Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai: 10-Day Self-Guided Travel Guide

To get to Wangfujing, we could only take the bus. Although I knew there was a subway station at the […]

To get to Wangfujing, we could only take the bus. Although I knew there was a subway station at the East Gate of the Temple of Heaven that could take us to Wangfujing, we exited incorrectly and had no other way. We had to spend 40 minutes taking the bus!

When touring Tianjin, taxis are a great mode of transportation, being cheap and convenient. When visiting the Five Avenues, there’s no need to take a professional horse-drawn carriage, as it requires a full group and a guide, which is quite expensive and time-consuming. If walking is too strenuous, perhaps taking a small yellow rickshaw is also a good choice. Classic attractions such as the Ancient Culture Street, Nanshi Food Street, and Xika Church are also worth visiting.

The Bund in Shanghai is undergoing extensive repairs, and visiting during the summer vacation really spoils the scenery. Moreover, many main roads are under construction, and if you want to see the beautiful night scene of Shanghai, you may have to wait until after the 2010 World Expo! Additionally, when taking the maglev train from Longyang Station to Pudong Airport in Shanghai, remember to show your electronic ticket or mobile boarding text when purchasing the ticket, and you can get a 20% discount.

Ensure to inquire about the specific terminal to disembark and arrive at Pudong Airport 2 hours in advance for check-in, as the crowds are substantial and long queues form at each service counter.

Detailed itinerary:

**Day 1:**
– 06:30: Depart from home and have breakfast nearby.
– 07:00: Take a car to Zhuhai Sanzhao Airport for check-in.
– 08:50: Board the flight to Beijing Capital Airport.
– 11:45: Take the airport express to Dongzhimen and transfer to Subway Line 2 to Chongwenmen for lunch and hotel check-in (rest).
– 15:00: Take a rickshaw to visit the Temple of Heaven (with a complimentary ticket), spending 2 hours there.
– 17:00: Take the bus to Wangfujing for a stroll.
– 18:30: Have dinner at Quanjude Wangfujing Branch (waited for 40 minutes, total cost 325 yuan).
– 20:00: Take Subway Line 2 and transfer to Line 5 to Chongwenmen Station, then walk for 2 minutes to the hotel—New World Apartment Hotel.

**Day 2:**
– 08:00: Depart from the hotel (Subway Chongwenmen Station—Dongzhimen Station) for breakfast.
– 09:00: Visit Yonghe Palace, Imperial Academy, and Confucius Temple (Subway Dongzhimen Station—Yonghegong Station).
– 12:00: Have lunch at Yonghe King nearby the hotel.
– 13:30: Visit the exterior of Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, Great Hall of the People, Monument to the People’s Heroes, stroll in Tiananmen Square, and climb the Tiananmen Tower (Subway Line 2 Chongwenmen Station—Tiananmen Square East Station).
– 14:30: Visit the Forbidden City Museum (including the Palace Museum and Clock Exhibition), spending 2 hours there.
– 16:30: Take a bus to Dongsi Station and transfer to Subway to Qianmen Dashilar for shopping and dinner (Zhajiang noodles and hot pot mutton, total cost 105 yuan).
– 18:30: View the night scenery of the Water Cube and Bird’s Nest (Subway Lines 2, 5, 10, and 8).
– 21:00: Return to the hotel for rest.

**Day 3:**
– 09:30: Depart from the hotel and have breakfast nearby.
– 10:00: Head to Deshengmen (Subway Chongwenmen Station—Yonghegong Station—Jishuitan Station—walk to Arrow Tower to find the legendary 919 bus, after several inquiries finally found).
– 11:00: The bus departs smoothly.
– 12:25: Arrive at Badaling Great Wall, do not believe the roadside guides who say to buy a package ticket (80 yuan).
– 12:45: Purchase the ticket at the Badaling Great Wall ticket office (45 yuan) and have lunch at KFC.
– 13:00: Climb the Great Wall.
– 15:30: Return to the drop-off point and wait for the 919 bus back to Beijing city.
– 16:00: Take the bus back home.
– 17:15: Arrive at Deshengmen, take bus No. 5 to Bell and Drum Towers, (try the wonton soup at Hun Tun Hou).
– 17:30: Take a rickshaw tour of Beijing Hutongs and visit the Olympic Home Courtyard.
– 18:30: Take a photo in front of Soong Ching Ling’s former residence and night tour of Shichahai.
– 19:45: Have dinner (Nine Gates Snack Shop, total cost 165 yuan).
– 21:00: Return to the hotel for rest (take bus No. 5—Nanchang Street transfer to Subway Line 1 and Line 5 to Chongwenmen Station).

