10 Days in China on a Budget 2026: ¥300/Day Complete Itinerary

This is a real budget itinerary for China — one that covers four of the country’s best cities, hits the major highlights, and keeps daily spending at or under ¥300 per person per day. That’s a target, not a guarantee, and some days will be higher (the Terracotta Warriors and the Great Wall are worth their entry fees). The point is that this itinerary is genuinely achievable without either missing the best of China or suffering unnecessarily.

The route: Beijing (3 nights) → Xi’an (2 nights) → Chengdu (3 nights) → Chongqing (2 nights, overnight train out).

Table of contents

Before You Go: Booking the Trains

Book these trains as early as possible — at least 2-3 weeks ahead for travel in peak season (May, October):

1. Beijing to Xi’an: High-speed G-train (~5 hours, ¥540-620 second class). Alternatively, an overnight sleeper K-train (~12 hours, hard sleeper ¥270-320 — saves one night of accommodation). If on a tight budget, take the overnight.

2. Xi’an to Chengdu: High-speed D-train or G-train (~3-4 hours, ¥260-350 second class).

3. Chengdu to Chongqing: High-speed (1.5 hours, ¥134 second class). Easy connection.

4. Chongqing to wherever next: Overnight sleeper to Beijing (¥380-440 hard sleeper, 24 hours) or flight options.

Book via: Trip.com (formerly Ctrip) — the English-language interface works for foreigners booking trains in China. Or use the 12306.cn official system with a Chinese bank card.

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Days 1-3: Beijing

Accommodation: Stay in a hostel in the Drum Tower (鼓楼) area or Houhai — good location, excellent hostel scene. Budget: ¥80-100 for a dorm bed.

Day 1: Arrival + Temple of Heaven area

• Arrive, check in, sort Alipay and SIM card
• Afternoon: Temple of Heaven Park (park entry free, inner buildings ¥15-34) — walk the formal axis from the south gate
• Evening: walk to Tian’anmen Square (free), view Forbidden City exterior
• Dinner: Wangfujing snack street for the spectacle but eat at the less-touristy side streets nearby — Beijing jianbing (¥10-12)
• Day budget: ~¥200 (accommodation + food + transport)

Day 2: Forbidden City + Jingshan + Hutongs

• Morning: Forbidden City (¥60, book online at guim.com.cn)
• After: Jingshan Park (¥2) for the rooftop overview
• Afternoon: Walk through Nanluoguxiang hutong and Drum Tower area — free exploration
• Evening: Dinner at a local noodle house in Drum Tower area (¥20-30 for a bowl)
• Day budget: ~¥250 (Forbidden City + food)

Day 3: Great Wall The budget choice here is Mutianyu section — accessible by bus 916 from Dongzhimen bus station (¥15) + connecting mini-bus (¥25). Entry ¥40, cable car up ¥40 (optional — you can hike up for free). This is a ¥130-180 day including transport, significantly cheaper than the ¥400+ day-tour packages from hostels.

• Day budget: ~¥280-320

Days 4-5: Xi’an

Train: Beijing to Xi’an overnight K-train (depart ~9pm, arrive ~8am) — ¥270-320 hard sleeper. This saves the cost of a Beijing night’s accommodation.

Accommodation: Stay in the Muslim Quarter area or inside the city wall. Budget hostels from ¥70-90 for dorms.

Day 4: City Wall + Muslim Quarter

• Morning: Big Wild Goose Pagoda area (free to walk the park; pagoda ¥50 to enter)
• Afternoon: Rent a bicycle on the Ancient City Wall (¥54 entry + ¥45 for 100-minute bike rental) — cycling the complete 13.7km circuit takes about 90 minutes
• Evening: Wander the Muslim Quarter (回民街) — sample free-to-taste items, buy rou jia mo (肉夹馍, ¥8-12), biangbiang noodles (¥15-18), and lamb skewers (¥3-5 each)
• Day budget: ~¥250-280

Day 5: Terracotta Warriors

• The entry is ¥120 per person. Non-negotiable, and entirely worth it.
• Take Bus 306 from Xi’an Railway Station (¥7) or a combined tourist bus (¥10-12 including return)
• Hiring a private guide at the site is highly recommended (¥150-200 for a 2-hour guided tour) — transforms the experience
• Return to Xi’an, evening train to Chengdu (book in advance, ~¥260-350)
• Day budget: ~¥350-380 (the most expensive day of the trip)

Days 6-8: Chengdu

Accommodation: Chengdu has an excellent hostel scene — Traffic Hotel (翻盘客栈) and Flip Flop Hostel are both well-established. Dorms ¥60-90.

Day 6: Panda Base + Jinsha Museum

• Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (¥90) — arrive before 9am for the most active pandas
• Afternoon: Jinsha Ruins Site Museum (¥80) — fascinating Bronze Age archaeological finds, rarely crowded
• Evening: Hotpot dinner — a local restaurant near Yulin area (not the tourist street) costs ¥60-80 per person with drinks
• Day budget: ~¥280-320

Day 7: Wuhou Shrine + Jinli + Evening Sichuan Opera

• Wuhou Shrine (武侯祠, ¥50) — the Three Kingdoms memorial site attached to the atmospheric Jinli old street
• Jinli Street (free to walk) — snack street with Sichuan specialties
• Afternoon: Walk to Chunxi Road shopping area — free people-watching
• Evening: Sichuan face-changing opera performance at one of the teahouses — ¥100-200 per person for a full show with tea
• Day budget: ~¥280-320

Day 8: Le Shan Giant Buddha Day Trip

• High-speed train from Chengdu to Leshan (¥34, 45 minutes) + return
• Entrance fee: ¥90 (for the full boat + walk-down circuit)
• The 71-metre stone Buddha carved into a cliff face — genuinely extraordinary in scale. The queue to descend the steps can be 1-2 hours; arrive early
• Return to Chengdu, evening at leisure
• Day budget: ~¥220-260

Days 9-10: Chongqing

Train: Chengdu to Chongqing high-speed (¥134, 1.5 hours).

Accommodation: Stay in the Jiefangbei or Nanbin Road areas — budget hostels from ¥70-90.

Day 9: Hongya Cave + Cable Car + Hot Pot

• Hongya Cave (洪崖洞) — the stacked riverside building complex, free to enter, spectacular at night
• Yangtze River cable car (¥10 each way) — 2-minute crossing with city views
• Evening: Authentic Chongqing hot pot — this is the original, more intensely spiced than Sichuan; a good local restaurant costs ¥60-90 per person
• Day budget: ~¥220-260

Day 10: Eling Park + Departure

• Morning: Eling Park (鹅岭公园, free) for city panorama views
• Optional: Ciqikou Ancient Town (磁器口, free to enter) for morning atmosphere and fried glutinous rice snacks
• Afternoon: Depart (airport or overnight train to next destination)
• Day budget: ~¥150-200

Budget Summary

Grand total: ¥3,170-4,100 for 10 days — roughly ¥317-410 per day.

The ¥300/day target requires modest accommodation (dorms throughout), eating local food for all meals, and using public transport rather than taxis. It’s achievable, and the experience you have for that budget is genuinely extraordinary.