Last updated: September 2026
You can see four of China's defining cities in ten days without boarding a domestic flight. The route runs Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu and Chongqing on high-speed rail, with the longest leg under six hours. Every transfer is a same-day train, every station is on the metro, and the whole loop stays inside a triangle roughly 1,500 km wide.
This is the itinerary for travellers who would rather watch the country pass the window than queue at a regional airport.
Why skip domestic flights?
Three practical reasons:
- Time. Once you add check-in, security, taxiing and the 40-minute-plus transfer from most Chinese airports into the city, a two-hour flight often costs five hours door to door. The train station is usually in the city centre.
- Reliability. Summer thunderstorms and holiday congestion delay flights far more often than high-speed rail.
- Luggage and seats. No weight games, no liquid rules, generous legroom in second class, and a power socket at every seat.
The trade-off is reach. Rail does not replace flights for Tibet, Xinjiang or Zhangjiajie - those need permits, long transfers or both. This loop is deliberately built inside the dense eastern network.
The route at a glance
| Days | City | The point of it | Rail leg in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | Beijing | Imperial core and the Great Wall | - |
| 4-5 | Xi'an | Terracotta Warriors, city wall, Tang dynasty | Beijing West to Xi'an North, about 4.5-6 h |
| 6-7 | Chengdu | Pandas, teahouses, Sichuan food | Xi'an North to Chengdu East, about 3-4 h |
| 8-10 | Chongqing | Yangtze confluence, night skyline, hotpot | Chengdu East to Chongqing, about 1.5-2 h |
Ten days, four cities, nine nights, three train rides.
Leg 1: Beijing to Xi'an
The fastest G trains out of Beijing West reach Xi'an North in about 4 hours 10 minutes; most services take four and a half to six hours depending on stops. Second class sits in the CNY 515-620 band on current schedules.
An overnight alternative exists if you want to save a hotel night: the D-category sleeper trains leave Beijing in the evening and arrive in Xi'an early morning, with berths rather than seats. Sleepers are a good experience once; for most travellers the daytime G train is more comfortable.
In Xi'an, the City Wall, the Muslim Quarter and the Terracotta Warriors fill two days without rushing.
Leg 2: Xi'an to Chengdu
The Xicheng high-speed line crosses the Qinling mountains into Sichuan. Expect three to four hours between Xi'an North and Chengdu East, with tunnels through most of the mountain section.
Chengdu rewards a slower pace: the panda research base in the morning (arrive at opening, the pandas are active early), People's Park teahouses in the afternoon, and a hotpot or Sichuan banquet in the evening. The city is also the gateway for Jiuzhaigou and Mount Emei if you extend the trip.
Leg 3: Chengdu to Chongqing
The shortest leg of the trip: about 1.5 to 2 hours between Chengdu East and Chongqing North or Chongqing West, with departures through the day.
Chongqing is the surprise of the loop. A city built on hills at the meeting of the Jialing and Yangtze rivers, it delivers the most dramatic urban skyline in China after Hong Kong - Hongya Cave at night, the Yangtze cableway, Liziba station where the monorail runs through a residential building. It is also the departure point for Yangtze River cruises to the Three Gorges.
Where sleepers fit
China's overnight trains deserve one slot if your schedule allows it. Soft sleepers (four berths, enclosed) and deluxe soft sleepers (two berths) are comfortable enough to arrive rested. Hard sleepers are six berths in an open compartment - a genuine experience, and much cheaper, but not for light sleepers.
On this itinerary, the natural sleeper leg would be Beijing-Xi'an on the way out. Booking is the same: passport on 12306.
Booking, passports and stations
- Register your passport on the official 12306 app before you travel, then book all legs there. Your passport is your ticket.
- Tickets for popular dates and holiday periods release on a rolling window and disappear quickly. If your travel dates are fixed, book as soon as the window opens.
- Note the station, not just the city. Beijing has several (Beijing West, Beijing South, Beijing North); Xi'an North is the high-speed station, while Xi'an station serves conventional trains; Chongqing has North and West.
- Allow 30-40 minutes at the station. Security is at the entrance, boarding usually begins 15 minutes before departure.
- Metro connections exist at every station in this plan, and DiDi (with an English interface) covers the rest.
What ten days by rail does not cover
- Tibet and Xinjiang. Lhasa and Urumqi require permits and, in practice, either long rail journeys or flights.
- Zhangjiajie and Guilin. Reachable by rail, but they belong to a southern loop rather than this one.
- The far southwest. Yunnan's Dali and Lijiang are a separate trip.
Trying to add any of these to ten days turns the trip into an airport shuttle.
Is a rail pass worth it?
China does not sell a national rail pass for foreign visitors in the way Japan does. Point-to-point tickets booked on 12306 are the norm, and prices are fixed by distance and train class rather than by how late you book. That means there is no financial advantage to waiting - and a real disadvantage on holiday dates.
Frequently asked questions
Can foreigners book Chinese train tickets online?
Yes. The official 12306 platform supports foreign passport registration. Third-party booking sites also work but add fees and sometimes fail to link your passport correctly.
Do I need a visa for this route?
Many nationalities currently enter visa-free for short stays, and the 240-hour visa-free transit covers travel between major cities for eligible passports. Check your nationality and your entry and exit ports before booking - see China Visa-Free Travel 2026.
What if I miss a train?
Tickets can usually be changed or refunded before departure through 12306, subject to the railway's change and refund rules. Build a buffer on the day you fly home - never book a train that arrives the same afternoon as your international flight.
How much luggage can I take?
There is no meaningful weight limit for hand-carried luggage on Chinese trains. Large suitcases fit in the racks at the end of each carriage. The practical constraint is you, not the railway.
Is 10 days enough for Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu and Chongqing?
Yes, at two to three nights per city. If you prefer fewer hotel changes, cut Chongqing and add a night each to Xi'an and Chengdu.
For a shorter version, see the classic 7-day Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai route. For train logistics in detail, start with China High-Speed Rail 2026, and browse China leisure tours or tailored tours for a private version of this loop.