Hi Daniel,
I am travelling to Shanghai this April.
Visiting ZhuJiaJiao & Tongli - Is there any must see and must visit restaurants please? I will should be taking taxi there from my hotel at Shanghai, Metropolis Jinjiang Hotel Classiq. Is it easy to Didi to and fro and any timing to avoid when taking Didi?
Many thanks, Mary
Hi Mary,
Thanks for reaching out! Here’s some info for your trip to Shanghai and the water towns of ZhuJiaJiao and Tongli:
Getting to ZhuJiaJiao:
ZhuJiaJiao is actually quite close to Shanghai, so no need to take a Didi (ride-hailing service). You can easily get there by metro. Here’s how:
- From your hotel (Metropolis Jinjiang Hotel), walk about 250 meters to Nanjing East Road Station.
- Take Metro Line 2 to Hongqiao Railway Station.
- At Hongqiao, transfer to Metro Line 17, which will take you straight to ZhuJiaJiao Station.
- From there, it’s a 15-minute walk into the town center.
For the must-visit places and restaurants in ZhuJiaJiao, I’ve written a guide that you might find helpful: ZhuJiaJiao Water Town Travel Guide.
Getting to Tongli:
Tongli is in Suzhou, about 100 km from Shanghai. I wouldn’t recommend taking Didi as it can be expensive with extra fees. Here are two convenient ways to get there:
-
High-Speed Train + Metro + Bus:
- Take the high-speed train from Shanghai Hongqiao Station to Suzhou Station.
- At Suzhou Station, transfer to Metro Line 4 and get off at the Tongli Station.
- After exiting the station (Exit 9), cross the road to catch the free Wujiang Smart Bus to Tongli. The bus runs every 20 minutes.
-
Direct Bus (Weekend Only):
- On weekends (Saturday and Sunday), there are direct buses from Shanghai People's Square or Hongqiao West Station to both Zhouzhuang and Tongli. The return bus leaves Tongli at 3:00 pm, then heads to Zhouzhuang, and finally arrives back in Shanghai around 4:00 pm.
I’d recommend taking the high-speed train to Suzhou, then the metro to Tongli and finishing the journey with the free bus. For more details on must-see spots and restaurants in Tongli, check out this guide: Tongli Ancient Town Travel Guide.
Timing for Didi:
If you do take a Didi for shorter distances within Shanghai, try to avoid rush hours (7-9 am and 5-7 pm) as traffic can be quite heavy, especially in central areas.
Final Tip:
It's best to visit ZhuJiaJiao and Tongli on separate days, as they are both quite charming and deserve time to explore properly.
Hope this helps, and enjoy your trip! Let me know if you need anything else.
Best,
Daniel
