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Shanghai - Xian - Chengdu
Nov 3, 2005 07:19
  • CLARENCE
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Hi Im from Singapore and I will be backpacking in China for 15 days from the 4th to 19th December. Would appreciate if you guys will advise me on my planned iternary that starts from Shanghai and ending up in Chengdu.

Since I had booked a returned air tix to Shanghai, I will have no choice but to make my way back to Shanghai to catch the plane back home. I also intend to use trains as my main transportation tool when I travel from places to places.

1. Please advise if this is good, or maybe there are better transportation like buses?

I will reach Shanghai in the morning on the 4th and I think I will spend a day or 2 travelling around Shanghai. After that I am interested to go to Hangzhou, Suzhou and Nanjing. Im interested to take a look at Zhou Zhuang in Suzhou, and in Hangzhou, I would like to see the mansoleum of Yuefei, West lake, and some pagodas. For Nanjing, the memorial hall of the Nanjing Massacre is my top priority.

2. Which one should I go first from Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou or Nanjing?

3. Is it necessary to spend a night in Suzhou or just travel back to Shanghai after seeing Suzhou?

4. What about for the other 2 places, Hangzhou and Nanjing?

After all these, I will take a train to Xian, where I will spend about 3 days walking around the area.

My next stop is Chengdu, with JiuZhaiGou my top priority.

5. Is it correct for me to plan it in such a way that i need to stay 1 day in Songpan, travel to JZG the next morning, stay 1 night there, and enter the reserves for a full day?

6. Can I travel straight back to Chengdu from JZG? How long will it take? Or I have to still make Songpan my transition stop?

I guess that's all for now. Would really appreciate if you seasoned travellers would give your views on this, or am I too ambitious? hahaha

Right now the problem is I cannot really plan how long to stay in each place due to the limitation of my flight back to Singapore, and I have very vague ideas on the transportation time from places to places.

Thanks alot!

Clarence
Nov 3, 2005 19:09
#1  
  • RITA
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>1...or maybe there are better transportation like buses?

Taking train to travel is fine, at least better and more secure than taking busses, long distance busses especially those involve night drive are not safe.

2. Which one should I go first from Shanghai,...?

Suzhou and Zhouzhuang are very close to Shanghai, say, within one hour's train ride. Hangzhou is a little bit farther. It depends on your schedule on how long you would stay in those small places, if you stay at least one night respectively, traveling from Shanghai - Nanjing - Hangzhou - Suzhou - Zhouzhuang - Shanghai will be just fine.

>3. Is it necessary to spend a night in Suzhou ...?

The double-way train fare between Shanghai and suzhou is about 44 yuan. The whole daytime in Suzhou is enough, but staying in Suzhou might be cheaper if that is one of your concern.

>4. What about for the other 2 places, Hangzhou and Nanjing?

If you are just interested in the survival sightseeing spots and not care about approaching the daily life or the local culture, Hanzhou and Nanjing is worthwhile for one day.

>5. I am sorry, there are people in this forum have much experience in this area, like Jabarootoo. ;-)

>6. Can I travel straight back to Chengdu from JZG?

If I were you, I would choose flight for this section.

Have a nice trip~!
Nov 3, 2005 19:47
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  • SEAGULL
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Comments to :
5. I believe Maoxian is a better option than Songpan. It is about half the distance to JZG from CD. But then if you can bear the journey of 16-18 hours from CD to JZG then you can perhaps stay overnight at JZG.

6. I agree with Rita on the flight from JZG to CD. The flight is about 1.5 hour. By coach it could easily take you 12 hours or more.
Nov 3, 2005 20:40
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  • ELLYSE
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Hey, I'm also from Singapore but right now I'm studying in Shanghai. :)
Here's my recommendation on your itinerary:
Shanghai (2 days)
Nanjing (2 days)
Suzhou (1 day)
Hangzhou (2 days)
Xitang (1.5 days)
Shanghai (1.5 days)
Xi'an (2 days)
And then on to wherever you want to go from there... but I think you might have to skip a few places if there's not enough time. I suggest going to Xitang instead of Zhouzhuang as the latter is quite horribly over-touristed.
You can take a train from Shanghai to Nanjing, then a train to Suzhou, overnight ferry from Suzhou to Hangzhou, then train+bus to Xitang, train/bus to Shanghai and then train to Xi'an. I'll be happy to help you get tickets etc or whatever... feel free to ask me questions/message me if you need more info.
Nov 5, 2005 21:25
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  • CLARENCE
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Thank you so much for giving your comments on my questions! I will take into consideration of all the advises, though budget is a huge constraint on my part :P

Ellyse: Thanks for the offer, but my friends in Shanghai will help me book the tickets already! maybe we can meet up in Shanghai? Will let you know again! Thanks again!
Nov 6, 2005 00:03
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  • ELLYSE
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I'll be happy to meet up here, sure. Let me know if you want help checking up the trains. I've done so much train ticket buying that I'm a pro at this already. Are your friends here local or...?
Nov 14, 2005 10:32
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  • NEWBIRD
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hello :)

Do note that in some cities, it is not very easy to get hold of train tickets (esp sleepers) if you did not book/buy in advance. Since you will be going to Chengdu, arent you going to visit Emeishan or Leshan?
May 7, 2010 17:50
#7  
GUEST92114 Hi! Need advice in planning my trip from Xian to Chengdu as we have about 8 days .

1. Any interesting place to stop from Xian to Chengdu/

2. How many day and what are the interesting place in Xian/

3. We plan to take a train as a mode of transpotation, it is easy to get tikcet?

Thanks
May 12, 2010 22:51
#8  
  • ELLYSE
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1) and 2) What would you consider interesting?
3) When are you travelling? How many of you are there?
Aug 24, 2010 22:54
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GUESTNIKORN August 25, 2010
Hi,
I am planning a backpacked tour of Chengdu-Xian-Yichang-Chongqing-Chengdu. As soon as I fly into Chengdu, is there a direct long distance bus from Chengdu to Xian, and what is its fare time?

Aug 24, 2010 23:12
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  • BAKUI
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Quote:

Originally Posted by GUESTNIKORN

August 25, 2010
Hi,
I am planning a backpacked tour of Chengdu-Xian-Yichang-Chongqing-Chengdu. As soon as I fly into Chengdu, is there a direct long distance bus from Chengdu to Xian, and what is its fare time?



I cannot find a direct bus from Chengdu to Xian. Maybe you can go there by train.
[tcgurl=http://www.travelchinaguide.com/china-trains/display.asp?tp=1&to1=xian&from1=chengdu&tstop=&trainno1=]Chengdu-Xian Trains[/tcgurl]
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