Shanghai day trips
Jul 13th, 2005, 05:02 PM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 23,073
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Train is probably the best way to go. Suzhou is about 50 minutes, while Hangzhou is about 2 hours. If you cannot stay overnight, probably go with Suzhou.
Or there are several watertowns between Shanghai and Suzhou that are quite interesting. You can just get a car & driver from Shanghai to get to there.
Or there are several watertowns between Shanghai and Suzhou that are quite interesting. You can just get a car & driver from Shanghai to get to there.
Jul 13th, 2005, 06:02 PM
#3
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,482
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What is the best way to get between Suzhou & Hangzhou if we want to do an overnight in each place? Can you do a train "circuit" from Shanghai to both Suzhou & Hangzhou? What watertowns do you recommend between Suzhou & Shanghai? How can we get a car & driver?
Jul 13th, 2005, 06:59 PM
#4
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 23,073
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From what I heard, there are fast direct coaches between Hangzhou and Suzhou. That'd be the fastest and easiest way between the two cities. There are some direct trains between the two, but the majority of frequencies involve a change at Shangahi.
The most popular of the watertowns is Zhouzhuang, just SE of Suzhou. Also close to Suzhou, 18km to the south, is Tongli - which may be the best preserved and most interesting.
Between Suzhou and Shanghai, there are Luzhi (18km E of Suzhou), and Zhujiajiao - which is inside the municipality of Shanghai, west of city center.
It's easy to hire a car and driver in China. Your hotel can arrange one for you, and other Fodorites may have specific recommendations. However, I don't, so I'll let others help you there.
The most popular of the watertowns is Zhouzhuang, just SE of Suzhou. Also close to Suzhou, 18km to the south, is Tongli - which may be the best preserved and most interesting.
Between Suzhou and Shanghai, there are Luzhi (18km E of Suzhou), and Zhujiajiao - which is inside the municipality of Shanghai, west of city center.
It's easy to hire a car and driver in China. Your hotel can arrange one for you, and other Fodorites may have specific recommendations. However, I don't, so I'll let others help you there.
Jul 13th, 2005, 07:58 PM
#5
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 218
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This probably never happens to anyone else but...we thought we'd save a lot of money by taking the train which broke down halfway to Suzhou. We sat there for about two hours while they shuttled a repairman out there to fix it. That said, we made a lot of new friends on the train. But our 1-hour train ride turned into a half-day journey and we rushed through Suzhou to catch the last evening train back to Shanghai. If you're really pressed for time, splurge and hire a car and driver. Besides, they can take you directly to other places on the way.
Jul 14th, 2005, 05:36 PM
#6
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,482
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Any idea of the cost of a car & driver? We want to do a 3-day "circuit" from Shainghai. Would we get a driver in each place to take us to the next? For example, would we be able to get a driver in Hangzhou to take us to Suzhou & a day or so later get a driver in Suzhou to take us to Shanghai via Tongli?
Jul 14th, 2005, 06:01 PM
#7
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 23,073
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
CFW - I don't know the cost, but it is probably easier to just get one car/driver for all 3 days. Yes, you'll have to pay for the hotel for the driver, but you'll have a car to use in Suzhou for day 2 as well.
If you do two seperate trips, you still have to pay extra for each one to deadhead back home.
If you do two seperate trips, you still have to pay extra for each one to deadhead back home.
