5-Day Beijing + Xi'an Itinerary 2026: Two Ancient Capitals by HSR

Beijing for 3 days, fast HSR to Xi'an (4.5h, $80 second class), 2 days in Xi'an for the Terracotta Army and city wall. The classic China first-timer route.

5 天

total trip length · 4–10月 best

18 公里

total walking (3.6 km/day avg)

UNESCO World Heritage sites

$950

total per person (mid-range)

Quick Answer

What is this 5-day itinerary like?

中国UNESCO世界遗产行程:长城、故宫、兵马俑等。

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逐日行程

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Five days covering China's two most well-known ancient capitals. Days 1-3: Beijing (Forbidden City, Great Wall, hutongs — see 3-Day Beijing itinerary). Day 4: morning Beijing → Xi'an by HSR (4.5h, $80 second class), check in near the Muslim Quarter, evening street food. Day 5: full-day Terracotta Army tour (1h drive from city), afternoon Xi'an City Wall bike ride, evening Tang Dynasty show. Day 6 (departure): Shaanxi History Museum + Big Wild Goose Pagoda, depart.

Day 1 · 周一

Beijing arrival + Imperial Beijing

Arrive Beijing Capital or Daxing airport · Check into Wangfujing hotel · Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City (3-4 hours) · Peking duck dinner at Da Dong

09:00Arrive Beijing Capital or Daxing airport
Arrive Beijing Capital or Daxing airport
11:00Check into Wangfujing hotel
Check into Wangfujing hotel
13:00Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City
3 4 hours
15:00Peking duck dinner at Da Dong
Peking duck dinner at Da Dong

🏨今晚住宿Wangfujing or Qianmen· B: — · L: museum · D: Peking duck

Day 2 · 周二

Great Wall at Mutianyu

Morning drive to Mutianyu (1.5h) · Cable car up, walk the wall, toboggan down · Return by 4pm · Evening at Sanlitun

09:00Morning drive to Mutianyu
1.5h
11:00Cable car up, walk the wall, toboggan down
Cable car up, walk the wall, toboggan down
13:00Return by 4pm
Return by 4pm
15:00Evening at Sanlitun
Evening at Sanlitun

🏨今晚住宿same Beijing hotel· B: hotel · L: wall village · D: Beijing noodles

Day 3 · 周三

Temples + HSR to Xi'an

Morning: Temple of Heaven · Lama Temple · Afternoon: G-train Beijing West → Xi'an North (4.5h, ¥623 second class) · Evening check-in to Muslim Quarter hotel, street food dinner

09:00Morning: Temple of Heaven
Morning: Temple of Heaven
11:00Lama Temple
Lama Temple
13:00Afternoon: G
train Beijing West → Xi'an North 4.5h, ¥623 second class
15:00Evening check
in to Muslim Quarter hotel, street food dinner

🏨今晚住宿Muslim Quarter, Xi'an· B: hotel · L: hutong baozi · D: Muslim Quarter street food

Day 4 · 周四

Terracotta Army + City Wall

Full-day tour: Terracotta Army (1h drive, ¥120) · Afternoon: bike ride on the Ming-era Xi'an City Wall (¥45) · Evening: Tang Dynasty music + dance show (¥300)

09:00Full
day tour: Terracotta Army 1h drive, ¥120
11:00Afternoon: bike ride on the Ming
era Xi'an City Wall ¥45
13:00Evening: Tang Dynasty music + dance show
¥300

🏨今晚住宿same Xi'an hotel· B: hotel · L: Terracotta site · D: biang biang noodles

Day 5 · 周五

Xi'an history + depart

Morning: Shaanxi History Museum (free, but reserve online) · Big Wild Goose Pagoda (¥50) · Afternoon flight or HSR to Shanghai/Chengdu

09:00Morning: Shaanxi History Museum
free, but reserve online
11:00Big Wild Goose Pagoda
¥50
13:00Afternoon flight or HSR to Shanghai/Chengdu
Afternoon flight or HSR to Shanghai/Chengdu

✈️离开—· B: hotel · L: ròujìa mó · D: —