How Many Days in Each Chinese City: 10, 14 and 16 Days
Give Beijing and Shanghai four nights each. For a ten-day trip we suggest two cities, for fourteen days three, and for sixteen either four bases or three with a slower last week.
The short version
- For ten days, we suggest two bases: four nights each in Beijing and Shanghai leaves two days for arrival, departure and the leg between them.
- For fourteen days, three bases: four nights in Beijing, three in Xi'an, four in Shanghai, with two travel days and one night to place.
- For sixteen days, we suggest four bases, or three with a slow last week. The long legs are what decide the shape.
- Beijing to Shanghai: published journey times include 4 hours 18 minutes, second class about ¥553 to ¥694, with about 54 departures a day.
- Rail tickets release 15 days before departure on the official railway channel, so trains at the end of a long trip are not on sale when you start planning.
How many days should you give each city?
Our working rule is two nights minimum per city, and three if you want a full day that does not involve a station. Beyond that we add nights by interest rather than by rule.
The second half of the rule is less obvious. A city two hours away is not necessarily a half-day addition, because checkout, the ride to the station and boarding can take the morning.
What does 10 days look like?
For ten days, two bases. Beijing four nights, Shanghai four nights, with two days consumed by arrival, departure and the transfer.
Beijing South to Shanghai Hongqiao is 4 hours 18 minutes on published journey times, with about 54 departures a day and second class roughly ¥553 to ¥694. Other services on the route run longer, so pick the departure rather than the day.
If a third place matters more than a fourth night, take it as a day trip and keep one hotel. Shanghai to Suzhou is about 25 minutes with a departure every ten minutes or so, second class around ¥39. Shanghai to Hangzhou is 34 to 45 minutes, second class from ¥73, with about 340 departures a day. This avoids another hotel move, but still requires station and transfer time.
What does 14 days look like?
For fourteen days, three bases. Beijing four nights, Xi'an three, Shanghai four, with two travel days and one night to place where you would regret rushing the most.
Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai. Beijing to Xi'an is 4 hours 10 minutes, second class from ¥515, with about 41 trains a day. Xi'an to Shanghai is the long one at 5 hours 39 minutes to 7 hours, so take a morning departure and treat the afternoon as lost.
Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou. The delta version, and the gentler one. Two short hops instead of one long one. It does keep you inside a single region for a fortnight, which is a choice rather than a compromise.
Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing. Beijing to Shanghai as above, then Shanghai to Nanjing at 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, ¥55 to ¥171, with a departure every ten to fifteen minutes. Nanjing works as a two-night add without disturbing the other two.
What does 16 days look like?
Sixteen days is where the shape has to be chosen rather than assembled: four bases, or three with the last week slowed down.
Beijing 4, Xi'an 3, Chengdu 3, Shanghai 4. Fourteen nights, two travel days. Chengdu to Shanghai is 10 hours 31 minutes to 10 hours 55 minutes, which is a flying day rather than a rail day. If that sounds like a waste, cut Chengdu and give the nights to Xi'an.
Shanghai 4, Suzhou 3, Hangzhou 4, Nanjing 3. Fourteen nights, two travel days. This is the shape to take if you would rather see four cities properly than six badly.
Beijing 4, Shanghai 4, Hangzhou 3. Eleven nights booked, two travel days, three nights left to place. Take this one if you want the capital, the delta and a slow last stop without a fourth hotel move.
Beijing 4, Xi'an 3, Luoyang 2, Shanghai 4. Thirteen nights with three moves. Xi'an to Luoyang is 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, ¥70 to ¥175, 98 trains a day. The onward leg from Luoyang to Shanghai was not verified for this page, so check the official channel before committing.
How do the train times change the plan?
Tickets release 15 days ahead on the official railway channel. Holiday departures can sell out as they are released, which has two consequences for planning.
First, on a trip longer than a fortnight, the trains at the end are not yet on sale when you are choosing the shape. Plan the shape, not the train number.
Second, fares are bands rather than fixed prices. The published ceiling on the Beijing to Shanghai line rose 20 percent from 26 May 2026, from ¥662 to ¥794. What you actually pay varies by train, season and time of day, so treat the figures here as bands and check your date on the official channel.
Where does this planning go wrong?
The common error is a three-city plan built on flight timings and then run on trains. Rail is measured city centre to city centre. Published journey times include 4 hours 18 minutes for Beijing to Shanghai. Add the time to reach the station and the time to leave it at each end.
The second error is treating a station name as a place. Guilin to Yangshuo is 22 minutes and ¥26 to ¥34, but Yangshuo station sits outside the county town, so you still need a transfer at the far end. Budget for it.
The third is putting the long leg in the middle. A 10-hour rail day is easier to absorb between two four-night stays than between two two-night stays.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
During a 16-day stay, how many days would you give each of Shanghai, Hangzhou and Beijing?
Four in Beijing, four in Shanghai, and three in Hangzhou, leaving two travel days and three nights to distribute. Add the spare nights to whichever city you would regret rushing.
Is 10 days enough for Beijing and Shanghai?
Yes, at four nights each. It is not enough for both plus Xi'an, because the internal legs start consuming the days you came for.
When should I book the trains?
Fifteen days before departure, on the official railway channel. Set a reminder rather than relying on memory, and book the long leg first.
Can I see Suzhou and Hangzhou from one Shanghai hotel?
Yes. Both are under an hour from Shanghai, with frequent departures, so neither requires moving hotels.
Compiled 21 October 2026 from the cited sources. Not every leg could be re-checked this round; where a published range stands without a fresh check, the official railway channel decides on the day. Services and prices change with the seasonal timetable.