5 days · China itinerary
Shanghai in 5 days
Three city days plus room for one Delta HSR outing and a spare buffer — still editorial pacing, not live trains.
- 5 days
- Shanghai
- 2 cities
- city + optional day trip
An independent planning outline, not a booked package. Plan your accommodation and confirm current admission and transport arrangements.
Cities and connections
Day by day
Day 1
Bund and Pudong skyline views
- Main activity
- Bund and Pudong skyline views
Plan your visit
The Bund: The Bund (外滩) is a viewpoint stop in Shanghai. Waterfront promenade facing Pudong’s skyline. Best at dusk for skyline light.
Visit timing
About 1.5 hours on site (catalog estimate; travel and queues extra).
Use the city guide to plan travel between sights.
Admission & reservations
Check current admission and opening hours in the linked attraction guides.
Useful guides
Day 2
Yu Garden morning + old-city pace
- Main activity
- Yu Garden morning + old-city pace
Plan your visit
Yu Garden: Yu Garden (豫园) is a heritage stop in Shanghai. Ming-era garden complex beside Old City bazaars. Crowds peak midday; early entry is calmer.
Visit timing
About 2 hours on site (catalog estimate; travel and queues extra).
Use the city guide to plan travel between sights.
Admission & reservations
Check current admission and opening hours in the linked attraction guides.
Useful guides
Day 3
French Concession full day
- Main activity
- French Concession full day
Plan your visit
Former French Concession: Former French Concession (法租界) is a neighborhood stop in Shanghai. Tree-lined streets, cafés, and heritage villas in central Shanghai. Wander rather than checklist — Wukang Road and side lanes reward unhurried walks.
Visit timing
About 3 hours on site (catalog estimate; travel and queues extra).
Use the city guide to plan travel between sights.
Admission & reservations
Check current admission and opening hours in the linked attraction guides.
Local planning notes
- Unhurried neighborhood time; Xuhui tree streets if you want a quieter stretch.
Day 4
Optional HSR day trip — Hangzhou or Suzhou
- Main activity
- Optional HSR day trip — Hangzhou or Suzhou
Pick one corridor. Hangzhou West Lake or Suzhou gardens — not both same day. Demo catalog bands only; verify 12306.
Intercity travel
Shanghai → Hangzhou (HSR) · Indicative: Demo estimate: ~1 hour
Check your station, departure time and onward transfer.
Day 5
Buffer morning + station discipline
- Main activity
- Buffer morning + station discipline
Match Hongqiao vs Shanghai Railway Station to the ticket. Use Yangtze Delta guide for overnight vs same-day logic.
Useful guides
Where to stay
If staying overnight, compare neighbourhoods near your main sights and transport. Day trips may not need a hotel; no fixed number of nights is assumed.
Shanghai
Huangpu: Huangpu puts you near the Bund and Yu Garden with dense metro links — classic first-night location for short Shanghai stopovers.
Xuhui: Leafy Xuhui suits travelers who want cafés and quieter evenings after Bund sightseeing days.
Hangzhou
West Lake: Lakeside and lakeside-metro belts suit weekend visitors arriving from Shanghai HSR.
Trains and transfers
Rail connections mentioned in the itinerary require separate tickets. Confirm whether an optional trip suits your dates; catalog timings are only estimates.
Shanghai → Hangzhou (HSR)
Short Yangtze Delta hop popular for West Lake weekends. Demo duration and fare bands only — confirm live on official channels.
Budget
Costs to plan
- Accommodation if staying overnight (confirm the number of nights)
- Meals, local transport and optional excursions
- Admission for the attractions listed on each day
- Train tickets and transfers for 1 published corridor
What's included on this page
- Suggested daily activities and catalog visit-length estimates
- Links to verified ticket tariffs when the site has them
- Hotel-area orientation and published route guides
- No booking service, live availability or package total
Prices vary by travel date and provider. Only sourced admission prices are quoted within the relevant day cards; other costs are not assumed to be zero.
Before you go
Common questions
Is this a booked tour?
No. This is an editorial itinerary outline. You book travel and admissions independently.
Are the listed travel times and prices live?
No. Rail timings in the catalog are indicative. Confirm schedules, admission and fares for your specific dates.
How many hotel nights do I need?
That depends on when you arrive and leave. The itinerary counts calendar days, not a fixed number of hotel nights.
Sources and updates
This route uses ChinaTravelChina's destination and attraction catalog. Confirm current admission, opening hours and train information on official channels. Dated ticket sources apply only to the named attractions.