Beijing and Shanghai for 11 days

[cherynsq]

You managed to get your vehicle number before you fly?

If not, then maybe better to cancel it and just book didi upon arrival.

*trip.com airport transfer rate maybe double or triple of didi iirc.

haven't get vehicle number. I flying on 29 Dec 2025 7pm, and the best thing is the app says will inform me on 29 Dec 2025 10pm. as good as no security. im airborne almost landing, then give me results. on air, im taking china eastern, don't even know if there is wifi onboard. how do I even check? LOL

the problem is: we have 3 x 28 inch luggages and 1 x cabin. im worried normal didi cannot fit

 

[mummynew]

haven't get vehicle number. I flying on 29 Dec 2025 7pm, and the best thing is the app says will inform me on 29 Dec 2025 10pm. as good as no security. im airborne almost landing, then give me results. on air, im taking china eastern, don't even know if there is wifi onboard. how do I even check? LOL

the problem is: we have 3 x 28 inch luggages and 1 x cabin. im worried normal didi cannot fit

wah, so heavy packing! with kids?

how many pax in your group?

coz it's late at night and so big didi vehicle may take longer to book compared to daytime.

iirc, the taxi queue (official queue) can choose cab sizes. So overall shouldn't be a concern. Worst come to worst is just to split into two smaller cars (if group config permits).

*trip.com msg is if by 29 Dec 7 pm still no vehicle number = understood it is cancelled? Trip.com usually quite OK with booking (and plenty of didi around and so I really don't see why it can't secure a large vehicle for your group).

 

[cherynsq]

my pilot ex-colleague provided his regular driver as his family based in Shanghai for 15 years. the driver quoted me same price as trip.com but is a confirm. he also sent me the vehicle type. I think about it, cancel trip and go with this at least it is confirmed

 

[mummynew]

my pilot ex-colleague provided his regular driver as his family based in Shanghai for 15 years. the driver quoted me same price as trip.com but is a confirm. he also sent me the vehicle type. I think about it, cancel trip and go with this at least it is confirmed

My girl told me for trip.com transfer booking, they will only assign vehicle on the day of arrival.

She had two times of such booking experiences.

*how much was the booking?

 

[FroztSpectre]

Hello, can share your Mutianyu experience?

@Spike rekindled my memories of Beijing and so planning a short trip there around end Mar with my girl (who is keen to visit Great Wall and others).

Badaling I been there and found it easy but Mutianyu seems a bit 'tougher'. I have a hiking stamina (averaged challenging terrain) of about 4 hours and would like to hear from your experience to estimate what I can do with my limited stamina.

*will be using private transfer there (coz of my limited stamina that I need to 'conserve energy').

It wasn't that bad. The climb was pretty easy until the last part from tower 19 to 20.
We saved time by taking Chairlift to Tower 6, took a few pictures, then took Toboggan down.
Then took Cable Car to Tower 14. Hiked to Tower 20 and walk back to Tower 14 before taking the Cable Car down. Journey from Tower 14 to 20 was around 1hr~ for us? Took photos here and there, rest abit here and there as well.

The crowd was great. Not crowded at all around 10am~ in late May 2024. Heard stories about Badaling from my mother-in-law where it was super crowded, shoulders to shoulders.

Edited:
not my photo, but the crowd was similar to this. And having looked at pictures of Badaling's crowd, i think Mutianyu is awesome lol.

 

[dilphinus]

I prefer the 1.10 am flight ETA 7+ am (coz I night owl) but my girl prefers the 4.55 pm ETA 11 pm flight (she early sleeper). That's why I always prefer to travel alone.

I believe it is safe to take a didi to hotel around midnight if I agree with the ETA 11 pm flight.

Is my 'belief' correct?

Flight arrival at 11pm at PEK, you'll likely be out of the airport around 12+ midnight. Takes at least an hour to clear immigration and wait for baggage.

If staying at a hotel in the city, you'll be there around 1ish. So contradicting with the early sleeper.

The red flight flight is damn sh!t too. Cos you'll meet the morning traffic at PEK and also airport express or car (traffic) into the city. Plus they serve supper at around 1ish 2am.

 

[mummynew]

Flight arrival at 11pm at PEK, you'll likely be out of the airport around 12+ midnight. Takes at least an hour to clear immigration and wait for baggage.

If staying at a hotel in the city, you'll be there around 1ish. So contradicting with the early sleeper.

The red flight flight is damn sh!t too. Cos you'll meet the morning traffic at PEK and also airport express or car (traffic) into the city. Plus they serve supper at around 1ish 2am.

Thanks.

Then maybe have to catch the 8+ am flight. Have to wake up so early.

 

[mummynew]

Journey from Tower 14 to 20 was around 1hr~ for us? Took photos here and there, rest abit here and there as well.

This part is what I am trying to estimate.

Your 1 hr is referring to Tower 14 to 20 (that I will add on another 30 min to this). Can you recall the time you took to walk back from Tower 20 to 14?

Also, did you have leg pain the next day? (if leg pain / sore then I would want to arrange the trek on the last two days of my trip else may spoil my whole trip)

*You arrived at around 10 am, what time did you leave?

