Which itinerary should a first-time China visitor pick?

Classic 3-city (Beijing → Xi'an → Shanghai) for almost everyone. It's the most-searched route for a reason — covers imperial history, dynastic depth, and modern China in 10 days with two HSR moves. Skip it only if you've been to Beijing before or you want a slower regional focus.

Can any of these itineraries fit inside 240 hours (10 days)?

Yes — 240h is exactly 10 days, and all five templates are designed to fit within it. The South Coast and Southwest Spice templates are shorter (7 days) on purpose, leaving slack for arrival delays or a final-day Hong Kong / Bangkok stopover.

Do I have to enter and exit at the same port?

No. Different entry / exit ports are explicitly allowed under 240h. Most templates here use different ports (e.g. enter PEK, exit PVG) because it saves a redundant HSR leg back to where you started.

What happens if my trip exceeds 240 hours?

You'll overstay and may be fined, denied future entry, or detained. Build a buffer — plan for 8-9 days inside China and let your 10th day be a flight to a third region. 240 hours is counted from local entry time to local exit time.

Can I customize a template's dates and stops?

Yes — these are starting points, not bookings. Pick a template, then adjust nights and add/remove cities. The HSR legs and accommodation district guidance still apply. Run the eligibility checker once your dates and ports are firm.

China 240h Transit Routenplaner

01 · Route

Legale 240h-Route wählen

Prüfe die A→China→B-Struktur, bevor du Flüge, Hotels oder Zugtickets bezahlst.

Routenvorlagen vergleichen →02 · Hotel

Adresse der ersten Nacht sichern

Wähle ein Hotel, das ausländische Pässe akzeptiert und eine chinesische Adresse für die Arrival Card liefert.

Hotel-Guides öffnen →03 · Zug

HSR mit Passdaten buchen

Nach dem legalen Routencheck: 12306-Verifizierung, Namensreihenfolge, Zahlung und Bahnhofskontrolle klären.

Zug-Guides öffnen →

Wähle die legale Routenform vor dem Sightseeing

Riskant ist nicht, ob Beijing oder Shanghai sehenswert sind. Riskant ist, ob A→China→B, Ausreisemodus und Aufenthaltsregionen Airline und Grenzkontrolle überstehen.

Routenvorlage	A→China→B Beispiel	Compliance-Watchpoint	Check
Classic 3-city: Beijing → Xi'an → Shanghai Different entry/exit ports: fly into Beijing, leave mainland China from Shanghai to a third country/region.	SFO → PEK → PVG → ICN	Do not book PVG back to your origin country. Your onward leg after Shanghai must be a different country/region such as ICN, NRT, HKG, or SIN.	Route prüfen
Yangtze Delta: Shanghai → Hangzhou → Suzhou Same mainland entry/exit port is fine if the onward destination after China is a different country/region.	SFO → PVG … PVG → ICN	PVG in / PVG out is not the issue. The issue is A→China→B: your pre-China stop and post-China stop cannot be the same country/region.	Route prüfen
South coast: Guangzhou → Shenzhen → HK exit Rail exit to Hong Kong: enter mainland China by air, leave by HSR through West Kowloon.	LAX → CAN → WKL → HKG	Airline check-in agents outside China may not recognize WKL as a listed rail exit. Carry the Boarding Kit and a confirmed HK onward plan.	Route prüfen
Southwest spice: Chengdu → Chongqing Different entry/exit ports in western China: enter Chengdu, exit Chongqing to a third country/region.	HKG → TFU → CKG → SIN	Sichuan has city-level stay-area limits under the official table. Keep the route to the listed cities and avoid assuming the whole province is open.	Route prüfen
Northern history: Beijing → Datong → Xi'an Northern route with different mainland exit: Beijing in, Xi'an out, onward to a third country/region.	SFO → PEK → XIY → ICN	Shanxi is city-limited under the official stay-area table. Keep the Shanxi stop to Datong or Taiyuan; do not swap in Pingyao unless the official table changes.	Route prüfen

Dann wähle den Reisestil

Wenn die Routenform funktioniert, entscheide nach Tempo, Interessen und Saison.

