How to Get to Nanjing & Get around Nanjing 2023
Nanjing is the provincial city of Jiangsu in eastern China. With a civilization history of 7000 years and transportation advantages of sitting along the Yangtze River, it was chosen as the capital of 6 dynasties in ancient China. There is so much to explore no matter you want to travel Nanjing alone or with nearby cities such as Suzhou, Hangzhou and Shanghai.
Equipped with railway stations and an airport, Nanjing can be easily reached from most cities in China by train (Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Huangshan, Wuhan…) or flight (Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xian, Qingdao…). Here we have provided you with more specific information about Nanjing transportation including how to get to Nanjing from other cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, and Hangzhou, and how to get around Nanjing.
Where is Nanjing
Nanjing is located in the east of China and the lower reaches of the Yangtze River with a geographical coordinate of 31°14″~32°37″N and 118°22″~119°14″E. It is about 1000 km from Beijing, 300 km from Shanghai, 230 km from Suzhou and 280 km from Hangzhou. People usually do not choose Nanjing as the start of a China trip, but it is a good place to get a further understanding of China after your tour in Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou or Suzhou. You can also travel to more destinations in Jiangsu such as Wuxi and Yangzhou after your Nanjing exploration.
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Get to Nanjing by Flight | Get to Nanjing by Train |
Beijing to Nanjing | Shanghai to Nanjing |
Suzhou to Nanjing | Hangzhou to Nanjing |
Nanjing Inner Transportation | Nanjing to Wuxi |
Get to Nanjing by Flight
Nanjing Lukou International Airport (IATA: NKG)
Address: Konggang South Road, Lukou Town, Jiangning District, Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province 南京市江宁区禄口镇空港南路
Distance: about 42 km (45min by car, 1.5h by metro) to Nanjing downtown (Xinjiekou), 45 km (45 minutes by car, 2 hours by metro and bus) to Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, 40 km (35 minutes by car, 75 minutes by bus and metro) to Confucius Temple & Qinhuai River.
Nanjing Lukou International Airport (南京禄口国际机场) has over has 135 domestic and 23 international air routes, reaching 115 destinations at home and abroad, including Beijing (2h), Guangzhou (2h15min), Chengdu (2.5h), Xian (2h), Guilin (2h), Kunming (2h40min), Chongqing (2h), Hong Kong and foreign cities like Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Osaka and Nagoya in Japan, etc. Plenty of shuttle buses are available to transfer you between the airport and the landmarks in downtown area such as Zhonghua Gate, Nanjing Railway Station and Nanjing South Railway Station. Metro Line S1 running between the airport and Nanjing South Railway Station is also very convenient.
144-hour Visa Free Transit in Yangtze River Delta (including Nanjing): Nanjing has implemented the 144-hour Visa Free Transit Policy since January 30, 2016, which enables citizens from the certain 53 countries to enter from 8 permitted ports (including Nanjing Lukou International Airport) and stay in the administrative region of Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang within 144 hours (6 days). For more details about 144-Hour Visa-free Transit Policy.
Nanjing Lukou International Airport
Major Flight Schedules of Nanjing Lukou International Airport:
Beijing to Nanjing Flights | Xian to Nanjing Flights | Guangzhou to Nanjing Flights |
Qingdao to Nanjing Flights | Chengdu to Nanjing Flights | Chongqing to Nanjing Flights |
Get to Nanjing by Train
There are mainly 2 railway stations serving Nanjing, which are Nanjing South Railway Station and Nanjing Railway Station. Nanjing South Railway Station is for high speed trains only and Nanjing Railway Station has both high speed trains and normal trains. They are about 30 minutes’ drive away, so you need to pay attention to your train ticket information and do not mix them up.
Nanjing South Railway Station 南京南站
Address: No. 98 Yulan Road, Yuhuatai District, Nanjing 南京市雨花台区玉兰路98号
Transportation: about 11 km (40min by car or metro) to Nanjing downtown (Xinjiekou), 14 km (45 minutes by car, 1.5 hours by metro and bus) to Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, 9 km (25 minutes by car or metro) to Confucius Temple & Qinhuai River.
Nanjing South Railway Station is the largest transportation hub in East China and the largest high-speed railway station in Asia. All trains passing here are high speed trains. You can transfer between Nanjing and major cities in China such as Beijing (3.5-5h), Shanghai (1-3.5h), Hangzhou (1-4h), Suzhou (45min-2h), Ningbo (2-5h), Wuxi (45min-1.5h), Changzhou (30min-1h15min), Yangzhou (1h), etc.
