It is a great idea to travel Shanghai and Hangzhou together, because they are two of most popular travel destinations in China. You can explore the modern and past faces of metropolis Shanghai and experience and a wonderful leisure time around West Lake in "the City of Heaven" - Hangzhou! Shanghai operates over 200 daily high speed trains to Hangzhou, which give tourists quick and comfortable transportation to travel between the two attractive cities in only about 40 minutes ~ 1 hour 30 minutes.
Shanghai to Hangzhou Distance: The distance between Shanghai and Hangzhou is only about 144 km, takes about 2.5 hours by car and 1-1.5 hours by high speed trains.
Shanghai Location: Shanghai the biggest city of China, is located in Yangtze River Delta, east China, facing East Sea to the east and bordering Jiangsu Province to the north and Zhejiang Province to the southwest.
Hangzhou Location: Hangzhou, the capital city of Zhejiang Province is located in the north part of this province in East China. Hangzhou is about 125 km away from Suzhou and 1125 km from Beijing.
Shanghai Hangzhou Travel Map
As an experienced, professional, and reliable travel agency in China, WeTrip offers convenient and efficient transfer for all visitors to China, including intercity transportation from Shanghai to Hangzhou, Hangzhou to Shanghai. We can pick you up at the airport, train station, or from your hotel, and attractions in Shanghai/Hangzhou and escort you to your next stop directly by a safe, licensed, clean and comfortable vehicle. So you can save lots of time, rest well on the way and focus on the trip itself. Travelling with WeTrip, you will enjoy a transfer worry-free Shanghai Hangzhou tour and get a better travel experience. Besides, if you are interested in visiting famous water towns (with no direct train to get) around Shanghai and Hangzhou, or would like to extend your tour to the “Buddhist Holy Land of Sky and Sea” - Putuo Mountain, we can arrange all for you.
Travel Shanghai Hangzhou With WeTrip
● Frequency:about 200 trains per day
● Train Time:about 40 minutes ~ 1 hour 30 minutes
● rom & To:Shanghai South 上海南站, Shanghai Hongqiao 上海虹桥站 → Hangzhou East杭州东站, Hangzhou 杭州站, Hangzhou South 杭州南站
High-speed train travel is the most popular way for independent travelers to get from Shanghai to Hangzhou. Just 1-1.5 hours, you can traverse from prosperous Shanghai to elegant and picturesque Hangzhou.
Every day, there are nearly 200 trains running between Shanghai and Hangzhou. Most of them are D and G high speed trains or bullet trains running from 06:00 and 22:00. Besides, there are also about 50 K and T normal trains leave from Shanghai from the early morning to late night, which takes around 2 ~ 3 hours to reach Hangzhou.
Location: No. 1500, Mingui Road, Minhang District. (上海市闵行区申贵路1500号)
Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station is the main high speed railway station in Shanghai. It runs high speed trains to Beijing, Wuhan, Nanjing, Hanghzou, Suzhou Kunming, etc. Close to Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, it can be reached easily by Maglev Train, metro Line 2, metro Line 10, taxi and public bus.
Location: No. 303, Moling Road, Jing'an District (上海市静安区秣陵路303号)
Located in the city center, Shanghai Railway Station can be reached by subway (metro Line 1, Line 3 and Line 4) conveniently. From Shanghai Railway Station, you can take metro Line 1 to Nanjing Road quickly. And then you can visit the Bund by walking. It operates some high speed trains as well as the majority of regular trains to/from 70 domestic large and middle-sized cities.
Location: No.1 Tiancheng Road, Jianggan District, Hangzhou (杭州市江干区天城路1号)
Located in Jianggan District, Hangzhou East Railway Station is about 10km (about 25 minutes' driving) to West Lake and 30km (about 40 minutes' driving) to Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport. It can be reached by metro Line 1 and Line 4. As the main train station in Hangzhou, it serves both high speed trains and normal trains.
Location: No.1 Huancheng East Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou (浙江省杭州市上城区环城东路1号)
Hangzhou Railway Station is an old train station usually referred as City Station by local people. It is just 3km (about 10 minutes' driving) to West Lake and 30km (about 40 minutes' driving) to Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport. You can get there by metro Line 1, airport shuttle bus and taxi.
Shanghai Railway Station
Hangzhou East Railway Station
Second Class Seats: The most common type, featuring a "3+2" configuration (5 seats per row, with sections A/B/C as a three-seat block and D/F as a two-seat block). The seat width is approximately 48-50 cm, and the distance between rows is about 90-100 cm, making it suitable for short-distance travel or passengers with budget constraints. First Class Seats: Adopt a "2+2" configuration (4 seats per row, with two seats in sections A/C and two in D/F respectively). The seat width increases to 54-56 cm, and the row spacing is approximately 110-120 cm, offering more spacious room—ideal for passengers seeking greater comfort. Business Class Seats: Available in "1+2" or "1+1" configurations (2-3 seats per row). The seat width reaches 70-80 cm, and the row spacing can extend up to 130-150 cm (in some train models, seats can recline 180° to form a "bed"). The space is most comparable to that of an airplane's business class cabin, with strong privacy.
Foreign tourists can book train ticket online or via a ticket agency, or buy the tickets physically at the train station with your valid passport. Train ticket alteration and cancellation are only available at ticket counters or 12306 APP.
1) Prepare your passport and China Visa; 2) Get to the right train station at least 30 mins in advance; 3) Collect your train ticket (currently passengers can board train without paper ticket in most China train stations, only passport is required); 4) Read your train ticket; 5) Pass the security control; 6) Pass through Security & Luggage Checks; 7) Find the right waiting room; 8) Cross the ticket checking gate; 9) Get to the right platform; 10) Get on your train.
