7 days: Beijing and Shanghai

Beijing, nights 1–3: Sunworld Hotel Wangfujing

Choose the Superior Twin / Superior 2-Bed Room: two single beds, 22 m², for two adults. The hotel's published Superior category allows a king or twin arrangement; select the twin offer itself, rather than treating a bed preference as guaranteed. This is a compact central room, chosen for the Palace approach and Dengshikou transport base. Two large open suitcases will compete with living space; upgrade before booking if room space matters more than price.

Chinese address: 北京天伦松鹤大饭店，北京市东城区灯市口大街88号。Nearest route station: Dengshikou / 灯市口, Line 5. Use this exact property, not another hotel with “Sunworld” in its name. The working allowance is CNY 600 per room per night × 3 = CNY 1,800; this is our budget input, not an available price.

The official Superior room description was checked for the existing city guide on 13 October 2026. The property listing's policy, read on 18 October, states all-nationality acceptance and a 24-hour desk. That is a platform declaration, not a tested passport check-in. Send the arrival time, both guests' document types and the exact twin offer to the hotel through the reservation; obtain its response before a non-refundable commitment.

Shanghai, nights 4–6: Radisson Collection Hotel, Hyland Shanghai

Choose a Collection Room with two single beds: 25 m², maximum two adults. The operator's room list also offers a queen, so select the twin configuration. This base lets you walk along Nanjing Road to the Bund and use East Nanjing Road station for Lines 2 and 10. The trade-off is a busy pedestrian shopping street rather than a quiet residential setting.

Chinese address: 上海丽笙精选海仑宾馆，上海市黄浦区南京东路505号；前台二楼。Station: East Nanjing Road / 南京东路. The working allowance is CNY 800 per room per night × 3 = CNY 2,400. The operator lists check-in from 14:00 and checkout by 12:00. Ask rchs@rc-hyland.com or call +86 21 6351 5888 for the current vehicle drop-off and entrance: the street address is not a promise that a taxi can stop at the front door.

The operator facts above were read on 2 November 2026; the property listing read on 18 October states all-nationality acceptance and a 24-hour desk. Confirm late arrival against your reservation. For three adults, the operator lists a 28 m² Family Room with a queen and sofa bed; that changes the sleeping arrangement and budget. Do not add a third guest to the two-adult Collection Room.

Read Beijing Capital / PEK / 首都机场 or Beijing Daxing / PKX / 大兴机场 and the terminal on the flight. After immigration and baggage, follow signs to the staffed official taxi queue. Show the Sunworld Chinese address above and ask to use the meter. The default is a direct taxi so the first arrival does not depend on several unfamiliar interchanges.

For the arrival budget, hold CNY 400 for the car and leave a generous arrival block: immigration and baggage are separate from the road journey. This is an allowance, not a fare promise. If you prefer rail and it is operating, PEK Airport Express reaches Dongzhimen and PKX Airport Express reaches Caoqiao; take a taxi from that rail terminal to Sunworld. Confirm the airport service before choosing it late at night.

At the desk, show both passports and the booking, confirm the twin room and arrange the Day 2 taxi pickup. Walk only as far as nearby Dengshikou/Wangfujing dinner suits your energy, then return to the same hotel. Keep no ticketed attraction on arrival day.

Night 1: Sunworld, Superior Twin. The same room is kept for nights 2 and 3.

If delayed: message the hotel before the reservation's no-show cutoff. If rail is closed, use the official airport taxi queue; if the booked hotel cannot hold the room, resolve accommodation before leaving the staffed airport. A lost arrival evening does not justify removing the transfer or final Shanghai night.

Why go: the Palace Museum is the former imperial palace, best understood by walking its ceremonial axis before the residential courtyards. Book a morning entry on an open date. The museum normally closes Mondays except statutory holidays and does not offer same-day tickets. The official English booking site opens reservations seven days before the visit at 20:00 Beijing time (UTC+8). A morning ticket must be checked by 12:00 noon; the museum's afternoon last-entry time does not extend that morning slot. Use its official visitor page and linked ticket system; enter passport details exactly and carry the original document.

