Beijing 4 · Shanghai 3. If you have one week.
Hotels at the lowest price we found, one room per two adults and children with their parents. Fastest train in second class and official adult tickets. Checked on 11 October 2026.
Once you use it, you can add or remove days and cities, and we will remind you of every booking.
Day 1Day 2Metro line 1, Tiananmen East · 3-4 h
Day 3Mubus from Dongzhimen, or DiDi in 80-100 min · 4-5 h
Day 4Metro line 5, Tiantan Dongmen · 2-3 h
Day 5
Day 6Metro lines 10 and 14, Yuyuan Garden · 1,5 h
Both. There is only one move, by bullet train, and kids love the Great Wall toboggan and the Maglev. For couples, the Bund at night makes a beautiful finale.
Bullet train. It takes about 4 h 30 centre to centre, from Beijing South to Shanghai Hongqiao, with no airport queues. Second class is 661 yuan.
April to May and September to November, when both cities are mild. Avoid the first week of October and of May, which are national holidays, and if you can, July and August for the heat.
Add one to Shanghai for the Zhujiajiao water town, or to Beijing for the Summer Palace. Do not stay fewer than 4 days in Beijing, as the Great Wall takes a full day and the Forbidden City is closed on Mondays.
The train is 661 yuan in second class. Main tickets in high season are Forbidden City 60, Mutianyu with cable car 180, Temple of Heaven 34 and Yuyuan 40. Shanghai Museum East is free. Hotels depend on your dates and the level you choose.
Book an open-jaw ticket, into Beijing and home from Shanghai. You avoid backtracking and save most of a day. Beijing has two airports, Capital and Daxing, so check which one is on your booking.