How much does it cost?

From £3,999 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $5,402 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is this an escorted or independent tour?

This is a fully escorted tour. A UK Tour Manager accompanies the group from start to finish, and local English-speaking guides join in each city. All excursions and internal transport are organised.

What accommodation is provided?

The tour includes 10 nights in four and five-star hotels (Peace Hotel Beijing 3 nights, Grand Mercure Renmin Square Xi'an 2 nights, Xi Zang Hotel Chengdu 2 nights, Pullman Shanghai Jing'an 3 nights) and 3 nights on the five-star Century Glory cruise ship on the Yangtze River.

When does this tour run?

Great Rail Journeys operates 10 departures across 2026 and 2027, in March, April, May, August, September, October, and November.

What meals are included?

Breakfast is included every day. Great Rail Journeys also includes 10 lunches and 9 dinners, including a dumpling banquet in Xi'an, Peking duck dinner in Beijing, Sichuan specialities in Chengdu, and a farewell dinner in Shanghai.

Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

Treasures of China & Yangtze River Cruise

15-day escorted rail and cruise tour through Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, and Yangtze River

Great Rail Journeys' 15-day Treasures of China and Yangtze River Cruise departs London Heathrow and travels through China's imperial heartland and modern metropolises, ending near Shanghai. A UK Tour Manager and local guides accompany the entire escorted group. The journey spans four high-speed rail segments connecting Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, and Chongqing, interspersed with three-night stays in four and five-star hotels. The centrepiece is a three-night luxury cruise aboard the five-star Century Glory through the Yangtze River gorges. Days combine structured guided tours (the Forbidden City, Terracotta Army, Chengdu pandas, the Three Gorges Dam) with some free time in Shanghai and Beijing. Meals, internal transport, flights, and all excursions are included. This suits history enthusiasts, repeat rail travellers seeking five-star comfort, and guided explorers who prefer an organised itinerary with expert-led discovery of ancient sites and modern engineering alongside time to rest in quality hotels.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has risen £200 since 4 Jul, to £3,999.

Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. 3 of 5 points are a live read of the operator's page. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.

What to know before you look closer

Single supplement is GBP 1,100 (priceSingleFrom 4,899 vs priceFrom 3,799), which is 29% of the double-occupancy rate.
China visa must be applied for in person at a China Visa Centre; this is not included and requires separate handling before travel.
Three optional shore excursions on the Yangtze (Fengdu Ghost City, White Emperor City, and War Fire of the Three Kingdoms show) are payable locally and not included in the tour price.
Group size reaches up to 40 travellers.