Nanjing Railway Station 南京站
Address: No. 111 Longpan Road, Xuanwu District, Nanjing 南京市玄武区龙蟠路111号
Transportation: about 8 km (30 minutes by car, 20 minutes by metro) to Nanjing downtown (Xinjiekou), 12 km (30 minutes by car, 70 minutes by metro and bus) to Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, 11 km (40 minutes by car, 25 minutes by metro) to Confucius Temple & Qinhuai River.
Nanjing Railway Station built in 1905 has served Nanjing people for over 110 years. It operates both normal trains and high-speed trains. It connects Nanjing with cities like Shanghai (1h40min-4h), Hangzhou (3h), Suzhou (1.5h), Ningbo (4h), Wuxi (1-1.5h), Yangzhou (46min-1h15min), Changzhou (40min-1h), etc.
▶Useful Link: Nanjing Train Stations
Nanjing South Railway Station
Nanjing Railway Station
Major Nanjing High Speed Train Schedules:
Train Route | Train Time | Train Route | Train Time | Train Route | Train Time |
Beijing to Nanjing Trains | 3-5 hrs | Shanghai to Nanjing Trains | 1-2.5 hrs | Hangzhou to Nanjing Trains | 1.5-5.5 hrs |
Suzhou to Nanjing Trains | 45min-2.5 hrs | Huangshan to Nanjing Trains | 3-4 hrs | Wuhan to Nanjing Trains | 2.5-3.5 hrs |
Ningbo to Nanjing Trains | 2-5 hrs | Wuxi to Nanjing Trains | 45min-1.5 hrs | Yangzhou to Nanjing Trains | 46min-1h15min |
Get from Beijing to Nanjing
Beijing is located 1000 km to the north of Nanjing. With direct flights and high speed strains, tourists can travel between these two cities conveniently.
By Flight: 2 hours. There are about 4 direct flights a day from Beijing Capital International Airport and to Nanjing Lukou International Airport. As the airport in Beijing is always busy and a little far from downtown, please set aside 2 hours for security check and boarding.
By High Speed Train: 3-5 hours. Every day, there are over 20 high speed trains from Beijing to Nanjing. They all depart from Beijing South Railway Station and arrive at Nanjing South Railway Station.
By Normal Train: about 10-15 hours. 3 normal trains run from Beijing Railway Station to Nanjing Railway Station. For such a long time, a hard-sleeper or soft-sleeper ticket is more recommended.
Get from Shanghai to Nanjing
Shanghai is about 300 km to the southeast of Nanjing. Flights are not avaible because they are not far away. Traveling by high speed train is most recommended.
By High Speed Train: 1-4.5 hours. There are nearly 200 daily high speed G/D/C trains from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station, Shanghai Railway Station, Shanghai South Railway Station and Shanghai West Railway Station to Nanjing South Railway Station, so you can take a Shanghai-Nanjing high speed train easily.
By Long-distance Bus: 4.5 hours. There are several long-distance buses from Shanghai Long-Distance Bus Terminal (上海长途汽车客运总站) to Nanjing Bus Passenger Terminal (南京汽车客运站), Nanjing Gaochun Bus Station (南京高淳汽车站) or Nanjing Lishui Bus Station (南京溧水汽车客运站). You need to buy bus tickets on site.
▶ How to Travel from Shanghai to Nanjing | Shanghai Nanjing Train Route Map
Get from Suzhou to Nanjing
Suzhou is a charming city in Jiangsu with elegant gardens and silk. It is 230 km away from Nanjing and the frequent high speed trains can finish the transfer conveniently.
By High Speed Train: about 1-2 hours. There are about 150 high speed trains between Suzhou and Nanjing. All the four railway stations (Suzhou Railway Station, Suzhou North Railway Station, Suzhou Xinqu Railway Station, Suzhou Yuanqu Railway Station) in Suzhou operate high speed trains and Suzhou Railway Station is the most chosen one because of the frequent schedules and convenient location in downtown.
By Long-distance Bus: about 3 hours. There are many buses you can choose running from Suzhou Beiguangchang Bus Station (苏州北广场站), Suzhou South Bus Station (苏州南门汽车客运站), Wujiang Bus Station (吴江汽车客运站) to Nanjing Bus Passenger Terminal (南京汽车客运站) and Nanjing South Bus Station (南京汽车客运南站).