1. Hotel to entrance: ask Sunworld for a taxi to the permitted drop-off toward Donghuamen / 东华门. Follow the signed pedestrian approach around the outside to the southern Meridian Gate / 午门. Do not assume Donghuamen itself is your visitor entry. Allow an hour from the hotel for the ride, approach and checks. The route does not require a visit inside Tiananmen Square.
2. Inside, allow 3–4 hours: Meridian Gate → main ceremonial courtyards and halls → inner court → Imperial Garden → Gate of Divine Prowess / 神武门 exit. Follow any one-way arrangements. The basic admission is enough for this route; the Treasure and Clock galleries are separate paid choices, not required additions.
3. Lunch and optional view: after the north exit, take a meal/rest break, then use the signed street crossing to Jingshan's south gate. Allow roughly an hour for the hill viewpoint and return down to the same gate. The climb adds steps after a long palace walk; skip it if tired, icy or visibility is poor.
4. Return: request a licensed taxi from a permitted pickup point near the park back to 灯市口大街88号. Have dinner near Sunworld; do not turn this into another cross-city evening.

Entry essentials: the Palace operator lists April–October 08:30–17:00, last entry 16:00, and November–March 08:30–16:30, last entry 15:30; adult base admission CNY 60/40 respectively. Your purchased slot still controls entry. The Palace visit address is 4 Jingshan Front Street / 景山前街4号; navigation must target the entrance above rather than a pin in the middle of the complex.

Jingshan details: the Beijing parks reference lists adult admission CNY 2 normally or CNY 10 during events. Park gates operate April–October 06:00–21:00, last entry 20:30, and November–March 06:30–20:00, last entry 19:30. This itinerary uses the hill in daylight after the Palace, not the evening gate limit or separate courtyards. Use the park's current ticket notice if an event changes admission.

Night 2: Sunworld, Superior Twin.

If no Palace ticket: exchange Days 2 and 3 only if an open Palace date and both Badaling trains genuinely fit. Otherwise take the complete Temple of Heaven–Qianmen replacement below. On Monday that replacement is a park-and-streets day because Temple of Heaven's principal enclosed sights also normally close.

Why this section: Badaling provides a substantial Great Wall visit linked to a named high-speed rail station. This plan uses the walking entrance and a shorter north-side climb, not a cable-car package or the separate S2 train. It is a full excursion with steep and uneven steps.

1. Buy both directions: on 12306, select Qinghe / 清河 → Badaling Great Wall / 八达岭长城, and the reverse for the same day. Choose a morning outward service and an afternoon return leaving a useful 5½–6-hour interval at the destination. This is a selection criterion, not a promised timetable. If the pair is unavailable, use the city replacement; do not buy an outward seat on the assumption that a return will appear.
2. Reach Qinghe: have Sunworld call a taxi to 清河站. Allow an editorial 60–90 minutes for the road leg and aim to be at the station an hour before the booked train. Follow current station check-in cutoffs and carry the same original passport used for purchase.
3. Station to Wall: at 八达岭长城站, follow signed exits and the pedestrian approach to the Guancheng / 关城 walking entrance. Allocate 45–60 minutes for station exit, the approach, admission and queues. Use Badaling's current official ticket channel for the walking admission; transport and lifts are separate.
4. Walk the Wall: from Guancheng take the north side toward North 4 / 北四楼, then return the same way. Allocate 2–3 hours including stops, turn earlier when tired, and keep the return train buffer. North 8 is not a required target. Bring drinking water and a simple lunch; do not rely on a restaurant stop to fit before the train.
5. Return: start back toward the high-speed station at least 90 minutes before the train as a planning margin, increasing it for queues or slow walking. Follow 八达岭长城站, not 八达岭站, the separate S2 station. After the train reaches Qinghe, take a taxi to Sunworld and eat near the hotel.

