Transport · Stations · Hangzhou
Hangzhou East Railway Station
杭州东站. Hangzhou's high-speed hub in Jianggan district, a major junction for Zhejiang services, connected by metro to West Lake.
About this station
Hangzhou East Railway Station opened in 2013 as part of a broader transformation of the city's transport infrastructure. The building was substantially upgraded ahead of the 2022 Asian Games — Hangzhou served as the main host city — and the station handled record passenger volumes during that period.
The architecture follows the wave-and-arch motifs common to the generation of large Chinese rail stations built in the 2010s, executed with sufficient scale to feel genuinely imposing. The two metro lines that cross here make it one of the better-connected stations in the Yangtze Delta region.
Hangzhou is one of China's most visited domestic tourist cities, known for West Lake (Xi Hu), the Lingyin Temple, the China National Silk Museum, and the tea plantations producing Longjing (Dragon Well) green tea. The station sees heavy leisure traffic year-round, with spring (March–April, for the tea harvest) and autumn (September–November, for the lake's clearest skies) being particularly busy.
Entry tips
Hangzhou East is the city's primary high-speed hub, much larger than the older Hangzhou station. Allow 35 minutes from arrival. The station plaza is vast — confirm which entrance corresponds to your waiting zone before approaching security.
Security flow
Three-stage process. The station has excellent English signage updated in advance of the 2022 Asian Games. The information desk near the main hall is staffed during peak hours.
Food inside the station
Good range: Hangzhou longjing tea shops, dongpo pork rice box stalls, shrimp and tofu dishes, and standard national chains. The station's catering reflects Zhejiang cuisine better than most comparable facilities.
Food nearby
The station is in the Jianggan district, east of West Lake. The Qianjiang New City development nearby has malls with diverse restaurants. For traditional Hangzhou cuisine, take the metro toward West Lake (Line 1, about 30 minutes).
Transit to the city
Metro Lines 1 and 4 both serve Hangzhou East, connecting to the West Lake area and the city centre. Line 1 to Longxiangqiao (West Lake) takes about 30 minutes (CNY 4). Taxis queue on the south plaza.