Most trip planners for China fall into two camps: paid tour packages that lock you into a fixed schedule, or generic AI chatbots that make you wait a minute and still invent train times. Our free China trip planner takes a third approach: pick cities on an interactive map, set your dates and budget, and export a real day-by-day PDF itinerary instantly. No account, no waiting, no email required.
Here is a 45-second recording of the full process, start to finish:
What the free China trip planner does
The planner is built on 400+ city guides researched by our own team – not scraped content and not generated text. Every stop you add pulls real opening hours, realistic transfer times, and route logic that matches how you actually move around China by high-speed rail and private car.
- Interactive route map – tap any city or attraction to add it; drag to reorder; the route redraws itself.
- Realistic scheduling – days, travel pace, and intercity transfer times are calculated, not guessed.
- Instant PDF export – route map plus a day-by-day plan with times and tips, ready to save offline or share with your group.
- No signup – nothing to register, no email to hand over, no “AI thinking” spinner.
Quick facts
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Price | Free, no account required |
| Output | PDF itinerary with route map, day-by-day schedule, tips |
| Coverage | China-wide: cities, mountain areas, rail and driver routes |
| Time to plan a 7-day trip | About 60 seconds |
| Works on | Phone and desktop browsers |
How to build your itinerary in 3 steps
Step 1 – Pick your stops. Tap cities and sights on the map. In the demo we chose the classic north loop: Beijing, Mount Wutai, Taiyuan, and Xi’an. Mount Wutai is the underrated one – it breaks up the Beijing-Xi’an journey with some of the best mountain scenery in October.
Step 2 – Set your parameters. Days, number of travelers, and budget tier. The planner adjusts pace and transfers accordingly – a 7-day trip for 2 travelers on a mid-range budget looks very different from 12 days with kids.
Step 3 – Export the PDF. One tap and the file is ready: route map on top, then a day-by-day breakdown with times, opening hours, and practical tips you can read offline on the train.
What is inside the PDF itinerary
The exported file is a genuine working document, not a teaser. It includes the full route map, each day’s stops in order with approximate times, intercity transport suggestions, and practical notes (ticketing windows, temple dress codes, altitude notes for mountain areas). If you want the itinerary executed for you – driver, guide, tickets – every plan can be handed straight to our China tours team or booked as a private charter.
Is now a good time to visit China?
Yes – it is easier than it has been in years. As of the August 2026 update, 240-hour visa-free transit covers 57 nationalities across 65 ports of entry (the list was just expanded to include Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam). Three rules matter most:
- You need an onward ticket to a third country (not your origin country).
- The 240-hour clock starts at 00:00 the day after you enter – so a Friday landing gives you through the following Thursday.
- You must enter and leave through approved ports; the planner’s routes all connect cities reachable under transit rules.
Pair the planner with a China travel eSIM that activates the moment you land, and your first day stops being logistics and starts being travel.
FAQ
Is the China trip planner really free?
Yes. The planner, the map, and the PDF export are free with no account. We make money when travelers choose our tours, private drivers, or eSIMs – not from the planning tool.
Does it use AI to generate the itinerary?
No. Routes are built on our own researched city guides and realistic transfer data, so nothing is hallucinated. What you export is what a local operator would actually schedule.
Can I change the plan after exporting?
Yes – go back, adjust cities, days, or budget, and export a fresh PDF. Most people run two or three versions before picking one.
Does it work for travelers who need a visa?
Yes. The planner does not depend on your visa route; it plans the itinerary either way. For visa-free transit, keep the 57-country list and third-country ticket rule in mind.
Plan your trip with WingPhoenix
Try the free trip planner – build your route and export the PDF in about a minute. Want it handled end to end? Browse our guided China tours, book a private car with driver, and set up your travel eSIM before you fly.