Road, Nanjing East Road. The old buildings and Lujiazui face each other across the river; stand in the middle and you get how “two Chinas” sit in the same space.
• How: Metro Line 2 or 10 Nanjing East Road. The Bund is busiest around sunset and lighting-up; don’t overplan the first evening—a walk and dinner are enough.

Cost

• Train ¥553 per person + hotel + meals ¥100–200 per person.

Day 6: French Concession + Yu Garden & Old Town

Morning: French Concession

• Where: Wukang Road, Anfu Road, Hengshan Road—plane trees, old villas, cafés, small shops; a different Shanghai from the “towers” of the Bund, slower. Wukang Building at the junction is a classic photo stop; Anfu has more small shops, Hengshan is quieter.
• How: From Metro Line 10 Shanghai Library or Jiaotong University, walk south along Wukang to Anfu, then loop to Hengshan.
• Time: 2–3 hours.

Noon: French Concession or old town

• Try local or noodle spots—De Xing Guan, Lao Zheng Xing, or similar.

Afternoon: Yu Garden + Chenghuangmiao

• Where: Yu Garden is a small classical garden (ticket ¥40); Chenghuangmiao commercial area wraps around it—Jiangnan flavor and tourist buzz. If you’re not into gardens, skip the garden and just walk Chenghuangmiao.
• How: Metro Line 10 Yuyuan Garden.
• Time: 2 hours is enough.

Evening: Nanjing East Road or Bund

• Fill gaps or dinner and wind down; you still have a proper morning tomorrow before heading to the airport or station.

Cost

• Yu Garden ¥40 + meals ¥100–250 per person.

Day 7: Pudong Riverside or View from Above + Depart

Morning: Pudong riverside walk or view from above

• Option A—Riverside: The promenade from Lujiazui to Dongchang Road: walk along the river with the old Bund buildings in a line on the opposite bank—the reverse of last night’s view from the Bund.
• Option B—View from above: Shanghai Tower or Oriental Pearl (allow 1.5–2 hours and separate tickets, ¥180–260 per person).
• Option C: Lujiazui’s IFC or Super Brand Mall if you skip both.
• Leave for the airport or station at least 3 hours before your departure.

Noon / afternoon: Depart

• Pudong Airport is far; Metro Line 2 gets you there—allow over 1 hour. Hongqiao is closer.
• For trains, Hongqiao and Shanghai Railway Station both serve high-speed; check which one you need.

Getting There and Getting Around

• Beijing South → Shanghai Hongqiao by G-train, about 4.5 hours (fastest ~4 h 18 min), second class ~¥553.
• Multiple departures daily; book 1–2 weeks ahead on 12306 or Trip.com. Pick a midday departure so you can still see the Bund the same day.

• Beijing metro + DiDi and Shanghai metro + DiDi are enough; metro accepts Alipay/WeChat scan.
• For foreign visitors, see How to Pay in China and Essential Apps for China.

Practical Information

Book These in Advance

Without these, you may not get in or get a seat:

• Forbidden City: Book 7 days ahead, WeChat “故宫博物院” or official site; closed Mondays, holiday tickets release at 20:00 and go fast—set a reminder.
• Tiananmen Square: Free but requires booking 1–9 days ahead, WeChat “天安门广场预约参观”.
• Beijing–Shanghai train: Buy 1–2 weeks ahead, 12306 or Trip.com; midday departures go first.
• Great Wall bus/charter: Confirm 2–3 days ahead if booking through a platform or hotel.

Tips and Tricks

1. Don’t put the Forbidden City and Great Wall on the same day—both involve a lot of walking; spread over two days.
2. Beijing South and Shanghai Hongqiao: Allow 20–30 minutes for security; bring your passport; foreign passport holders sometimes need the manual ticket window.
3. Accommodation: Within 5 minutes of the metro—Qianmen/Wangfujing in Beijing, Nanjing East Road/People’s Square in Shanghai—makes the rest of the trip easier.
4. Mutianyu is less crowded than Badaling but a longer ride; only consider Badaling + cable car if you truly have half a day for the wall.
5. The Bund is busiest from sunset until the lights come on; for fewer people, go early in the morning or on a weekday evening.
6. 4.5 hours on the train: Bring water and a snack; there’s food on board but choice is limited.
7. Day 4 Houhai: Boating in summer; in winter don’t walk on the ice, stay on the shore.

What to Cut If You're Short on Time

• Day 1 afternoon—skip Qianmen if you’re tired and only do Tiananmen.
• Day 6—skip Yu Garden and just walk Chenghuangmiao if you’re not into gardens.
• Day 7—skip the view and riverside and just shop in Lujiazui before the airport.

Before You Go Checklist

• □ Visa / visa-free Confirm 30-day visa-free or 144/240-hour transit; if you need a visa, apply in advance (see China Visa Guide).
• □ Payment Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a working card, or bring enough cash (see How to Pay in China).
• □ Forbidden City Book within 7 days of your visit, avoid Mondays.
• □ Beijing–Shanghai train Book 1–2 weeks ahead; confirm transport between Beijing South / Shanghai Hongqiao and your hotels.
• □ Hotels Book both cities in line with your dates; book earlier for Spring Festival and National Day.
• □ Mobile data SIM, roaming, or eSIM so you have maps, translation, and payment (see Staying Connected in China).

FAQ

• Doable with a clear plan each day, but some days will be full. For a slower pace, drop a day in Beijing or Shanghai; to add Xi’an, extend to 10 days and see China 10-Day Itinerary: Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai.

• 12306 usually needs a Chinese phone number; use Trip.com and pay with an overseas card. At the station use your passport at the counter or manual window. Hotels can sometimes buy for you—ask.

• Tickets release 7 days ahead at 20:00—try then. If you still can’t get them, switch to Jingshan, Temple of Heaven, and hutongs, or try another day. Closed Mondays.

• 10-day: day 4 afternoon is for packing and resting before the train to Xi’an. This route: day 4 is a full day in Beijing (Temple of Heaven, Houhai, Drum Tower, Yandai Xiejie, dinner by the hutongs). In Shanghai, the 10-day has “fill gaps + depart” on the last morning; this one gives you a proper morning on the Pudong riverside or a view from above before you head to the airport.

• Beijing: Qianmen or Wangfujing. Shanghai: Nanjing East Road or People’s Square. All close to the metro; being near the metro matters more than being near one sight.

• Yes, but tickets are harder and crowds are bigger; avoid if you can, and if not, book everything earlier.

This route fits anyone with a visa or visa-free entry, 7 days, and a wish to go deeper in two cities without a third. It doesn’t fit those with 10 days who want Beijing–Xi’an–Shanghai (use the 10-day itinerary), or those on a transit stopover (use the transit itinerary); or anyone who’s already done Beijing or Shanghai and only wants to add the other; or anyone who wants one or two stops per day and an afternoon at the hotel—7 days in two cities still means full days, but the pace is manageable.