NANJING · DAY TRIPS
Day trips from Nanjing
Nanjing sits in the lower Yangtze valley and has high-speed rail connections in every direction. The surrounding Jiangsu countryside and Yangtze River offer diverse day-trip options beyond the city's own considerable historical stock.
Destinations within reach
Yangzhou
扬州
- How to get there
- HSR from Nanjing South to Yangzhou; several per day
- What to see
- Slender West Lake gardens; Geyuan classical garden; Daming Temple; the city that gave China fried rice.
- Why go
- A refined Jiangsu city famous for its gardens and food culture; far fewer visitors than Suzhou.
Suzhou
苏州
- How to get there
- G trains from Nanjing South; multiple daily
- What to see
- UNESCO classical gardens; silk museum; Pingjiang Road canal area; Suzhou Museum (I.M. Pei design).
- Why go
- A natural counterpart to Nanjing's political history — classical garden culture at its most refined.
Mount Mao (Maoshan)
茅山
- How to get there
- Chartered car or coach from Nanjing South Bus Station
- What to see
- Daoist sacred mountain with active temples; revolutionary war memorial sites; forested hiking trails.
- Why go
- A quieter alternative to the famous sacred mountains; the combination of Daoist temples and wartime history is unusual.
Zhenjiang
镇江
- How to get there
- G/D trains every 20 minutes
- What to see
- Jinshan Temple island complex; Beigu Hill; Jiaoshan fortress island on the Yangtze.
- Why go
- Often overlooked but has three genuinely interesting temple-island settings along the Yangtze.
Shanghai
上海
- How to get there
- G trains every 20 minutes from Nanjing South to Shanghai Hongqiao
- What to see
- The Bund; French Concession; Shanghai Museum; Yuyuan Garden.
- Why go
- A full-day urban contrast; the journey time makes it feasible as a long day trip.
Huangshan (Yellow Mountain)
黄山
- How to get there
- HSR to Huangshan North station; bus to cable car base
- What to see
- Granite peaks rising above cloud; ancient pines; Hongcun and Xidi UNESCO villages in the foothills.
- Why go
- Better as a one-night stay but reachable as a very long day with an early start; the cable car reaches the key viewpoints in 8 minutes.
Laoshan Scenic Area (Nanjing)
老山国家森林公园
- How to get there
- Metro Line 4 to Lingshan station; then shuttle into the forest park
- What to see
- Forested hills on the north bank of the Yangtze; hiking trails, a reservoir, and cooler air than the city.
- Why go
- Nanjing residents' own weekend escape; a good half-day option for those who prefer walking to monuments.
Verified May 2026