**Day 4:**
– 09:00: Depart from the hotel and have breakfast nearby.
– 09:30: Head to Beijing South Station (Subway Line 2 Chongwenmen Station—Xuanwu Gate Station, transfer to No. 54 to Kaiyang Bridge South Station, walk over the overpass, take the Beijing South Station special bus to the station).
– 10:55: Take the Beijing-Tianjin Intercity (bullet train), a distance of 118 kilometers, taking 30 minutes.
– 11:25: Take a taxi to Nanshi Food Street.
– 12:00: Have lunch in the food street (Goubuli Baozi Shop, total cost 233 yuan).
– 13:30: Take a rickshaw to the Ancient Culture Street.
– 14:30: Take a taxi to Xikai Church for a visit, then walk to Quanyechang Commercial Street for shopping.
– 16:00: Take a taxi to Wudadao and take a rickshaw tour of Wudadao.
– 18:15: Return to Beijing by Beijing-Tianjin Intercity.
– 18:45: Take Beijing South Station Line 625 bus to Liujiayao Bridge West Station, transfer to Subway Line 5 to Chongwenmen Station.
– 19:40: Have dinner nearby the hotel (Wei Qian Ramen Shop, total cost 80 yuan).
– 20:30: Return to the hotel for rest.Day 5:
(It rained in the morning)
09:00 Depart for breakfast.
09:30 Transfer from Subway Chongwenmen Station to Qianmen Station to Junbo Station (due to rain, the itinerary was canceled).
10:30 Return to the hotel for rest.
11:30 Check out and take Subway Line 2 to Dongzhimen to find a chain hotel, but gave up because it was a bit far from the subway exit and returned to the original hotel to stay.
1:00 PM – Lunch near the hotel.
1:30 PM – Head to the Military Museum of the Chinese People’s Revolution (take subway line 5 to transfer to line 1 at Junbo Station).
4:30 PM – Visit the exterior of the National Grand Theater (subway line 1 to National Grand Theater Station).
5:00 PM – Take a taxi to Qianmen Dashilar, then take a rickshaw to visit Ji Xiaogang’s former residence and Lao She Tea House.
6:30 PM – Dinner in Qianmen (boiled fish, roast duck, total cost 180 yuan).
7:30 PM – Return to the hotel to rest (take subway line 2).

Day 6:
8:00 AM – Depart from the hotel, have breakfast.
8:30 AM – Visit the Summer Palace (subway line 2 to Xizhimen, transfer to line 13 to Wudaokou, then take bus line 331).
9:30 AM – Tour the Summer Palace (using complimentary tickets).
11:00 AM – Take a taxi to Peking University for a visit.
12:00 PM – Take a rickshaw to visit Tsinghua University.
1:00 PM – Lunch nearby, then visit the Yuanmingyuan Ruins Park.
2:30 PM – Afternoon tea near the hotel (take a taxi to the nearest subway entrance, transfer from line 13 to line 2 at Chongwenmen Station).
4:15 PM – Rest at the hotel.
6:30 PM – Dinner on Guijie (subway line 5 to Beixinqiao Station, total cost 175 yuan).
8:30 PM – Return to the hotel to rest.

Day 7:
8:20 AM – Depart from the hotel, have breakfast nearby.
9:00 AM – Visit Lao She’s former residence (take subway line 2 at Chongwenmen Station, transfer to line 5 to Dengshikou Station, walk east to west along Dengshikou Street, took a bit of a detour).
10:00 AM – Take a taxi to enter Beihai Park from the south gate and exit from the north gate.
12:00 PM – Lunch at Shichahai (Barbecue Season, total cost 167 yuan).
1:20 PM – Walk and tour the Yandai Xiejie.
2:20 PM – Rent a bicycle to tour Nanluoguxiang and Shichahai.
3:30 PM – Rent a rickshaw to visit Guo Moruo’s former residence and Prince Gong’s Mansion.
5:00 PM – Take a taxi to Lu Xun Museum (closed for maintenance).
5:15 PM – Go to the subway Fuxingmen Station to process the IC card refund.
5:30 PM – Rest at the hotel.
7:00 PM – Have dinner near the hotel (Bianyifang Roast Duck Restaurant, total cost 309 yuan).
8:20 PM – Return to the hotel to rest.

Day 8:
5:45 AM – Wake up.
6:15 AM – Check out and have breakfast nearby.
6:45 AM – Take the subway line 2 from Chongwenmen Station to Dongzhimen Station, transfer to the airport express (30 minutes), arrive at Terminal 2 of the airport.
7:45 AM – Check in for the flight.
9:00 AM – Fly to Shanghai.
11:00 AM – Arrive at Shanghai Hongqiao Airport.
11:20 AM – Take the airport express to Jing’an Temple Station, transfer to subway line 2 to People’s Square Station. Due to dissatisfaction with the pre-booked hotel (although the location was good, the facilities were outdated and the price was high), later booked the Jin Jiang Inn near Jing’an Temple through Ctrip (felt very good).
13:45 After lunch, return to the hotel for a rest.
15:30 Stroll along Nanjing Road PedestrianArriving at Pudong Airport at 14:15, you will need to line up to handle your boarding procedures. Following this, you are scheduled to board the plane at 15:30. Your journey will come to a pleasant end as you safely arrive at Zhuhai Airport at 18:15.