Most first-time visitors think China is hard to enter and hard to organize. In 2026 it's actually neither. Citizens of 57 countries can now enter for 240 hours (10 days) of visa-free transit through 65 ports across 24 provinces — up from the old 72-hour window — and more than 40 countries enjoy unilateral visa-free entry extended to the end of 2026. This itinerary uses that window to cover the three classic first-trip cities: Beijing, Xi'an and Chengdu.
【中文】大多数第一次来中国的游客以为入境难、安排难。2026年其实都不难：57国公民现在可以凭"240小时过境免签"（10天）通过24个省的65个口岸入境——比原来72小时长得多；另有40多国享受单边免签、延长到2026年底。这条路线就用这个窗口，玩遍三大经典首访城市：北京、西安、成都。1. Do you even need a visa?
If you hold a passport from one of the 57 qualifying countries (most of Europe, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and more), you can enter visa-free for up to 240 hours if you arrive from abroad and depart abroad via a China port — you're just transiting through. You don't need a connecting flight: you can fly in, spend 10 days, and fly out to a third country. Arrival by cruise at qualifying ports works too.
【中文】如果你持57个合格国家的护照（大部分欧洲、美国、加拿大、澳大利亚、新西兰、日本、韩国等），可免签入境最多240小时——前提是从国外入境、再从中国口岸出境到国外（即"过境"）。不需要联程航班：飞进来、玩10天、再飞去第三个国家即可。从合格口岸乘邮轮抵达也行。
Check your exact eligibility before you book: the 240-hour rule applies to citizens of listed countries, and your entry and exit must both be at eligible ports. For those who need a visa, the L (tourist) visa application is straightforward at most consulates.
【中文】订票前先确认你护照的具体资格：240小时规则只适用于名单所列国家的公民，且入境和出境都必须在合格口岸。需要签证的游客，L（旅游）签在多数领事馆申请都很简单。2. The 7-day route that actually works
Beijing → (high-speed rail) → Xi'an → (high-speed rail) → Chengdu, then fly out from Chengdu. This keeps each leg to 2–6 hours by train and gives you the three most iconic experiences: the Great Wall, the Terracotta Army, and giant pandas.
【中文】北京→（高铁）→西安→（高铁）→成都，最后从成都飞走。每段高铁2–6小时，一次集齐三大标志体验：长城、兵马俑、大熊猫。Days 1–3 · Beijing
Day 1: Forbidden City and Tiananmen (book the Palace Museum slot days ahead). Day 2: Great Wall — choose Mutianyu for a quieter walk or Badaling for the classic cable car. Day 3: Temple of Heaven and a hutong walk; catch an evening show if you have the energy.
【中文】第1天：故宫和天安门（故宫门票要提前几天约）。第2天：长城——选慕田峪更清净，或八达岭坐缆车经典。第3天：天坛和胡同漫步；有精力晚上看场演出。
Days 3–5 · Xi'an
Take the evening high-speed train from Beijing (about 4.5 hours). Day 4: Terracotta Army in the morning — it's 40 minutes out of town, go early. Day 5: Xi'an City Wall bike ride and the Muslim Quarter food street in the evening.
【中文】晚上从北京坐高铁到西安（约4.5小时）。第4天：上午看兵马俑——在城外40分钟车程，早去。第5天：西安城墙上骑自行车，晚上逛回民街美食街。
Days 5–7 · Chengdu
Train to Chengdu (about 3 hours). Day 6: Giant Panda Base in the morning — arrive at opening time before the pandas nap. Afternoon: People's Park teahouse. Day 7: a proper Sichuan hotpot for lunch, then fly out that evening.
【中文】坐高铁到成都（约3小时）。第6天：上午去大熊猫基地——赶在开门时去，趁熊猫还没午睡。下午：人民公园茶馆。第7天：中午吃顿正宗四川火锅，晚上飞走。3. What it really costs (2026)
A comfortable, mid-range first trip runs about ¥700–1,100 per person per day including hotels, transport and food — roughly $95–155 USD. Budget travelers can trim that to ¥450–600/day; luxury stays push it well above ¥2,000/day. Here's the honest breakdown:
【中文】一次舒适的中档首访之旅约每人每天¥700–1100（约$95–155美元），含酒店、交通、餐饮。背包客可压到¥450–600/天；豪华游轻松超过¥2000/天。真实明细如下：| Item 【中文】项目 | 2026 typical 【中文】典型价格 | Notes 【中文】备注 |
|---|---|---|
| Hostel / economy hotel 【青旅/经济酒店】 | ¥150–300 / night | Per person, twin or dorm 【每人/标间或床位】 |
| Mid-range hotel 【中档酒店】 | ¥350–600 / night | Per room, city center 【每间/市区】 |
| High-speed rail 【高铁】 | ¥550–700 / long leg | Beijing–Xi'an–Chengdu 【每段长途】 |
| Domestic flight 【国内机票】 | ¥600–1,200 | Chengdu outbound 【成都出港】 |
| Meals 【餐饮】 | ¥60–150 / day | Street food to nice dinners 【小吃到好餐厅】 |
| Attraction tickets 【门票】 | ¥60–120 / site | Forbidden City, Great Wall, warriors 【故宫/长城/兵马俑】 |
| Panda Base 【熊猫基地】 | ¥55 | Book the morning slot 【约早上时段】 |
Ad slot — Media.net / Google AdSense
【中文】广告位：流量起来后这里投放海外广告（Media.net/AdSense），与正文明显区分
The biggest surprise for most visitors is that transport and tickets are far cheaper than in the West — it's the mid-range hotels and international flights that eat the budget.
【中文】多数游客最大的意外是：中国交通和门票远比欧美便宜——真正花大头的是中档酒店和国际机票。4. Set up before you fly
Payments: Alipay and WeChat Pay accept foreign cards now — link your card, and you can pay for almost everything by QR code, including taxis and street vendors. Have a little cash as backup for tiny shops. Connectivity: grab an eSIM before you land so maps and translation work from minute one.
【中文】支付：支付宝和微信现在都能绑外国卡，绑定后几乎一切都能扫码付（含出租车、路边摊）。备少量现金给小店。网络：落地前买个eSIM，地图和翻译一秒就通。Bottom line
Seven days is enough to see the three icons without rushing. With visa-free entry now running 240 hours, the biggest barrier to a first China trip has basically disappeared — the rest is just booking hotels, trains and a few tickets.
【中文】七天足够从容看完三大标志景点。如今免签窗口拉长到240小时，第一次来中国最大的门槛基本消失了——剩下的只是订酒店、订火车、订几张票而已。