Get from Hangzhou to Nanjing
Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province, has convenient transportation to Nanjing. They are 280 km away and taking a high speed train is the fastest.
By High Speed Train: 1.5-5.5 hours. There are over 80 high speed trains every day from Hangzhou Railway Station, Hangzhou East Railway Station, Hangzhou South Railway Station to Nanjing South Railway Station and Nanjing Railway Station. The frequent schedule really facilitates tourists a lot.
By Long-distance Bus: about 3.5-4 hours. There are a dozen of long-distance buses from Hangzhou North Bus Station (杭州汽车北站) to Nanjing. But the schedule is uncertain and you can not buy the ticket in advance, thus the method is not very recommended.
▶ Hangzhou to Nanjing Real-Time Train Schedules
☛ 8 Days East China Tour by High-speed Train (Nanjing / Suzhou / Hangzhou / Shanghai)
Hangzhou Railway Station
Get around Nanjing
By Metro
As of 2021, there are 10 metro lines (Line 1, Line 2, Line 3, Line 4, Line 10, Line S1, Line S3, Line S7, Line S8, and Line S9) operating in Nanjing, which makes Nanjing city tours fast and comfortable.
Line 1 (Maiaoqiao - Chinese Medical University): you can easily get to famous attractions like Zhonghua Gate, Xuanwu Lake and Tao Xingzhi Tomb.
Line 2 (Youfangqiao - Jintianlu): you can get to the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, Dr. Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, Mochou Lake, etc.
Line 3 (Linchang - Mozhoudonglu): you can pay a visit to Confucius Temple (Qinhuai River), Presidential Palace, Zhenghe Park, Nanjing International Exhibition Center, Mufu Mountain and so on.
By Taxi
To get around in Nanjing, it is usually pretty easy and there are enough taxis around the city. It is usually CNY 11 for the first 3 km and then CNY 2.9 for every extra kilometer. If you take a taxi at night, the fare may be a little higher.
By Bus
Bus is probably the most widely-spread public transportation in a city. You can get to almost every attraction and landmark of Nanjing by bus and the fee is usually CNY 2 a person. But to take a bus, you need to have a certain master of Mandarin because most drivers can not speak English or other foreign languages.
By Long-distance Bus
At present, there are eight main long-distance bus stations in Nanjing, operating long-distance buses to Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Huangshan, Beijing, Wuxi, Qingdao and some other big cities. Among the eight, Nanjing Long-distance Bus Station is the biggest station serving the most passengers.
Nanjing Downtown (Xinjiekou) to Main Attractions
• To Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum: about 8 km, 35 minutes by car, 1 hour by metro and bus.
• To Confucius Temple & Qinhuai River: about 3 km, 15 minutes by car, 25 minutes by metro.
• To the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders: about 5 km, 25 minutes by car, 20 minutes by metro.
• To Nanjing Museum: about 5 km, 30 minutes by car, 25 minutes by metro.
Nanjing Metro
Nanjing Bus
Get from Nanjing to Wuxi
Wuxi, a shining peal of Taihu Lake, is located at the south of Jiangsu Province. It is about 200 km to the southeast of Nanjing. The fast and comfortable high speed train is the most recommended transfer way.
By High Speed Train: 45min-1.5 hours. There are about 100 high speed G and D trains every day from Nanjing South Railway Station or Nanjing Railway Station to Wuxi Railway Station or Wuxi East Railway Station. With only an hour, you can travel between these two cities easily.
By Private Car: about 2.5 hours. It is not a long journey from Nanjing to Wuxi. If you want a more flexible trip, you can charter a car to Wuxi, but it is a little expensive. Buses are not recommended because they are not as comfortable or fast as high speed trains.
Wuxi Railway Station
Travel with China Discovery
In order to get a Nanjing tour, It is strongly recommended to travel with China Discovery. Our local travel guide and driver will pick you up at the airport or train station as you arrive with an air-conditioned and non-smoking vehicle, and then escort you to your hotel or every attraction listed in your itinerary. Great freedom will be given to you whenever you need to stop for sightseeing and photography. You are sure to enjoy a comfortable, safe and efficient experience.