Nach Tempo

Fast Schnell (ca. 2 Nächte pro Stadt): South Coast.
Balanced Ausgewogen (ca. 3 Nächte): Classic 3-city, Southwest Spice, Northern History.
Relaxed Entspannt (3-4 Nächte): Yangtze Delta.

Nach Interesse

Iconic landmarks Ikonische Highlights: Classic 3-city, Northern History.
Food + culture Food + Kultur: Yangtze Delta, Southwest Spice, South Coast.
Modern China + tech Modernes China + Tech: South Coast.
Off-tourist-trail history Geschichte abseits der Standardroute: Northern History mit Datong.

Nach Saison

Apr-May / Sep-Oct Apr-Mai / Sep-Okt: bestes Fenster für alle Routen.
Jun-Aug Jun-Aug: Hitze beachten.
Dec-Feb Dez-Feb: kalt, aber leerer.
Avoid Meiden: Chinese New Year, Golden Week, Labor Day.

After your route is legal

Wenn die Route legal ist, buche HSR mit deinen Passdaten.

Die Vorlagen zeigen praktische Bahnstrecken. Die Train Guides erklären 12306/Trip.com, Passfelder und Fehler bei Verifizierung oder Zahlung.

Züge mit ausländischem Pass buchen 12306 vs Trip.com vergleichen

Reisedetails vergleichen

Öffne eine Zeile für Annahmen, HSR-Strecken und Tagesplan.

Vorlage	Tage	Tempo	Einreise / Ausreise Festland	Erster Stopp nach dem Festland	Am besten für	Budget / Tag
Classic 3-city: Beijing → Xi'an → Shanghai	10	Balanced	PEK → PVG	ICN	First-time visitors who want the iconic landmarks — Forbidden City, Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors, Yu Garden — without overcommitting on time	US $90-160
Yangtze Delta: Shanghai → Hangzhou → Suzhou	8	Relaxed	PVG → PVG	ICN	Repeat China visitors who've already seen Beijing/Shanghai and want depth in one region	US $80-140
South coast: Guangzhou → Shenzhen → HK exit	7	Fast	CAN → WKL	HKG	Food obsessives — Guangzhou dim sum culture is the world's best, hands down	US $100-150
Southwest spice: Chengdu → Chongqing	7	Balanced	TFU → CKG	SIN	Food and spice lovers — Sichuan cuisine is the headliner	US $70-120
Northern history: Beijing → Datong → Xi'an	9	Balanced	PEK → XIY	ICN	Repeat China visitors who've done Beijing+Shanghai and want depth in northern history	US $80-140

Balanced pace · 10 days

Classic 3-city: Beijing → Xi'an → Shanghai

The most-searched China itinerary. Heavy on history (Forbidden City, Terracotta Warriors, Yu Garden), HSR-friendly, exit from Shanghai.

Mainland route: PEK → PVG · onward: ICN

Do not book PVG back to your origin country. Your onward leg after Shanghai must be a different country/region such as ICN, NRT, HKG, or SIN.

Beijing · 4 nights

Forbidden City
Great Wall (Mutianyu)
Temple of Heaven

Xi'an · 2 nights

Terracotta Warriors
City Wall biking
Muslim Quarter food

Shanghai · 3 nights

The Bund
Yu Garden
Tianzifang

Details ansehen →Diese Route prüfen

Relaxed pace · 8 days

Yangtze Delta: Shanghai → Hangzhou → Suzhou

Slower-paced, food and gardens, all within 1-hour HSR of each other. Best if you want depth over distance.

Mainland route: PVG → PVG · onward: ICN

PVG in / PVG out is not the issue. The issue is A→China→B: your pre-China stop and post-China stop cannot be the same country/region.