Day by day

Day 1overnight: In flight
Overnight flight to China's capital
Meeting the Tour Manager at London Heathrow, we board an overnight flight to Beijing via Hong Kong. Note: on the 27 March, 10 April and 15 May departures, the flight routes via Munich instead.
Day 2overnight: Beijing
Free time on arrival in Beijing
Arriving in Beijing, we are met by a local English-speaking guide and transfer to our central four-star hotel near Wangfujing Street. The rest of the day is free to relax or explore. We get to know one another over our first dinner together.
Meals: Dinner
Day 3overnight: Beijing
Walking along the Great Wall of China
We travel to Mutianyu to admire a restored section of the Great Wall, taking a cable car up and walking the parapets. On our way back to Beijing we stop for lunch, and in the evening we dine at a Peking duck restaurant.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4overnight: Beijing
Exploring Beijing and the iconic Forbidden City
A guided tour beginning at Tiananmen Square, continuing into the Forbidden City's palaces and gardens, and after lunch a visit to the 15th-century Temple of Heaven. The evening is free to dine independently.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 5railovernight: Xi'an
From imperial Beijing to the Silk Road city of Xi'an by rail
A high-speed First Class train journey of 750 miles from Beijing to Xi'an in a little over five and a half hours, passing Shijiazhuang and Zhengzhou. After checking in to our hotel, we enjoy a dumpling banquet for dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6overnight: Xi'an
Ancient Xi'an and the jaw-dropping Terracotta Army
A visit to the Terracotta Army, discovered in 1974, featuring more than 8,000 sculptures. After lunch, we explore the Muslim Quarter and the Great Mosque within the Ming Dynasty city walls.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 7railovernight: Chengdu
Tang Dynasty Xi'an and to Chengdu by rail
A relaxed morning before transferring to the railway station for a high-speed train to Chengdu, with a picnic lunch onboard, for a two-night stay at the city's oldest five-star hotel. We enjoy a dinner of Sichuan specialities in the hotel restaurant.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8overnight: Chengdu
Chengdu's pandas and historic temples
A visit to the Panda Research Centre, founded in 1987, followed by lunch and a visit to the Buddhist Wenshu Temple and the historic Jinli Street. The rest of the day is free.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 9railovernight: Onboard cruise ship
Morning tea ceremony and boarding our Yangtze cruise ship
A visit to a teahouse in People's Park, then a high-speed train to Chongqing after lunch, followed by dinner at a local restaurant before boarding our cruise ship for a three-night sailing towards Yichang.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10overnight: Onboard cruise ship
The verdant hills of Shuanggui Mountain National Park
An optional tai chi lesson before breakfast, then a shore excursion to Shuanggui Hill National Forest Park, with an optional excursion to Fengdu Ghost City (payable locally). An optional War Fire of the Three Kingdoms show is available in the evening (payable locally).
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11overnight: Onboard cruise ship
Marvelling at the Yangtze's breathtaking gorges
An optional excursion to White Emperor City (payable locally), then sailing through the Qutang and Wu Gorges and an afternoon excursion along the Shennong Stream. A captain's farewell banquet and cabaret show round off the evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 12railovernight: Shanghai
The incredible Three Gorges Dam and to Shanghai by rail
Docking in Maoping, we visit the Three Gorges Dam before transferring to Yichang station for a high-speed train to Shanghai, with a picnic dinner on arrival at our five-star hotel near East Nanjing Road.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 13overnight: Shanghai
Exploring the ancient water town of Zhujiajiao
A guided tour of the canal town of Zhujiajiao, followed by a visit to a silk mill and the Garden of Cultivation, and a scenic canal cruise. The evening is free to dine independently in Shanghai.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 14overnight: Shanghai
Tradition and history in China's biggest city
A guided tour of Shanghai's old city, including Yu Garden and the Yuyuan marketplace, free time for lunch in the French Concession, and a visit to the Bund. A farewell dinner is followed by a cruise along the Huangpu River.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 15rail
Homeward bound
After breakfast, we board the Maglev train to Shanghai airport, reaching speeds of more than 265mph, before boarding a flight to London via Hong Kong. Note: on the 27 March, 10 April and 15 May departures, the return flight routes via Frankfurt instead.
Meals: Breakfast

The moments this trip is built around

Day 3Cable car ascent and walking along the restored Great Wall at Mutianyu, exploring towers and parapets.
Day 6Visit to the Terracotta Army in Xi'an, viewing over 8,000 sculptures.
Day 8Morning visit to the Chengdu Panda Research Centre to observe giant panda cubs.
Day 11Sailing through the Qutang and Wu Gorges on the Yangtze River, followed by an afternoon excursion along Shennong Stream.
Day 15Maglev train ride at 265mph or more from Shanghai city to the airport.

Included

Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
10 nights' 4 & 5-Star hotel accommodation
3-night cruise onboard Century Glory
First & Standard Class rail travel
All rail, cruise and coach travel throughout your tour
Flights from London Heathrow to Beijing via Hong Kong or Munich, Shanghai to London Heathrow via Hong Kong or Frankfurt
All internal flights
Breakfast each day, 10 lunches and 9 dinners
All guided tours and excursions

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £3,999 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $5,402 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is this an escorted or independent tour?: This is a fully escorted tour. A UK Tour Manager accompanies the group from start to finish, and local English-speaking guides join in each city. All excursions and internal transport are organised.
What accommodation is provided?: The tour includes 10 nights in four and five-star hotels (Peace Hotel Beijing 3 nights, Grand Mercure Renmin Square Xi'an 2 nights, Xi Zang Hotel Chengdu 2 nights, Pullman Shanghai Jing'an 3 nights) and 3 nights on the five-star Century Glory cruise ship on the Yangtze River.
When does this tour run?: Great Rail Journeys operates 10 departures across 2026 and 2027, in March, April, May, August, September, October, and November.
What meals are included?: Breakfast is included every day. Great Rail Journeys also includes 10 lunches and 9 dinners, including a dumpling banquet in Xi'an, Peking duck dinner in Beijing, Sichuan specialities in Chengdu, and a farewell dinner in Shanghai.