Tailor-made China tour: a private 17-day journey by high-speed train from Beijing to Shanghai

Karst peaks reflected in the Li River near Yangshuo — Karst peaks along the Li River

This tailor-made China tour crosses the country in 17 days, mostly by high-speed train, and it is entirely private. You travel as a couple, a family or with friends. There is no group and no tour leader travelling along: a private driver is waiting in every city and you explore at your own pace. You see the Forbidden City, walk the Great Wall at Mutianyu and spend a whole day at the Summer Palace, stand in front of the Terracotta Army and cycle the city wall in Xi'an, cruise the Li River between karst peaks to Yangshuo, glide past Guilin's lit-up pagodas by evening boat, see Wuhan's skyline from the Yangtze by night and finish in Shanghai with a day trip to the gardens of Suzhou.

This is my recommended route. You can change whatever you like.

At a glance

Recommended length: 17 days (can be cut to 12 or extended to 22)
Style: fully arranged private trip, from 1 traveller
Start date: any day you choose
Transport: high-speed trains with reserved seats, one domestic flight, private driver for the excursions and transfers; in Budget and Comfort the metro where it is faster
Indicative price, per person for 2 travellers, excluding the international flight: Budget from €1,720 · Comfort from €2,150 · Premium from €3,130
International flight: not included; allow approx. €600–880 pp, depending on the month
4 travellers together: about 14% less per person · solo traveller: about 65% supplement
Best months: April, May, September and October

Prices are indicative estimates and may change once quotes from local partners are in.

Important: visa-free travel in 2027 is not yet confirmed

Belgians can currently enter China visa-free for tourism for up to 30 days, but this is only confirmed until 31 December 2026. It has been extended year by year so far. Whether it continues into 2027 is not yet known. If it isn't extended, you'll need a tourist visa via the Chinese Visa Application Service Center in Brussels, which adds cost and paperwork. I'll tell you the status clearly at the intake conversation.

Best time to travel

Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) bring mild temperatures in most of the regions on this route. You pick your own start date, but it is wise to avoid Chinese public holidays: Labour Day (1–5 May) and Golden Week (1–7 October) mean sold-out trains and packed sites. Typhoon season from April to November can affect Guangxi, and Li River cruises are sometimes cancelled for high water in May to July.

Rows of terracotta soldiers in the main pit near Xi'an — The Terracotta Army in Xi'an

My recommended route and why it runs this way

Everything below is arranged for you in advance. In Budget and Comfort you take the Airport Express and Line 2 from Beijing airport to Beijing Railway Station (about 1 hour); in Premium your private driver meets you in the arrivals hall. You spend four nights in the capital: the hutongs, the Forbidden City, the Great Wall at Mutianyu with your driver, and a whole day at the Summer Palace, which is so big that a day flies by; in Budget and Comfort you get there by metro (Line 2 and Line 4 to Beigongmen), in Premium with your driver; if you still have time and energy at the end, you go on to the Temple of Heaven. A 4.5-hour high-speed train takes you to Xi'an, the start of the Silk Road, where in Budget and Comfort you take the metro (Line 2 to the Bell Tower, about 30 min) and in Premium a driver is waiting at the station. That evening you simply wander through the centre, past the illuminated Bell and Drum Towers and into the night market of the Muslim Quarter. The next day it's the Terracotta Army in the morning, cycling on the city wall in the afternoon and the fountain show at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda to finish; my tip is to stay there for dinner. From Xi'an to Guilin the train would take 10 hours, so this is the only domestic flight (about 2h15).

The Great Wall running over the hills at Mutianyu — The Great Wall at Mutianyu

From Guilin airport your driver goes straight on to Yangshuo (about 1h15), where you spend three nights. From there you cruise down the Li River from Mopanshan pier back to Yangshuo, then explore the Yulong River by electric scooter (I recommend it over a bicycle, because the lanes between the karst mountains go up and down) and go bamboo rafting. On the way back north you stop in Xingping and spend one night in Guilin: Elephant Trunk Hill, an evening boat through the Two Rivers and Four Lakes, and Reed Flute Cave the next morning. Then the train again: about 4 hours from Guilin North to Wuhan on the Yangtze (station to hotel by metro, Line 4 and Line 2, in Budget and Comfort; by car in Premium), where you visit the Yellow Crane Tower and take an evening cruise past the lit-up skyline, and 4.5 to 5 hours on to Shanghai. From Shanghai, Suzhou is only 30 minutes by train. On the last day the metro and the Maglev take you to Pudong airport, so you fly home without doubling back.