 

[FroztSpectre]

This part is what I am trying to estimate.

Your 1 hr is referring to Tower 14 to 20 (that I will add on another 30 min to this). Can you recall the time you took to walk back from Tower 20 to 14?

Also, did you have leg pain the next day? (if leg pain / sore then I would want to arrange the trek on the last two days of my trip else may spoil my whole trip)

*You arrived at around 10 am, what time did you leave?

Unfortunately i don't recall.
But i remember it was quite fast to walk from Tower 20 to 14. Cause downslope.
Didn't take too much photos on the way back.

We actually arrive before 10 (9.37AM?), but it was a distance to walk to the Chairlift / Cable Car. Still need take a shuttle bus (if i remember correctly) to the Chairlift / Cable Car area.

Then we took the chairlift up (around 10:02AM) + take pictures, chill + Toboggan down.
By the time we took the cable car up to Tower 14, it's almost 10:52AM.
Then i reach Tower 20 around 11:47AM. Started heading down around 12:01PM.
(between 12:01pm - 1:44pm = Walk from Tower 20 to 14. Take cable car down. Take shuttle bus. And walk to restaurant)
By 1:44PM, i was already down in a restaurant eating lunch. Finished eating at 2:25PM (based on my receipts). Then walk to wait for my tour bus back to city.

No aches. U can just chill abit and don't climb too fast between Tower 19 and 20.

I challenged myself by going non-stop from Tower 19 all the way up to 20. Didn't pause at all. There are many ppl around me will just sit down on the steps to rest. I didn't, so my legs were wobbly by the time i reach the top of tower 20. But after my lunch it was pretty ok.
My wife is someone who doesn't exercise. She didn't climb the full 19-20, and she had no issues with muscle aches.

 

[mummynew]

Unfortunately i don't recall.
But i remember it was quite fast to walk from Tower 20 to 14. Cause downslope.
Didn't take too much photos on the way back.

We actually arrive before 10 (9.37AM?), but it was a distance to walk to the Chairlift / Cable Car. Still need take a shuttle bus (if i remember correctly) to the Chairlift / Cable Car area.

Then we took the chairlift up (around 10:02AM) + take pictures, chill + Toboggan down.
By the time we took the cable car up to Tower 14, it's almost 10:52AM.
Then i reach Tower 20 around 11:47AM. Started heading down around 12:01AM.
(between 12:01am - 1:44pm = Walk from Tower 20 to 14. Take cable car down. Take shuttle bus. And walk to restaurant)
By 1:44PM, i was already down in a restaurant eating lunch. Finished eating at 2:25PM (based on my receipts). Then walk to wait for my tour bus back to city.

That's very useful for me (coz I getting a 10-hour pte hire and so seems like I have sufficient time to squeeze in a nearby attraction before heading back to city).

Thanks for your detailed sharing!

 

[FroztSpectre]

That's very useful for me (coz I getting a 10-hour pte hire and so seems like I have sufficient time to squeeze in a nearby attraction before heading back to city).

Thanks for your detailed sharing!

Eh do note that it also takes almost 1.5hrs to drive to the location.
And another 1.5hrs to drive back.
(dependent on traffic conditions)

 

[cherynsq]

My girl told me for trip.com transfer booking, they will only assign vehicle on the day of arrival.

She had two times of such booking experiences.

*how much was the booking?

Did she secure those bookings? From airport to my hotel in city it’s $65sgd

 

[carey]

Frankly, don't bother to go to Chengdu panda enclosure.. you are not going to see like a dozen pandas or anything.

The queue is also ridiculous just to see one Panda..

You get a better deal at River Safari.

Wow, I didn't know it was also that bad at Chengdu

My friend was there earlier this year and he posted quite a number of nice pictures of pandas when he was there

Anyway, the one at Beijing Zoo is terrible - not just the panda enclosure but the whole place in general

 

[Iandao]

Just came back from China slightly over a week ago~ Beijing-nanjing-shanghai for 15 days.

 

[mummynew]

Did she secure those bookings? From airport to my hotel in city it’s $65sgd

Yes, both arrived promptly when she landed at airport (once in Bali and once in London).

So this is the system of trip.com transfer booking.

 

[mummynew]

Eh do note that it also takes almost 1.5hrs to drive to the location.
And another 1.5hrs to drive back.
(dependent on traffic conditions)

Thanks for highlight.

Usually I quite kiasi to budget more time in my schedule coz rushing is always not my type. Based on your sharing likely will have an extra of about an hour to another nearby attraction 走马看花 (actually I am not keen to add extra but for daughter's sake. To let her have a feel to decide on own whether she wants to re-visit if she likes).

 

[endlssorrow]

Think SH is better than BJ

 

[xllms]

Think SH is better than BJ

care to share why you think SH is better than BJ? just curious to know

 

[xllms]

Just came back from China slightly over a week ago~ Beijing-nanjing-shanghai for 15 days.

good timing to catch the autumn leaves in Nanjing & Shanghai

 

[endlssorrow]

care to share why you think SH is better than BJ? just curious to know

Personal view ah
SH more vibe
Their malls more modern
Their drivers outside more safety giving ways to people