china itinerary/travel between locations

Question

hello all,

First, thanks in advance for any help.

so i've been planning this long trip (7+ weeks) for months but recently changed the order to make travel between locations easier. The itinerary is below and the travel is going to be:

beijing to hong kong - flight

hong kong to shanghai - flight

shanghai to zhangjiajie - flight

zhangjiaje to xi'an - flight

xi'an to chengdu - train

chengdu to chongqing - train

chongqing to yichang - yangtze cruise

yichang to guilin - very long day of train travel - around 7 hours

guilin to kunming - semi long day of train travel - 4-7 hours

shangrila - flight home (with transfers)

The main problem is Yichang in that it doesn't have the best transportation options. Can anyone think of a way to rearrange to make the travel easier? I couldn't figure out how myself. Originally i had yichang to zhangjiajie and later zhangjiajie to kunming but those two didn't have the best connections so i instead sandwiched zhangjiajie between xi'an and shanghai where there are direct flights. Anyway, any suggestions greatly appreciated. I also included the dates in the itinerary below so you can see if the time of year fits the location.

Finally, and this might need a new thread, what major tourist attractions in China require advance booking? I know it's a general/vague question but I am mainly interested in the main tourist sites (great wall, forbidden temple, tiananmen square in beijing, terracotta warriors in xi'an, pandas in chengdu, etc.).

April 24 Thursday flight in

April 25 Friday Beijing

April 26 Saturday Beijing

April 27 Sunday Beijing

April 28 Monday Beijing to HK

April 29 Tuesday HK

April 30 Wednesday HK

May 1 Thursday HK

May 2 Friday HK to shanghai

May 3 Saturday Shanghai

May 4 Sunday Shanghai

May 5 Monday Shanghai

May 6 Tuesday Shanghai to zhangjiajie

May 7 Wednesday zhangjiajie

May 8 Thursday zhangjiajie

May 9 Friday Tianmen mountain to xian

May 10 Saturday xian

May 11 Sunday xian

May 12 Monday Xian to chengdu

May 13 Tuesday Chengdu

May 14 Wednesday Chengdu to chongqing night 1

May 15 Thursday Yangtze night 2

May 16 Friday Yangtze night 3

May 17 Saturday Yichang to guilin

May 18 Sunday Yangshuo

May 19 Monday Yangshuo

May 20 Tuesday Yangshuo to guilin

May 21 Wednesday Guilin to kunming

May 22 Thursday Kunming – stone forest

May 23 Friday Kunming to dali

May 24 Saturday Dali to lijiang via shaxi

May 25 Sunday Lijiang

May 26 Monday Lijiang to leaping

May 27 Tuesday Leaping gorge

May 28 Wednesday Leaping gorge to shangrila

May 29 Thursday Shangrila

May 30 Friday flight out Shangrila

Answer

Your itinerary is ambitious but well-structured in terms of seeing a lot of China in 7+ weeks. You’ve already optimized many of the long-distance legs by using flights where train connections are limited. The main challenge you highlighted—Yichang—is understandable because it’s a smaller city with limited transport options, especially for connecting to Guilin.

Here are some suggestions to make travel easier:

Yichang to Guilin: The train takes around 7 hours, as you noted. An alternative is to consider a flight from Yichang to Guilin via Wuhan, which may be faster and more comfortable, though it may involve a layover. Checking low-cost domestic carriers like China Southern or China Eastern could help.
Yangtze Cruise Timing: Since the cruise originates from Chongqing and ends in Yichang, your schedule is already logical. To reduce transit strain, consider taking the overnight train from Chongqing to Yichang the night before the cruise ends if possible, but this depends on availability.
Zhangjiajie Placement: You’ve correctly placed it between Shanghai and Xi’an for direct flights. Another option, if you wanted to reduce flights, would have been Guilin → Zhangjiajie, but you already noted the connection is limited. Your current plan is more practical.
Guilin to Kunming: Train takes 4–7 hours. This is reasonable; you could also check high-speed train options to reduce time.

Overall, your current sequence (Beijing → Hong Kong → Shanghai → Zhangjiajie → Xi’an → Chengdu → Chongqing → Yangtze Cruise → Yichang → Guilin → Kunming → Shangrila) is already optimized for transport efficiency given available connections.

Regarding major tourist attractions requiring advance booking:

Beijing: Forbidden City (pre-booking strongly recommended online), Great Wall sections like Mutianyu or Badaling may require tickets during peak seasons, Tiananmen Square usually doesn’t require booking.
Xian: Terracotta Warriors – tickets are available on-site but pre-booking can save time and secure entry, especially during peak tourist periods.
Chengdu: Panda Base – tickets can usually be purchased on arrival, but pre-booking online can avoid long lines in spring.
Shanghai: Bund area and Nanjing Road – no advance booking required, while attractions like Shanghai Tower or museums are better booked in advance online.
Other Scenic Spots: Huangshan (Yellow Mountain), Longji/ Yuanyang rice terraces, and Lijiang Old Town – tickets are typically available at entrances, but booking hotels or guided tours in advance is recommended for peak months.

Other tips:

Use domestic airlines for the longest legs to save time and reduce fatigue.
High-speed trains are very convenient for mid-range distances like Xi’an → Chengdu or Chengdu → Chongqing.
Always check flight/train schedules a few weeks before travel, as schedules can change.
For popular attractions, booking in advance helps ensure entry without long queues, especially during May, which can be busy due to public holidays in China.

In conclusion, your itinerary is already very efficiently arranged. The only tricky part is Yichang to Guilin; considering a flight with a short connection via Wuhan could be a smoother alternative to the long train ride. Advance bookings for major attractions like Forbidden City, Terracotta Warriors, and Huangshan are advisable to save time.

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