A Week in Shanghai with High-Speed Rail Day Trips to Suzhou & Hangzhou in

Stay in central Shanghai the whole time: five days of city classics plus two high-speed rail day trips, to Suzhou and Hangzhou.

One hotel all week. The first three days cover the Bund, Lujiazui, Yu Garden and the plane-tree-lined former French Concession. Day 4 is a high-speed train trip to the gardens of Suzhou. Day 5 slows down for the old Jing'an district and museums. Day 6 is an early start for Hangzhou's West Lake and Lingyin Temple. On Day 7, visit the Shanghai Museum East on the way to Pudong Airport. You skip moving luggage, but the Suzhou and Hangzhou round trips in a single day are tiring. It suits first-time visitors to East China who want to use Shanghai as a base.

High-speed train tickets are scarce on holidays. Buy Suzhou and Hangzhou round-trip tickets in advance.

Day by day

Day 1 · Arrival & the Bund at Night

Shanghai（Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street、The Bund、Huangpu River Cruise）

From Pudong Airport, take Subway Line 2 (about 1 hour) to East Nanjing Road. After checking in, walk to the Bund, and in the evening take a river cruise from the Shiliupu Wharf.

Stay: Nanjing Road · The Bund

Day 2 · Yu Garden & Lujiazui Skyline

Shanghai（Yu Garden & City God Temple、Oriental Pearl Tower / Lujiazui、Shanghai Tower Top of Shanghai Observatory）

Walk to Yu Garden in the morning. In the afternoon, cross the river by ferry or subway to Lujiazui and go up to the Shanghai Tower observation deck.

Yu Garden is closed on Mondays.

Stay: Nanjing Road · The Bund

Day 3 · Xintiandi, Tianzifang & Wukang Road

Shanghai（Xintiandi、Tianzifang、Wukang Road / Hengfu Historic Area）

Take the subway to Xintiandi, walk to Tianzifang, then take the subway to the Wukang Road area. Expect about half a day on foot.

Stay: Nanjing Road · The Bund

Day 4 · Suzhou Gardens Day Trip

Suzhou（Humble Administrator's Garden、Suzhou Museum、Lion Grove Garden、Pingjiang Road）

Take a high-speed train from Shanghai Station to Suzhou Station (about 25–30 minutes), visit the gardens by subway or on foot, and return to Shanghai in the evening.

Suzhou Museum is closed on Mondays and requires advance reservations.

Stay: Nanjing Road · The Bund

Day 5 · Jade Buddha Temple, M50 & Shanghai Museum

Shanghai（Jade Buddha Temple、M50 Creative Park、Zhangyuan (Zhang Garden)、Shanghai Museum）

Take the subway to Jade Buddha Temple, walk to M50, then take the subway to Zhang Garden and People's Square. You'll spend the whole day in the city.

The Shanghai Museum requires reservations. Many M50 galleries are closed on Mondays.

Stay: Nanjing Road · The Bund

Day 6 · Hangzhou West Lake & Lingyin Temple

Central Hangzhou（Lingyin Temple & Feilai Feng、Longjing Village、Broken Bridge & Bai Causeway）

Take a high-speed train from Hongqiao Station to Hangzhou East Station (about 1 hour), then take the subway and bus to Lingyin Temple and on to West Lake. Return to Shanghai by high-speed train in the evening.

Take an early train. Lingyin Temple and West Lake are crowded on weekends.

Stay: Nanjing Road · The Bund

Day 7 · Shanghai Museum East & Departure

Shanghai（Shanghai Museum East）

Take Subway Line 2 to Science and Technology Museum Station to visit the Museum East, then continue on Line 2 (about 40 minutes) to Pudong Airport.

The Museum East is closed on Tuesdays and requires reservations. You can leave your luggage at the hotel and pick it up on the way.

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