Shanghai · 4 nights

The Bund
Yu Garden
M50

Hangzhou · 2 nights

West Lake
Lingyin Temple
Longjing tea village

Suzhou · 2 nights

Humble Administrator's Garden
Pingjiang Road
Suzhou Museum

Details ansehen →Diese Route prüfen

Fast pace · 7 days

South coast: Guangzhou → Shenzhen → HK exit

Food, tech, modern China. Exit by high-speed rail to Hong Kong (West Kowloon) — counts as third-region exit.

Mainland route: CAN → WKL · onward: HKG

Airline check-in agents outside China may not recognize WKL as a listed rail exit. Carry the Boarding Kit and a confirmed HK onward plan.

Guangzhou · 3 nights

Dim sum tour
Shamian Island
Canton Tower

Shenzhen · 3 nights

Huaqiangbei electronics market
OCT-LOFT
Dafen oil painting village

Details ansehen →Diese Route prüfen

Balanced pace · 7 days

Southwest spice: Chengdu → Chongqing

Pandas, Sichuan food, mountain hotpot. Two cities, both major air ports.

Mainland route: TFU → CKG · onward: SIN

Sichuan has city-level stay-area limits under the official table. Keep the route to the listed cities and avoid assuming the whole province is open.

Chengdu · 4 nights

Giant Panda Base
Jinli Old Street
Wenshu Monastery

Chongqing · 3 nights

Hongya Cave
Yangtze cable car
Ciqikou Old Town

Details ansehen →Diese Route prüfen

Balanced pace · 9 days

Northern history: Beijing → Datong → Xi'an

For travelers who want imperial Beijing, Buddhist cave art, and Silk Road origins without leaving the listed 240h stay areas.

Mainland route: PEK → XIY · onward: ICN

Shanxi is city-limited under the official stay-area table. Keep the Shanxi stop to Datong or Taiyuan; do not swap in Pingyao unless the official table changes.

Beijing · 4 nights

Forbidden City
Great Wall
Summer Palace

Datong · 2 nights

Yungang Grottoes
Huayan Temple
Datong city wall

Xi'an · 3 nights

Terracotta Warriors
City Wall biking
Big Wild Goose Pagoda

Details ansehen →Diese Route prüfen

FAQ — 240h-Route wählen

Welche Route für Erstbesucher?

Für die meisten: Beijing → Xi'an → Shanghai als Classic 3-city.

Passen die Vorlagen in 240 Stunden?

Ja, sie sind auf 10 Tage oder weniger ausgelegt. Plane trotzdem Puffer ein.

Muss ich am selben Port ein- und ausreisen?

Nein. Unterschiedliche gelistete Ports sind erlaubt.

Was passiert über 240 Stunden?

Das ist Overstay und kann Bußgeld oder künftige Einreiseprobleme verursachen.

Kann ich Städte und Daten ändern?

Ja. Prüfe danach Ports, Daten und Aufenthaltsregionen erneut.

Itinerary templates are starting points. HSR durations, prices, and attraction fees are approximate (2026 data). Verify schedules and book in advance. Policy snapshot 2026-05-18. Sponsored partner links (Klook, Trip.com) may pay us a commission if you book — this never affects which templates or stops we recommend.

Wähle eine China-Route, die zur 240h-Regel passt.

Legale 240h-Route wählen

Adresse der ersten Nacht sichern

HSR mit Passdaten buchen

Wähle die legale Routenform vor dem Sightseeing

Dann wähle den Reisestil

Wenn die Route legal ist, buche HSR mit deinen Passdaten.

Reisedetails vergleichen

Classic 3-city: Beijing → Xi'an → Shanghai

Yangtze Delta: Shanghai → Hangzhou → Suzhou

South coast: Guangzhou → Shenzhen → HK exit

Southwest spice: Chengdu → Chongqing

Northern history: Beijing → Datong → Xi'an

Route gewählt? Prüfe deine konkrete Routenform.