Places you can reach in the morning and leave in the evening. Public transport first; the car only where it really helps.
Suzhou
The garden city next door: UNESCO-listed classical scholars' gardens, the canal street of Pingjiang Road and Suzhou's own noodle and pastry culture. Fast trains take 21-25 minutes, so Shanghainese do it as an easy day out.
How to get there
- Train · China Railway (G trains) · 25 minFrom 上海 (Shanghai Railway Station) → 苏州 (Suzhou)
Departures: 75 direct G/D/C trains a day; 16 between 07:00 and 10:00 (e.g. 08:00 G7004, 09:00 G7006) on Wed 21 Oct 2026; last return 22:32 (G2783)
Fare: 2nd class CNY 30-46 depending on the train (most CNY 39-41), 1st class about CNY 48-74 (12306, checked 2026-10)
Suzhou station is the closest to the old town and gardens.
- Train · China Railway (G trains) · 21 minFrom 上海虹桥 (Shanghai Hongqiao) → 苏州北 (Suzhou North)
Departures: 67 direct G/D/C trains a day, 15 between 07:00 and 10:00 on Wed 21 Oct 2026; Hongqiao → Suzhou station also 25-26 min
Fare: 2nd class CNY 40-44 on the fastest trains (12306, checked 2026-10)
Suzhou North is farther from the old town; better if you start at Hongqiao.
What to see
- Humble Administrator's Garden. Begun in 1513, 5.2 ha, the largest garden in Suzhou and part of the UNESCO Classical Gardens of Suzhou. 90 min. Ticket price and booking rules not verified.
- Pingjiang Road. 1.6 km canal street in a 0.4 km2 historic district, a National Historic and Cultural Street since 2015; walk it and the side lanes, 60-90 min.
- Other classical gardens. The UNESCO listing groups gardens built from the Northern Song to the late Qing dynasty; pick one smaller garden as well, 45-60 min each.
Closed days
Garden and museum hours not verified for 2026; check the official pages before you go.
Best time to go
spring and autumn; avoid national holidays
By car
Public transport is the better way to go here. Not needed: hundreds of trains a day.
Good to know
- Book on 12306.cn (English site) or the 12306 app with your passport; it is the only ID the English site accepts, and you show the same passport at the gates and on board. Sales run 5:00-1:00 (to 23:30 on Tuesdays). Changes are free more than 48 hours before departure; later changes cost 5-15% of the fare.
- Fares on this line vary from train to train; compare a few departures in the app.
Hangzhou and West Lake
West Lake, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011, with its Bai and Su causeways and the hills of Lingyin Temple and the Feilai Feng carvings. 45 minutes by G train from Hongqiao; a full day.
How to get there
- Train · China Railway (G trains) · 45 minFrom 上海虹桥 (Shanghai Hongqiao) → 杭州东 (Hangzhou East)
Departures: 109 direct G/D/C trains a day, 27 between 07:00 and 10:00 (e.g. 07:00 G205, 07:56 G203) on Wed 21 Oct 2026; last return from Hangzhou East 22:51 (G7526)
Fare: 2nd class CNY 73-87 (most CNY 87), 1st class about CNY 126-140 (12306, checked 2026-10)
Hangzhou East is the main station; continue to the lake by Hangzhou metro or taxi.
What to see
- West Lake and the Su Causeway. Four causeways and three artificial islands; walk or cycle the Su Causeway, built by Su Shi in 1089, and the older Bai Causeway. 2-3 hours.
- Lingyin Temple and Feilai Feng. Chan Buddhist temple founded, by tradition, in 328 AD, with grottoes and rock carvings in the Feilai Feng hill. 2 hours. Ticket price not verified.
Closed days
West Lake is open all year; temple hours not verified.
Best time to go
spring (March-May) and autumn; avoid national holidays
By car
Public transport is the better way to go here. Not needed; trains every few minutes.
Good to know
- Book on 12306.cn (English site) or the 12306 app with your passport; it is the only ID the English site accepts, and you show the same passport at the gates and on board. Sales run 5:00-1:00 (to 23:30 on Tuesdays). Changes are free more than 48 hours before departure; later changes cost 5-15% of the fare.
- Hangzhou station (not East) has only a few trains from Hongqiao, mostly in the evening; book to Hangzhou East.
Zhujiajiao
Shanghai's own water town in Qingpu, about 1,700 years old, with 36 stone bridges, canal-side shophouses and a Qing dynasty post office; on the metro, so it fits in half a day.
How to get there
- Metro · Shanghai MetroFrom Hongqiao Railway Station (Line 17)
Departures: Line 17 runs from Hongqiao Railway Station west to Xicen; frequency not verified
Fare: Distance-based Shanghai Metro fare; exact fare not verified
Zhujiajiao station is within walking distance of the old town. Line 17 also announces stops in Shanghainese.
What to see
- Fangsheng Bridge. The town's landmark stone bridge over the canal; 15 min.
- Kezhi Garden and Yuanjin Buddhist Temple. Garden and temple in the old town; 45-60 min. Tickets not verified.
- Old streets and local snacks. Old rice shops, banks and spice stores line the canals; the town is known for zarou (braised pork), green soy beans and lotus root. 60 min.
Closed days
The town is open all year.
Best time to go
all year
By car
Public transport is the better way to go here. Not needed: direct metro line.
