2 Weeks in China: 14-Day Itinerary (+ Chengdu Pandas)
By the China for Travelers editorial team · Published 2026-05-15 · Updated 2026-06-21 · 14 days · Beijing · Xi'an · Chengdu · Shanghai
Mixed sourcing, disclosed honestly. The Chengdu leg (days 8–10) draws on first-hand on-the-ground knowledge — our editor has lived in Chongqing since 2018 with frequent Chengdu access, including the panda base and Sichuan food scene. The Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai legs are editorial-aggregated from 2024–2026 r/travelchina reports, official attraction information and published Audley / ChinaHighlights itineraries. All high-speed-rail leg times and prices are pulled live from our 12306-sampled rail dataset.
Day by day
Arrive Beijing
- Transfer to a central hotel, set up Alipay / WeChat Pay + eSIM
- Gentle first evening: Qianmen and a short hutong walk to fight jet lag
Getting around · Amap-verified
- MetroAirport (PEK / PKX) → Central Beijing1h–1h20mAirport Express + one metro transfer — see the PEK and PKX airport guides
- CarAirport (PEK / PKX) → Central Beijing50m–1h20mPrivate transfer — easiest with luggage after a long-haul flightBook a private airport transfer →
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Tiananmen, Forbidden City, Jingshan
- Forbidden City south-to-north on a pre-booked timed ticket (passport at the gate)
- Jingshan hill behind it for the rooftop panorama
- Wangfujing or a hutong courtyard dinner
Getting around · Amap-verified
- WalkForbidden City (north gate) → Jingshan Park≈9 min700 m across Jingshan Front Street
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Great Wall day trip (Mutianyu)
- Full day at Mutianyu — cable car up, toboggan down, fewer crowds than Badaling
- Back in the city for an early night
Getting around · Amap-verified
- CarCentral Beijing → Mutianyu Great Wall1h30m–2h≈72 km; Amap off-peak drive 1h32m, tour coaches budget 2h each way
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Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace
- Temple of Heaven at opening for the morning park life
- Summer Palace in the afternoon; optional 798 Art District for a modern contrast
Getting around · Amap-verified
- MetroTemple of Heaven → Summer Palace≈1h30m≈27 km cross-city on Metro Lines 7 + 4 — a real transfer, not a quick hop
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Morning HSR to Xi'an, Muslim Quarter
- Morning high-speed train Beijing → Xi'an
- Afternoon and dinner in the Muslim Quarter; Bell/Drum Tower after dark
Getting around · Amap-verified
- MetroXi'an North Railway Station → City centre (Bell Tower)≈30 minMetro Line 2, direct, ≈13 km — the HSR arrives at Xi'an North, not the old central station
Terracotta Army
- Terracotta Army early (most crowded sight on the route)
- Afternoon: Shaanxi History Museum (free timed ticket — reserve) or Big Wild Goose Pagoda
Getting around · Amap-verified
- CoachCentral Xi'an (Bell Tower) → Terracotta Army1h–1h15m≈40 km each way; tourist coach (游5 / 306) or Metro Line 9 + a shuttle
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City Wall and slow Xi'an
- Cycle the City Wall early
- Relaxed afternoon — Great Mosque, tea, repack before the Chengdu leg
HSR Xi'an → Chengdu, Jinli & Kuanzhai
- High-speed train Xi'an → Chengdu through the Qinling mountains (a genuinely scenic leg)
- Afternoon: Jinli and Kuanzhai Alley for the first taste of Sichuan street food
- First-hand note: this is the editor's home region — the food guidance from here is on-the-ground, not aggregated
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Chengdu Panda Base + downtown
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding at opening (07:30) — pandas are active early and the base fills fast by 10:00
- Afternoon: People's Park teahouse, then a hotpot dinner (the editor's repeatedly-tested local pick territory)
Getting around · Amap-verified
- MetroCentral Chengdu → Chengdu Panda Base≈1h≈18 km; Metro Line 3 to Panda Avenue + the panda shuttle bus — leave central Chengdu by 06:30 to hit the 07:30 opening
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Leshan or Dujiangyan day trip
- Choice: Leshan Giant Buddha (UNESCO, the big day trip) or Dujiangyan irrigation system + optional panda volunteering
- Evening: optional Sichuan opera face-changing show
Getting around · Amap-verified
- CarChengdu → Leshan Giant Buddha≈1h50m≈153 km by road, or ≈1h by bullet train to Leshan + a local bus — the train is the better option
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Chengdu → Shanghai (fly), the Bund
- Chengdu → Shanghai is the one leg most travelers fly (~3h vs a very long rail day) — the rail card shows the rail reality so you can decide
- Evening arrival: the Bund waterfront at night
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Yu Garden, the Bund by day
- Yu Garden + bazaar early
- Bund by daylight, Pudong decks if clear, French Concession dinner
Getting around · Amap-verified
- WalkThe Bund → Yu Garden≈20 min1.5 km through the Old City — easily walkable, no metro needed
Book this day
French Concession, museum or water town
- French Concession morning (Wukang Road, Tianzifang)
- Shanghai Museum or a Zhujiajiao water-town half-day; last-night dinner
Getting around · Amap-verified
- MetroYu Garden → French Concession (Wukang Rd)≈40 minMetro Line 10 or 14 + a short hop
Depart
- Buffer morning, then PVG (Maglev from Longyang Road) or SHA for the flight home
Getting around · Amap-verified
- MaglevLongyang Road → Pudong Airport (PVG)≈25 minThe Shanghai Maglev covers the 30 km in ≈8 min at up to 431 km/h
- CarCentral Shanghai → Pudong Airport (PVG)45m–1h10mDoor-to-door private transfer with luggage — alternative to the MaglevBook a private airport transfer →
FAQ
- Is 2 weeks enough for China including the pandas?
- Yes — 14 days is the sweet spot for the icons plus Chengdu. It adds the panda base, Sichuan food and a Leshan/Dujiangyan day trip to the standard Beijing–Xi'an–Shanghai route without feeling rushed. Going beyond this (Guilin, Yunnan, Tibet, a Yangtze cruise) needs 18–21 days.
- Do I take the train or fly Chengdu to Shanghai?
- Fly. Chengdu→Shanghai by high-speed rail is an all-day ride; almost everyone flies it (~3h, roughly ¥700–1,300 booked ahead). Every other leg here (Beijing→Xi'an, Xi'an→Chengdu) is a sensible HSR ride — see each leg's rail card for the real numbers.
- Is the Chengdu panda base worth a dedicated day?
- Yes, and go at opening (07:30). Pandas are most active in the cool early morning and the base is markedly more crowded after 10:00. The base sits about 18 km from central Chengdu — roughly 1h by Metro Line 3 plus the panda shuttle bus (Amap-verified, May 2026) — so leave the city centre by about 06:30. This is first-hand guidance; the editor is based in the region.
- How much does this 14-day itinerary cost?
- Roughly US$110–190 per person per day excluding international flights, plus one internal Chengdu→Shanghai flight (~¥700–1,300). See our China trip-cost guide for a full per-day breakdown by travel style.
Adapt this plan
Method. Inter-city rail figures (duration, price, trains/day) are pulled live from our 12306-sampled rail dataset and link to the full route page — they are not estimated or duplicated here. The within-day “getting around” times — airport runs, the Great Wall / Terracotta Army / Panda Base day trips, and the marked walking legs — are derived from Amap (高德地图) routing sampled in May 2026 and baked in at build time. The day-by-day editorial plan’s sourcing is disclosed in the note above the fold. Tour inventory, ticket prices and opening policies change — verify specifics before you commit. Last reviewed 2026-06-21.