What budget should you plan for 2 weeks of travel in China?

Hi there, We just got back from a 2-week trip to China as a couple, and before we left, the budget was the hardest thing to picture concretely. We found plenty of info on visas, apps, transport, and itineraries, but way fewer detailed breakdowns of what you *actually* spend on the ground. So, we took the time to share our real budget for 14 days. In our case, we spent around 1,800 € per person, with a big chunk of that going toward round-trip flights at about 600 € per person. We were also pretty surprised by how affordable China can be once you’re there—transport is often cheap, and a lot of everyday expenses stay reasonable. The trickiest part, in the end, was figuring out how to pay while you’re there, since it’s not always obvious if you’re not prepared. But once everything’s set up and you get the hang of it, it’s really smooth. If this can help other travelers get a better idea before they go, we’ve broken it all down here: https://aventures-sans-mesaventure.com/budget-2-semaines-de-voyage-en-chine/

Happy travels and enjoy your adventure! Hélia

Hi,

Which websites or methods have you used to book train tickets? I went to China for work, and my Chinese colleagues and/or my company always handled everything. No fees, everything was paid for.

I’m comfortable with apps like Alipay, Didi, Amap, etc., but I’ve never booked a high-speed train ticket myself. It seems a bit tedious on the spot (passport, etc.).

Hi there,

We’ve used the 12Go Asia platform (multiple times and for other trips in Asia) and everything has always worked really well. You do need to have your passport on you at all times because train stations in China have airport-level security, but it’s not too complicated if you plan ahead a little.

For trains so far I’ve been using trip.com, which is a go-to, but I’ll try the official 12306 site now that it’s available in English.

What’s expensive in China are the entrance fees for tourist sites. After that, hotels, food, and transport are pretty cheap.