Good to know
- Walk past the new shopping complexes around the old town; the canals and bridges are the point.
Wuzhen
Water town in northern Zhejiang, 17 km north of Tongxiang, with two restored zones: Dongzha (east) and Xizha (west). Home of the Mao Dun museum and the Mu Xin Art Museum, and host of the World Internet Conference since 2014.
How to get there
- Train · China Railway (G trains) · 33 minFrom 上海虹桥 (Shanghai Hongqiao) → 桐乡 (Tongxiang)
Departures: 19 direct trains a day; 4 between 07:00 and 10:00 (07:21, 08:18, 08:44, 09:16) on Wed 21 Oct 2026; last return from Tongxiang 22:21 (G1350)
Fare: 2nd class CNY 40-62 depending on the train (12306, checked 2026-10)
Tongxiang station is outside Wuzhen: continue by local bus or taxi to the scenic area (bus numbers and fares not verified).
What to see
- Xizha (West zone). Canals, bridges and the Mu Xin Art Museum. Entry ticket price not verified.
- Dongzha (East zone). Older streets with Mao Dun's former residence (Mao Dun Museum) and the childhood house of the painter-writer Mu Xin at 186 Caishenwan. 2 hours.
Closed days
Opening hours not verified.
Best time to go
spring and autumn
By car
Public transport is the better way to go here. Possible but not needed; train plus a short taxi ride.
Good to know
- Book on 12306.cn (English site) or the 12306 app with your passport; it is the only ID the English site accepts, and you show the same passport at the gates and on board. Sales run 5:00-1:00 (to 23:30 on Tuesdays). Changes are free more than 48 hours before departure; later changes cost 5-15% of the fare.
- Only a handful of trains stop at Tongxiang: book both directions in advance.
- Check the last train back from Tongxiang (22:21 on the sampled day) before you plan an evening in Xizha.
Tongli
Canal town in Suzhou's Wujiang district, nicknamed the 'Venice of the East', with the UNESCO-listed Retreat & Reflection Garden. Combine it with Suzhou: train to Suzhou, then Suzhou Metro Line 4.
How to get there
- Train · China Railway (G trains) · 25 minFrom 上海 (Shanghai) or 上海虹桥 (Shanghai Hongqiao) → 苏州 (Suzhou)
Departures: See Suzhou: dozens of trains every morning (12306, Wed 21 Oct 2026)
Fare: 2nd class CNY 30-46 to Suzhou (12306, checked 2026-10)
From Suzhou take Suzhou Metro Line 4 to Tongli station (journey time not verified); Tongli is about half an hour from Suzhou city.
- Bus · 2 hFrom Shanghai
Departures: not verified
Fare: not verified
Buses from Shanghai take about two hours.
What to see
- Retreat & Reflection Garden (Tuisi Yuan). Built 1885-1887 and listed by UNESCO with the classical gardens of Suzhou in 2001; 60 min. Ticket not verified.
- Luoxing Zhou island. Island in the lake with Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian halls; locals strike its bell at Spring Festival. 45 min.
Closed days
Opening hours not verified.
Best time to go
spring and autumn; weekdays
By car
Public transport is the better way to go here. Not needed.
Good to know
- Book on 12306.cn (English site) or the 12306 app with your passport; it is the only ID the English site accepts, and you show the same passport at the gates and on board. Sales run 5:00-1:00 (to 23:30 on Tuesdays). Changes are free more than 48 hours before departure; later changes cost 5-15% of the fare.
- Pair Tongli with an afternoon in Suzhou's old town; both are on the same train ticket to Suzhou.
Nanjing
Former capital of many dynasties and of the Republic, one of China's Four Great Ancient Capitals. About an hour by the fastest G trains from Hongqiao, so possible as a long full day: choose Purple Mountain and the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, or the old city, not both.
How to get there
- Train · China Railway (G trains) · 59 minFrom 上海虹桥 (Shanghai Hongqiao) → 南京南 (Nanjing South)
Departures: 168 direct trains a day, 37 between 07:00 and 10:00 on Wed 21 Oct 2026 (fastest 59 min, e.g. G94 08:55, G10 09:00); last return from Nanjing South 22:51 (G35, 60 min)
Fare: 2nd class CNY 136-162 (fastest trains CNY 162), 1st class about CNY 260 (12306, checked 2026-10)
Slower trains take up to 2 hours; filter for the 59-60 minute G trains.
What to see
- Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum. Built 1926-1929 at the foot of Purple Mountain, designed by Lü Yanzhi; half a day with the hill. Opening days and booking not verified.
- Old Nanjing. The city was a capital from the 3rd century to 1949; give the old centre the other half of the day.
Closed days
Museum and mausoleum opening days not verified for 2026.
Best time to go
spring and autumn; summers are very hot
By car
Public transport is the better way to go here. Too far for a day by car.
Good to know
- Book on 12306.cn (English site) or the 12306 app with your passport; it is the only ID the English site accepts, and you show the same passport at the gates and on board. Sales run 5:00-1:00 (to 23:30 on Tuesdays). Changes are free more than 48 hours before departure; later changes cost 5-15% of the fare.
- This is a long day: take a train before 8 am and book the return in advance.
- Trains from Shanghai station to Nanjing station take 1 h 36 min to 1 h 42 min; Hongqiao to Nanjing South is faster.