Hangzhou has a convenient transportation network. It is accessible by air, railway, and road. Subway, bus, taxi and bike are the four main means of transport within the city.
Getting to Hangzhou by Air
Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (HGH)
Hangzhou is served by Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, some 27 kilometers (17 miles) from downtown.
There are daily flights to and from major cities in China, including Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Guilin, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Macau. The airport also hosts flights to and from major Asian cities, such as Singapore, Bangkok, Seoul, and Tokyo.
Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport to Downtown/West Lake
Book a Private Car (recommended)–For tourists coming to China for the first time or who don't speak Chinese, booking a private car is a safer, more comfortable way of traveling. Moreover, a private car can save time, so you can make the most of your time.
Take a Taxi (less recommended)–West Lake is close to downtown, about 20 minutes' walk. It takes 50 minutes and costs around 100 yuan to downtown. Most taxi drivers don't speak English. You'd better prepare in Chinese the exact name of the place where you want to go.
Take a Shuttle Bus (not recommended)–Airport shuttle buses run every 15-30 minutes and cover different routes. Wulinmen Line shuttle bus can take you downtown or to West Lake. It takes about an hour and costs 20 yuan.
Getting to Hangzhou by Train
There are three railway stations in Hangzhou: Hangzhou Train Station, East Train Station, and South Railway Station (under renovation).
See detailed information about Shanghai–Hangzhou high-speed trains. Our train ticket booking service can help you book train tickets.
How to Get to Hangzhou from Nearby Cities
Hangzhou Transportation Map （click here to enlarge it.）It is very convenient to travel to Hangzhou from nearby cities, such as Shanghai, Beijing, Suzhou, Xi'an or Huangshan.
Shanghai to Hangzhou
Shanghai is very close to Hangzhou, so there is no flight from Shanghai to Hangzhou. High-speed train is best. There are a lot of bullet trains between Shanghai and Hangzhou. The journey takes about 50 minutes.
Beijing to Hangzhou
Planes and high-speed trains are both convenient ways of getting from Beijing to Hangzhou.
There are about 30 direct flights from Beijing to Hangzhou every day, each taking about 2½ hours.
High-speed trains running from Beijing South Station to Hangzhou East Station are also possible. They take about 5½ hours.
Suzhou to Hangzhou
Taking a bullet train is the most convenient way of traveling from Suzhou to Hangzhou. Suzhou is one hour from Hangzhou by bullet train. There is no flight between Suzhou and Hangzhou.
Xi'an to Hangzhou
Taking an airplane from Xi'an to Hangzhou is less time-consuming than bullet train. Direct flights from Xi'an to Hangzhou take about 2 hours. The journey takes about 7 hours if you travel by high-speed train.
Huangshan to Hangzhou
There are two bullet trains a day from Huangshan to Hangzhou, taking about 3 hours. There are no flights between Huangshan and Hangzhou.
Singapore/Malaysia to Hangzhou
It is very convenient to travel between Singapore and Hangzhou, as there are 3 direct flights a day between the two. The journey takes about 5½ hours.
There is one direct flight from Kuala Lumpur to Hangzhou every day except Tuesday. The journey takes 5 hours. It is also possible to transfer in Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen or Xiamen. The whole journey may take 9 hours (with a transfer in Hong Kong).
Hangzhou City Transportation - Metro, Taxi, Bus, and Bicycle
Underground/Metro/Subway
Metro is a good transportation option in Hangzhou.There are plans to build 13 subway lines in Hangzhou. Currently, there are three lines in operation: 1, 2, and 4. A ticket costs between 2 and 8 yuan, according to the travel distance.
If you are going to West Lake, you can take Line 1 and get off at Longxiangqiao Station, and then walk for about 400 meters.
Bus
There are numerous different types of buses in Hangzhou, including normal public buses, tourist buses, and express buses. Public buses go virtually everywhere in the city.
There are many tourist buses denoted by a "Y" before the bus number. It is convenient for tourists to go to main attractions on these buses. Y1 can take you to West Lake, and Y2 takes you to Lingyin Temple.
Bus fares are cheap, ranging from 1–5 yuan, depending on the bus type and travel distance.
Bicycle
Riding a bicycle is one of the best ways to explore Hangzhou.Riding a bicycle is one of the best ways of exploring Hangzhou, particularly West Lake. Restaurants and stalls by West Lake have bikes for rental.
Taxi
Visitors can alternatively take a taxi to tour the city. Taxis are plentiful and it's usually easy to stop one in the street.
Fares: In the city, the general initial taxi price is 10 RMB for the first 4 kilometers and 2 RMB per kilometer after that, until 8 kilometers; and then 2.4 RMB for each kilometer past 8 kilometers.
"Water Bus"
In addition to road buses, Hangzhou has water buses on the canals and rivers throughout the city, connecting the Grand Canal, West Lake, the Xixi River, and the Qiantang River.
Tour Hangzhou with China Highlights
Tour Hangzhou with China HighlightsHangzhou has a comprehensive and complex transport system. It is not easy for a foreigner to tour the city in a way that saves time and energy. We are here to help.
Here are our most popular Hangzhou tours, for your inspiration:
See more of our Hangzhou tours. All our tours are customizable - tell us your interests and requirements and we will help you tailor-make a Hangzhou tour.
- Hangzhou Railway Station is called "Chengzhan (City Station)" by local people. Most trains departing from or terminating in Hangzhou will stop there. It only takes 10 minutes to get from the station to West Lake by taxi. Some high-speed trains operating to and from Shanghai use this station.
- Hangzhou East Train Station is about 15 kilometers from West Lake. It takes about 20 minutes to get to the lake from the station by taxi and costs about 25 yuan. The station serves high-speed bullet trains to Beijing, Shanghai, Jinan, Nanjing, Xiamen, and Tianjin.
- Make sure the taxi meter is turned on when you start, note the driver's ID number, and get a receipt when you leave. Make sure you are not charged more than the meter says.
- Pay with small bills and coins to avoid fake money in your change.
- 5-Day Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Suzhou Bullet Train Tour: Visit the landmarks in Shanghai and Hangzhou, such as the Bund and West Lake.
- 5-Day Essence of Shanghai and Hangzhou Tour: Visit the landmarks of Shanghai and Hangzhou, such as the Bund and West Lake.