See the full day-by-day itinerary

Can you drive yourself in China?

No, and we don't offer it. A Belgian or international driving permit is not valid in China; you would need a temporary Chinese licence. Road signs and navigation are largely in Chinese only and the distances are huge. The high-speed train is faster and more comfortable, and a private driver covers everything outside the cities.

What I arrange for you

The Summer Palace with Kunming Lake in Beijing — The Summer Palace in Beijing

Named tickets. The Forbidden City, the Terracotta Army and major museums need named tickets booked with passport details, and train tickets only go on sale about 15 days ahead. You don't have to deal with any of it.
Pickups and transfers. In Chinese cities the metro is often the fastest and most efficient way to get around. So in Budget and Comfort you take the metro where it is convenient (Beijing airport, the Summer Palace, Xi'an and Wuhan stations); a driver handles the other transfers and excursions. In Premium you have a private driver, but you can choose the metro too: in China the metro is often faster. You get your driver's name and number plate in advance, metro directions for each leg and address cards in Chinese.
A guide if you want one. By default you travel without a guide, at your own pace. Prefer a guide? I can add a local guide to any activity, for instance at the Forbidden City or the Terracotta Army.
Preparation meeting. Before you leave we sit down together: I set up Alipay and WeChat Pay with you and explain how to handle an eSIM and a VPN, so you can pay and stay connected from day one.
Restaurants. Breakfast is included. For the other meals I give you my addresses, but you choose where you eat. No compulsory group dinners.
One point of contact. A personal intake conversation beforehand, a WhatsApp line with me before and during the trip (I'm reachable 24/7 by phone and WhatsApp from Belgium) and a call-back after you return.

Budget, Comfort or Premium

The programme is the same; the difference is in your hotels. Budget (from €1,720 pp) means simple, well-reviewed city hotels near the metro. Comfort (from €2,150 pp) means central 4-level hotels and a boutique hotel with a view in Yangshuo. Premium (from €3,130 pp) means 5 and boutique hotels in top locations, a resort among the karst peaks and 1st-class train seats. All are indicative prices per person for 2 travellers, excluding the international flight.

Practical tips

Visa (Belgian passport): visa-free for up to 30 days until 31 December 2026; 2027 depends on an extension. Your passport must be valid at least 6 months.
Health: no mandatory vaccinations. Routine vaccines and hepatitis A are recommended. Air pollution can be high in Beijing and Wuhan. See wanda.be or a travel clinic.
Money: almost everything is paid with Alipay or WeChat Pay, which you link to your own bank card; we set this up together in the preparation meeting. Bring some cash too.
Apps, eSIM and VPN: Google and WhatsApp don't work over the local internet without roaming via your home provider or an eSIM; I explain how to handle eSIMs and VPNs in the preparation meeting. A translation app is essential.
Flights and time: 10 to 11 hours direct, 13 to 16 with a connection. China is 6 hours ahead of Belgium in summer.

Travel advice

The Belgian FPS Foreign Affairs (update 28 May 2026) describes China as generally safe with the usual precautions. At the intake conversation I brief you on data privacy and political sensitivities; payments, eSIM and VPN follow in the preparation meeting. Read the latest advice on diplomatie.belgium.be.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa for China in 2027?

That's not yet known. Visa-free entry is confirmed until 31 December 2026. If it isn't extended, you'll need a tourist visa from the service centre in Brussels.

Does a guide travel with us the whole time?

No. This is a private trip at your own pace, without a guide by default. Each city has a private driver for transfers and excursions. You take the trains on your own, with reserved seats and clear instructions. A guide for one activity or for every day is possible at extra cost.

How do I pay in China?

Mostly with Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to your own bank card. We set it up together in a preparation meeting before you leave.

Why is there one domestic flight?

The train from Xi'an to Guilin takes about 10 hours, with only two or three trains a day. The flight saves a full day, and from Guilin airport you continue straight to Yangshuo. You see Guilin itself at the end, with one night there before the train to Wuhan.

Will the Li River cruise always go ahead?

Cruises can be cancelled for high water, mainly from May to July. In that case I find an alternative for you.

Can we change the route?

Yes. Drop Wuhan and fly from Guilin to Shanghai, add the Longji rice terraces or Hangzhou, swap Wuhan for Chengdu, or travel in the opposite direction.

Plan your trip

Interested? Plan an intake call via the interest list or email info@steennot-travels.be. Before we start selling trips, we take out the legally required insurance against financial insolvency. Prices remain indicative until then.

Sources

Last updated: 21 October 2026. Prices are indicative estimates and may change.