Buying the Wall admission with a foreign passport: the Beijing 12345 English FAQ describes the WeChat account 长城内外旅游: choose Foreign Tourist Ticket → 预订 BOOK → Tickets, which directs visitors to Trip.com. Select the intended date and daytime Badaling walking admission; a cable-car, night-visit, Shuiguan or Ancient Great Wall offer is a different purchase. Read the actual voucher's passport and redemption instructions before paying. The FAQ lists foreign-language help at +86 10 61118002. This is the published official route, not a checkout we tested; the current booking calendar controls how far ahead tickets are offered.

Operating reference: Beijing's published attraction guide lists adult walking admission CNY 40 in April–October and CNY 35 in November–March, and daytime opening windows 06:30–16:30 / 07:30–16:00. These are dated reference terms, not confirmation that the Wall or your train operates in a storm. The route does not assume foreign visitors qualify for domestic age-based free admission. Verify the operator's notice before leaving.

Night 3: Sunworld, Superior Twin. Pack tonight for Beijing South.

If weather or a train fails: use the Beijing replacement, or shorten the climb if only the outward train is late. Never solve a missed return by attempting another Wall section. Ask station staff about an actual replacement service before accepting it; if none exists, arrange a licensed road return through staffed assistance and use the contingency budget.

See Qinghe and the two different Badaling stations

Check out, take a hotel-called taxi to Beijing South / 北京南站, and use the direct daytime train actually issued for Shanghai Hongqiao / 上海虹桥站. The default ticket choice is second class. Keep passport, food, water and essential medication accessible rather than buried in luggage. No attraction is booked today.

At Hongqiao Railway Station, follow Metro Line 2 signs and take an eastbound train toward Pudong. Get off at East Nanjing Road / 南京东路, then follow the current pedestrian route to 南京东路505号. Allow time for the station exit and bags; ask Hyland for the suitable entrance in advance. Check in at its second-floor desk. Eat locally and keep the evening optional.

Time cost: reserve about 9 hours door to room using the explicit model below. If your issued rail segment is longer, add the difference rather than borrowing from sightseeing. The default is one transfer day, not a five-hour train disguised as a short move.

Night 4: Hyland, Collection Room with two single beds. Keep it for nights 5 and 6.

If late or overloaded: use the official station taxi queue to the hotel's confirmed vehicle drop-off. If the ticket says another Beijing or Shanghai station, revise both local legs before buying; the metro instructions here belong to Hongqiao Railway Station.

Why go: the morning is about residential architecture, small shops and cafés at walking pace; the evening contrasts the Bund's historic west bank with Pudong's skyline. This is deliberately two neighbourhood walks separated by a rest.

1. Morning: take a taxi from Hyland's permitted pickup to Wukang Mansion / 武康大楼, at Wukang Road and Huaihai Middle Road. Budget 45 minutes for the ride and arrival, more in traffic. View the building from public space; it is not a promise of access to residents' interiors.
2. Walk and lunch: go north along Wukang Road, turn onto Anfu Road, and stop when a café or lunch suits you. Allow 2–3 hours including breaks. Shops set their own hours; the route depends on the public streets, not entering a particular business. Use ordinary pedestrian crossings and avoid blocking doorways for photographs.
3. Afternoon reset: take a taxi from a permitted pickup back to Hyland. Rest, refill water and leave extra belongings in the room. This break is part of the day, not an invitation to add another distant sight.
4. Late afternoon/evening: walk east along Nanjing East Road toward the Huangpu and reach the Bund promenade around Chen Yi Square / 陈毅广场. Allow 60–90 minutes for the river and architecture, then return west along the same Nanjing Road route to Hyland. Budget roughly half an hour for each unhurried hotel–river walk, longer in crowds.

Tickets and timing: these public-street and promenade walks need no tower or cruise admission. Go in daylight or early evening; visibility, weather and temporary crowd controls determine how much riverfront is enjoyable. There is no guaranteed skyline-lighting display in the itinerary. A taxi cannot necessarily pick up directly on the promenade or shopping street.

