SHANGHAI · DAY TRIPS
Day trips from Shanghai
Shanghai sits at the heart of the Yangtze Delta and is surrounded by canal towns, former fishing islands, and Jiangsu-Zhejiang cities that have been trading partners for centuries. High-speed rail makes Suzhou and Hangzhou under an hour away.
Destinations within reach
Suzhou
苏州
- How to get there
- G/D trains from Hongqiao every 15–20 minutes; frequent all day
- What to see
- Classical gardens (Humble Administrator's Garden, Master of Nets Garden); silk museum; canals and whitewashed water-town streets.
- Why go
- A complete city day-trip with gardens, museums, and good food within a tight, walkable historic core.
Hangzhou
杭州
- How to get there
- G trains from Hongqiao; multiple departures per hour
- What to see
- West Lake and its causeways; Longjing tea plantations; Lingyin Temple; Hefang Street food lane.
- Why go
- One of China's most-visited scenic cities; easy to get to and well served with accommodation for those who want to stay overnight.
Tongli Water Town
同里
- How to get there
- Train to Suzhou then bus; or direct coach from Shanghai South Bus Station
- What to see
- Intact Ming and Qing canal-side houses; three classical gardens; boat rides through the town's waterways.
- Why go
- Smaller and more intimate than Wuzhen; still lived-in with permanent residents.
Wuzhen
乌镇
- How to get there
- Direct coach from Shanghai Hengfeng Road bus terminal; or car
- What to see
- Two preserved canal districts (East and West Wuzhen); silk weaving workshops; traditional dyeing workshops.
- Why go
- The west district is more polished and photogenic; best visited on a midweek day to avoid weekend crowds.
Zhouzhuang
周庄
- How to get there
- Coach from Shanghai South Bus Station; tours depart from Yu Garden bus stop
- What to see
- Double Bridge (the most photographed view in any Chinese water town); Zhang House Ming-dynasty mansion; canal boat rides.
- Why go
- The original Chinese water town; very popular but the dawn and dusk light is worth the crowds.
Putuoshan Island
普陀山
- How to get there
- Ferry from Wusongkou; overnight stay recommended but doable as a very long day
- What to see
- One of China's four sacred Buddhist mountains; Guanyin statue; forested temple trails; sandy beaches.
- Why go
- A peaceful contrast to the city; most visitors stay one night but day-trippers can see the main temples in a half-day.
Nanjing
南京
- How to get there
- G trains every 20–30 minutes from Hongqiao
- What to see
- Nanjing Massacre Memorial; Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum; ancient city wall; Confucius Temple district.
- Why go
- A city with a very different historical weight to Shanghai; the Ming dynasty city wall is the world's longest surviving city fortification.
Moganshan
莫干山
- How to get there
- Chartered car or organised tour; no direct rail option
- What to see
- Hill resort with 1920s–30s colonial villas; bamboo forests; hiking trails; cooler temperatures in summer.
- Why go
- Popular weekend escape from the summer heat; the villa architecture and bamboo landscape are unlike anywhere else in the region.
Verified May 2026