| Mode | Duration | Fare |
|---|---|---|
| HSR | 5h 58m | $98 |
| Flight | 2h 15m | $62 |
Great Wall and Forbidden City in Beijing, The Bund and Yu Garden in Shanghai, Chimelong Resort and Canton Tower in Guangzhou — 15 days for $2,759.
Great Wall and Forbidden City in Beijing, Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an, Chengdu Panda Base, Wulong Three Natural Bridges in Chongqing, The Bund and Shanghai Disney — 20 days for $3,184.
Forbidden City and Great Wall in Beijing, Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an, and The Bund in Shanghai — 15 days backpacker for $1,688.
The Bund and Shanghai Tower in Shanghai, then Forbidden City and Great Wall in Beijing — 10 days for $2,519.
Forbidden City and Great Wall in Beijing, then The Bund and Yu Garden in Shanghai — 10 days for $1,358.
The fastest option is HSR (5h 58m, $98).
About 5h 58m by HSR, or 2h 15m by Flight.
HSR costs $98 versus $62 by Flight. For most Shanghai–Beijing trips the train wins on city-center-to-city-center time.
Most Shanghai–Beijing itineraries run 7–14 days depending on how many stops you add between the two cities.
Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) are ideal across most of China. Avoid the early-October Golden Week holiday.