Passengers don't need to check luggage separately. Each passenger is allowed to carry luggage in certain weight and volume, but without limitation of amount and types.
All high speed trains in China are equipped with advanced facilities and good service, including luggage racks, air-conditioner, power socket, dining car, hot water, etc.
Shanghai and Hangzhou are the top two cities in East China. Therefore, both cities have well-established public transportation systems. You can take taxis, metro and public buses to travel around the city. However, in order to save you from troublesome traffic transfers and plans, you can also choose to book personalized tour packages with licensed private car and professional English-speaking guide services with us. Let us take care of every detail and you can focus more on the highlights in each destination.
The history of Hangzhou can be traced back to more than 2,000 years in the Qin Dynasty, and the five dynasties of Wu and Yue and the Southern Song Dynasties all once set their capitals here. Known as “Heaven on Earth” since ancient times, Hangzhou boasts mountains, springs, lakes, bridges, pagodas and temples. The colors in the landscape also gradually diversified over time.
Along the West Lake, there is no absolute boundary between the city and the park. Lush trees and plant blends in with small shops. Everywhere is surrounded by the nature of green, but there is no sense of emptiness away from the city. That's exactly what makes the city attractive and special. Moreover, Hangzhou offers much more for you to taste: retreat your soul at Lingyin Temple, have a fantastic view of Qiantang River on the top of Six Harmonies Pagoda, stroll into Dragon Well Tea Plantation to see how tea is planted, picked and processed to become fragrant liquid in your teacup…
• Unmissable Attractions in Hangzhou: West Lake, Lingyin Temple, Dragon Well Tea Plantation, Hefang Street, Former Residence of Xueyan Hu, Xixi National Wetland Park, etc.
Hangzhou West Lake
Shanghai, known as the Paris of the East, is a gateway city to visit China. Perfect cultural fusion of the West and East, the traditional and modern are the best city highlights fully embodied its diversity and unique charms.
Shanghai is modern and untamed, but it is also traditional and exotic with Yu Garden and The Bund as its proofs. It's anything you want it to be. You can spend your morning browsing Nanjing Road, your afternoon catching stunning city views from the top of the Observation Deck on the Oriental Pearl Tower, and the night cruising on the dazzling Huangpu River. Or, if you're a museum-goer or an art lover, you can admire the various collections and striking works on display at Shanghai Museum and Tianzifang. Besides, there are also many amusement destinations which are suitable for family tour, such as Zhujiajiao Water Town, Shanghai Disneyland, etc.
• Unmissable Attractions in Shanghai: The Bund, Nanjing Road, Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai Museum, Yu Garden, Oriential Pearl TV Tower, Shanghai Disneyland, Jade Buddha Temple, etc.
Oriental Pearl TV Tower in Shanghai
Things to Do in Hangzhou:West Lake, Lingyin Temple, Longjing tea Plantation, Hefang Street, Xixi National Wetland Park, China National Tea Museum, China National Silk Museum…
How to Get to Hangzhou:International flights from Singapore (5 hrs.), Seoul (6.5 hrs.), etc., domestic flights from Guangzhou (2 hrs.), Beijing (2 hrs.), etc., or high speed trains from Shanghai (1~2 hrs.), Suzhou (1.5~3 hrs.), Huangshan (1.5~2 hrs.), etc.
Best Time to Visit Hangzhou:all year around
Usually, visitors spend 2 days around to enjoy a classic Hangzhou tour to visit the West Lake Scenic Area, including the amazing West Lake, Lingyin Temple, Longjing Tea Plantations, etc. If you want an in-depth Hangzhou tour, you can also pay another half day or so to visit Xixi National Wetland Park, one day around to Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, or one day or so to Thousand Islands Lake, etc.
Also, you can spend 1 day to take a side trip to the nearby water towns like Wuzhen and Xitang in Jiaxing, 2~3 days to Putuoshan - one of the four sacred Buddhist Mountains in China, or 1 day to the popular Nanxun Old Town in Huzhou.
Besides, compared with just travelling Hangzhou, most of the visitors prefer to travel the metropolis Shanghai, Suzhou Gardens and Hangzhou Lakes in One Go! Such an amazing tour will take 5~6 days.
Some visitors also ride a high speed train to Huangshan to visit the world-famous Yellow Mountain. A Hangzhou Huangshan tour needs about 5 days around.
Have your preferences? Please feel free to tell us your likes and let our professional travel consultants customize a personal tour for you!
Hangzhou West Lake Summer Sightseeing
Our Customers visited Meijia Dock Longjing Tea Plantation, Hangzhou
Since 2022, we WeTrip have helped numerous customers to visit Hangzhou and surroundings. With our fully-inclusive private tour packages, all of our customers enjoyed their trips to the West Lake, Lingyin Temple, etc. Some of them kindly shared their precious photos and stories about their Hangzhou journey, just get inspired now.
"Impression Show is a must see when visiting Hangzhou…" - shared by Nguyen
"This last night in Hangzhou led us to explore a different side of West Lake, vastly changing our erstwhile bland impression of the famed tourist site…" - shared by CS from Singapore
Besides the wonderful travel stories, many customers who visited Hangzhou with WeTrip also send us their first-hand feedbacks about their trip, feel free to read the Hangzhou Reviews and learn what they say about their experience. If you want to start your Hangzhou tour now, don't hesitate to contact us.
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