Far more than that, China Discovery is professional to provide high-quality customizable tour. Before your tour, our travel expert will communicate with you one to one and make an itinerary according your own interest, need and budget. Every detail – transfer, hotels, attractions, etc. will be arranged well for you and you just need to focus on sightseeing. Feel free to contact us to start your worry-free private tour now!
Our Customers in Tiger Hill, Suzhou
How to Plan Your Travel in Nanjing
How to Get to Nanjing: You can easily get to Nanjing by high speed train from Beijing (about 3-5h), Shanghai (about 1-2.5h), Hangzhou (about 1.5-5.5h), Suzhou (about 45min-2.5h), etc. and flight from Beijing (2h), Guangzhou (2h15min), Chengdu (2.5h), Xian (2h), etc.
Best Time to Visit Nanjing: March to June and September to November, especially in late October and early November.
Generally, to explore the cultural and natural highlights of Nanjing, 2 ~ 3 days are needed. You can pay a visit to Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum (the tomb of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the Father of Modern China), take a walk in Confucius Temple Area along the Qinhuai River, climb up the ancient City Wall, and know a part of heavy history and cherish peace in the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre.
☛ 2 Days Ancient Nanjing Tour
☛ 3 Days Best of Nanjing Highlights Tour
If you want to explore more about Jiangsu Province, you can travel to Suzhou - the city of classical gardens and silk, Wuxi - a beautiful lakeshore city, Yangzhou - old culture center of southern China, etc. Check more about Jiangsu Tours>
☛ 5 Days Jiangsu Tour (Suzhou, Wuxi & Nanjing)
If you have more days, you can expand your Nanjing trip to Shanghai - modernest metropolis in China, Hangzhou - home to picturesque West Lake, and Huangshan - magnificent Yellow Mountain and Hui-style ancient villages. Or you can contact us to customize a trip according to your own itinerary and interests. Just tell us your needs and we will take care of everything, you just need to focus on sightseeing!
☛ 5 Days Shanghai & Nanjing Highlights Tour
☛ 8 Days East China Tour by High-speed Train
Get Inspired by Real Travel Stories of Our Customers
Since 2012, we have helped numerous customers visit Nanjing and surroundings. With our fully-inclusive private tour packages, all of our customers enjoyed their trips to the ancient city wall, beautiful Purple Mountain, informative Nanjing Museum, charming Qinhuai River, etc. Some of them kindly shared their precious photos and stories about their Nanjing journey, just get inspired now.
"This is my second time to ask China Discovery to organize a private tour for a group of 12 people to visit Huangshan, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Suzhou, Shanghai and other cities close-by…" - shared by Mr. Ban (Check his Travel China with Family and Friends for 3 Consecutive Years - Mr. Ban's Group Traveled Different Parts of China from the North to Southwest and Southeast)
Besides the wonderful travel stories, many customers who visited Nanjing with China Discovery also send us their first-hand feedbacks about their trip, feel free to read the Customer Reviews and learn what they say about their experience. If you want to start your Nanjing tour now, don't hesitate to contact us.
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Nanjing Tours
- Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum
- Nanjing Museum
- Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall
- Niushoushan
- Things to do & Top Attractions
- Weather & Seasons
- Accommodation
- Nanjing Maps
- How to Plan A Nanjing Tour
- More Nanjing Travel Guide
Nanjing Travel Guide
More about Jiangsu Travel Guide
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Top 3 Nanjing tours chosen by most customers to explore Nanjing in the best way. Check the detailed itinerary, or tailor your own trip now with us.
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Start planning your tailor-made holiday to China by contacting one of our specialists. Once inquired, you’ll get a response within 0.5~23.5 hours.
Customize a TripQuestions & Discussions
Following are latest questions and answers from our webusers and customers. You can learn many useful information from the discussion and cases. You can also join in the discussions or ask your own question. Our experts will help you ASAP.
Thanks for your question. You can firstly take a high speed train from Nanjing South Railway Station at No. 98, Yulan Road, Yuhuatai District, Nanjing (南京市雨花台区玉兰路98号) to Tongling Railway Station where you can transfer to Anhui Annada Titanium Ind ltd (安徽安纳达钛业股份有限公司) by a taxi. The train trasfer takes about 1 hour 15 minutes. There usually are about 9~10 bullet trains to Tongli from Nanjing each day. The earliest departs at 08:04, and the latest one at 17:24. Hope my answer would be helpful for you.
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