Night 5: Hyland, Collection twin.

If wet or very hot: exchange Days 5 and 6 if Museum East is open. If both Shanghai days have poor conditions, shorten the streets, use the museum on its available day and keep the hotel break. Do not buy a tower ticket to compensate for poor visibility.

See the Wukang–Anfu walking area close up

Why go: Shanghai Museum East gives context through Chinese art and material culture; the riverfront then puts the modern city back in view from the opposite bank. Choose a few permanent galleries, particularly bronzes and ceramics, rather than trying to finish every floor.

1. Hotel to museum: use Line 2 from East Nanjing Road to Shanghai Science and Technology Museum / 上海科技馆, Exit 8, then follow signs to Shanghai Museum East / 上海博物馆东馆, 1952 Century Avenue / 世纪大道1952号. Aim for its 10:00 opening and allow about an hour hotel-to-entry.
2. Entry and visit: the operator currently directs individual visitors with original valid ID to the B1 East Gate near Dingxiang Road without an ordinary individual reservation. Allocate 2½–3 hours to permanent displays and a meal break. Paid special exhibitions and interactive experiences have separate terms; neither is required by this route.
3. Lunch, then river: eat in the museum's designated dining area or nearby, then take a licensed taxi to the river end of Lujiazui West Road at Binjiang Avenue / 陆家嘴西路滨江大道. Allow a 30–45-minute transfer block. Leave the taxi at a permitted drop-off and follow the signed pedestrian access. Walk on the public riverfront for 60–90 minutes, with the Bund across the water. Skip paid decks.
4. Return and pack: follow pedestrian navigation from the river to Lujiazui / 陆家嘴 station, take Line 2 westbound to East Nanjing Road, and walk to Hyland. Allow an hour for the whole river-to-hotel leg. Eat near the hotel and pack for the flight.

Opening rule: Museum East lists 10:00–18:00, last entry 17:00, and usual Tuesday closure except national holidays. Check the official East Building visit page for notices, not the separate People's Square building. The city's museum listing identifies ordinary admission as free, with some special exhibitions charged separately; permanent displays are this route's choice; the budget excludes paid exhibitions.

Night 6: Hyland, Collection twin. This final Shanghai night protects the departure.

If closed: put this whole day on Day 5 if it opens then. If no museum day remains, use the complete Old City–Xintiandi replacement. Severe riverfront weather means return to the hotel after the museum; a shortened day is better than forcing an exposed walk.

See Museum East and Metro Exit 8 close up

See Lujiazui riverfront access and the return station

Check out with enough time for the carrier's international check-in deadline. Read Pudong / PVG / 浦东机场 or Hongqiao / SHA / 虹桥机场 and the terminal before choosing a train. No long-distance train or sightseeing stop is scheduled today.

• PVG Terminals 1 or 2: from East Nanjing Road, Line 2 eastbound to the airport terminal station. Follow your airline's terminal signs.
• SHA Terminal 2: Line 2 westbound to Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2. Do not stay on to the railway station by habit.
• SHA Terminal 1: take a Line 10 service serving Hongqiao Airport Terminal 1 from East Nanjing Road. Check the train's destination and current operator notices.

For planning, budget 90 minutes hotel-to-PVG terminal or 75 minutes hotel-to-SHA terminal by metro including approach and interchange space, then add the airline's required predeparture lead time. These are conservative editorial blocks, not official journey guarantees. Verify first/last trains and disruptions on your date. An early departure outside useful metro service needs a hotel-arranged taxi to the exact terminal, with a road buffer.

No seventh China hotel night. A late-night flight does not automatically extend checkout; arrange paid late checkout or luggage storage with the hotel if needed.

If the airport changes: discard the original local-transfer plan and price/time the new one before accepting the flight change. Keep the airline reference and terminal offline.