ChinaReadyCheck

Practical China travel

Plan your China trip: entry, transport, first night.

Visual guides for day trips, places to stay, and getting around China: real photos, checked connections, and the bookings that actually apply.

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Independent site, not affiliated with NIA, any airline or booking platform. Guidance does not guarantee entry.

Canal-side walkway on Pingjiang Road in Suzhou with trees, low white houses and people walking

Pingjiang Road, SuzhouA day trip from Shanghai by high-speed rail: the first full trip guide on this site. Photo: song songroov, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

One trip you can actually take

A complete day trip with real photos, checked connections and a checklist you can download. Beside it, the decision guides that go with it.

A narrow stone-paved lane on Pingjiang Road in Suzhou with whitewashed walls and a hanging shop banner
Trip guideSuzhou from Shanghai: day-trip routes and an overnight planA garden-and-museum day, a slower overnight stay, or an outdoor canal walk: choose a Suzhou route from Shanghai and keep its reservations, station names and return journey together.
  • 6 stops in order
  • 4 things to book
  • 3 plans
View the guide →
Departures hall of Terminal 1 at Shanghai Pudong International Airport with its high blue ceiling
Decision guideLanding late at Pudong: airport hotel or a city hotel for the first night?A decision frame for late PVG arrivals: when a hotel near the airport is the simpler first night, when going into the city is worth it, and what has to be confirmed before booking either.Open →
Large waiting hall of Suzhou Railway Station with a departures board under a traditional-style roof
Route & bookingShanghai to Suzhou by high-speed railThe classic gardens-and-canals day trip. The fastest trains take about 23 minutes station to station for a few dollars; add your own time to and from the stations at both ends.Open →

Where the guides go

Only cities with published arrival, train or stay answers are listed.

Lujiazui skyscrapers and the Oriental Pearl Tower seen across the Huangpu River from the Bund
DestinationShanghaiArrival, trains and where to stayOpen →
A narrow stone-paved lane on Pingjiang Road in Suzhou with whitewashed walls and a hanging shop banner
DestinationSuzhouDay trip or overnight from ShanghaiOpen →
Wooden boats moored on West Lake in Hangzhou with hills behind them at sunset
DestinationHangzhouDay trip or overnight from ShanghaiOpen →
The round three-tiered Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing
DestinationBeijingWhich airport, which district, which train nextOpen →

Which decision are you making?

One question per page: the answer first, the conditions, and the next step.

Landing late at Pudong: airport hotel or the city?A decision frame for late PVG arrivals: when a hotel near the airport is the simpler first night, when going into the city is worth it, and what has to be confirmed before booking either.Decision guide →Suzhou in a day, or stay the night?A garden-and-museum day, a slower overnight stay, or an outdoor canal walk: choose a Suzhou route from Shanghai and keep its reservations, station names and return journey together.Trip guide →Which Shanghai station for the Suzhou train?The classic gardens-and-canals day trip. The fastest trains take about 23 minutes station to station for a few dollars; add your own time to and from the stations at both ends.Route →Which Shanghai area for the first night?Choose a first-night hotel area in Shanghai that reduces airport transfer and foreign-passport check-in risk.Guide →12306 or Trip.com for train tickets?Choosing 12306 or Trip.com for China train tickets, especially with a foreign passport and foreign card.Guide →Maglev, metro or taxi from Pudong?Maglev, metro, taxi, Didi, or pre-booked transfer from Shanghai Pudong Airport, chosen by landing time, luggage, hotel area, and payment setup.Guide →

Before you go

The entry check, the arrival card and the first-72-hours guides. Policy references use the 2026-05-18 snapshot; nothing here requires an account.

Before you go

Check your entry path

240-hour transit or ordinary visa-free entry: run the check before you book flights.

Open the entry check →Before you go

Arrival Card (CDAC)

The official form is free. Fill it within 72 hours before landing, and know which hotel address to enter.

Open the arrival card guide →Before you go

First 72 hours

Apps, payments, daily backups and a late-arrival plan for the first three days.

Open the first-72-hours guides →

Sources and check dates are shown on each page. How we researchBookings happen on the merchant; sponsored links are marked. Affiliate disclosurePhotos are licensed and credited where they appear.