Wonders of China — Self-Launched Rail Adventure (Beijing to Shanghai)
8 days · China
G Adventures charges £1,490
No-markup version: ~£900 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, independent version of G Adventures' 8-day "Wonders of China" journey, travelling by bullet train from Beijing to Xi'an to Shanghai. You'll do the same headline experiences — Tai Chi at the Temple of Heaven, a quiet stretch of the Great Wall, the Terracotta Warriors, the Muslim Quarter, and Shanghai's skyline — but booking everything yourself via hostels/guesthouses, public transport, and self-bookable tours. Costs are approximate per person and assume budget-to-midrange backpacker travel with shared or private budget rooms. Excludes international flights and the Chinese visa.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Beijing
Beijing
Land at Beijing Capital or Daxing Airport and make your own way into the city. The Airport Express + metro costs about £4, or a Didi (Chinese Uber) is around £15-20. Check into a hostel or budget hotel in the Dongcheng or Gulou area, close to the metro and the historic hutongs. Spend the evening easing into jet lag with a walk around the Houhai lakes and a cheap bowl of zhajiangmian (noodles) for around £3. Book your onward high-speed train to Xi'an tonight on Trip.com or the official 12306 app.
🚌Airport Express + metro ~£4, or Didi ~£18
🛏Budget hostel or guesthouse in Dongcheng/Gulou (dorm ~£10, private room ~£30)
- →Arrival and check-in
- →Evening walk around Houhai lakes
- →Hutong street-food dinner
Temple of Heaven, Tai Chi & Tiananmen Square
Beijing
Get up early and head to the Temple of Heaven Park, where locals gather from dawn to practise Tai Chi and dance. You can join an informal session free, or book a small-group Tai Chi class via GetYourGuide/Klook for about £15-20 — a great substitute for the operator's private lesson. Explore the Temple of Heaven itself (entry ~£3-5). Lunch on Peking duck at a casual local roast-duck spot (about £10-14 pp) rather than a tourist banquet. In the afternoon visit Tiananmen Square (free, bring your passport for the security check) and the Forbidden City (entry ~£7, book ahead online, closed Mondays). Finish with a wander through the hutongs.
🚌Metro day pass ~£2
🛏Budget hostel or guesthouse in Dongcheng/Gulou
- →Sunrise Tai Chi in Temple of Heaven Park (self-guided or small-group class)
- →Temple of Heaven visit
- →Peking duck lunch
- →Tiananmen Square
- →Forbidden City
- →Hutong evening stroll
Great Wall at Mutianyu
Great Wall (Mutianyu)
Take a public bus or shared minivan to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall — quieter and better preserved than Badaling. Options: tourist shuttle buses run from Dongzhimen for around £5-8 each way, or book a return minibus/van transfer via Klook for ~£20. Entry is ~£5, plus an optional cable car (~£14) if you don't want to walk up. Hike a long, quiet stretch of the wall for the classic experience, then return to Beijing in the late afternoon. DIY tours via GetYourGuide run around £25-35 including transport, often a good value shortcut.
🚌Public or shared shuttle to Mutianyu ~£10-15 return
🛏Budget hostel or guesthouse in Beijing
- →Great Wall hike at Mutianyu
- →Optional cable car/toboggan
- →Village lunch near the wall
Bullet train to Xi'an & Muslim Quarter
Xi'an
Take a morning high-speed train from Beijing West to Xi'an North — roughly 4.5-6 hours, tickets from about £45-55 second class on Trip.com or 12306. Arrive mid-afternoon, check into a hostel or guesthouse inside the old city walls (the Bell Tower area is central and walkable). In the evening, dive into the Muslim Quarter: graze your way along Beiyuanmen street on roujiamo (Chinese 'burger', ~£2), yangrou paomo, and biangbiang noodles (~£4). This is one of China's great street-food streets and a fantastic budget dinner.
🚌Bullet train Beijing-Xi'an ~£50
🛏Hostel or guesthouse inside the Xi'an city walls (dorm ~£9, private ~£25)
- →High-speed rail journey
- →Muslim Quarter street-food crawl
- →Evening walk to the Bell Tower
Terracotta Warriors & Ancient City Wall
Xi'an
Head out early to the Terracotta Warriors (entry ~£15, book online in advance). Take public bus 306/游5 from the Xi'an railway station for ~£1, or a small-group half-day tour via GetYourGuide (~£25 including transport and guide). Allow 3-4 hours across the three pits. Back in the city, rent a bike or walk the 14km Ancient City Wall (entry ~£6, bike hire ~£4) for sunset views over the rooftops — the same wall that guarded the Silk Road. Dinner back in the Muslim Quarter or at a local noodle house.
🚌Public bus 306 to Terracotta Warriors ~£1 each way
🛏Hostel or guesthouse inside the Xi'an city walls
- →Terracotta Warriors museum
- →Ancient City Wall walk/cycle
- →Muslim Quarter dinner
Bullet train to Shanghai & the Bund
Shanghai
Morning high-speed train from Xi'an to Shanghai — about 6-7 hours, tickets from ~£55-70 second class. Arrive late afternoon and check into a hostel near People's Square or the Jing'an/French Concession area — good transport links and lots of budget eats. In the evening walk the Bund to see the colonial-era waterfront facing the futuristic Pudong skyline, then explore the neon-lit Nanjing Road. Grab cheap xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) for around £3-5.
🚌Bullet train Xi'an-Shanghai ~£60
🛏Hostel or guesthouse near People's Square/French Concession (dorm ~£11, private ~£32)
- →High-speed rail journey
- →The Bund at night
- →Nanjing Road
- →Soup dumpling dinner
Shanghai: Old Town, Yu Garden & Pudong
Shanghai
Explore Shanghai on foot and by metro. Start in the Old Town around Yu Garden (entry ~£5) and the surrounding bazaar, then wander the atmospheric lanes of the former French Concession (Tianzifang and Wukang Road). In the afternoon, cross to Pudong and go up one of the observation decks — Shanghai Tower (~£20) or the cheaper Jin Mao Tower (~£13) — for a skyline view. Optional evening Huangpu River ferry (~£1) is a brilliant budget alternative to a sightseeing cruise. Consider a self-booked food tour via GetYourGuide (~£30) if you want local guidance on Shanghainese cuisine.
🚌Metro day pass ~£2, Huangpu ferry ~£1
🛏Hostel or guesthouse near People's Square/French Concession
- →Yu Garden and Old Town
- →French Concession walk
- →Pudong observation deck
- →Huangpu River ferry
Depart Shanghai
Shanghai
Last morning to pick up souvenirs or revisit a favourite neighbourhood, then make your own way to Pudong or Hongqiao airport by Metro Line 2 (~£1-2, allow 60-90 min) or the Maglev from Longyang Road. If your flight is late, stow bags at the hostel and squeeze in one more food street. Departure transfers are self-arranged, keeping costs low.
🚌Metro/Maglev to airport ~£2
🛏—
- →Last-minute sightseeing or shopping
- →Self-arranged airport transfer
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£900 | £1,490 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £590 per person (40%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£900
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Wonders of China — Self-Launched Rail Adventure (Beijing to Shanghai) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £900 per person for 8 days in China. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,490 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £900 — a saving of roughly £590 (40%) per person.
How long is the China trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through China.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, city-breaks, budget trip through China, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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