The fastest high-speed train from Suzhou to Hangzhou takes just 43 minutes, but that requires boarding at Suzhou South Station in Wujiang and arriving at Hangzhou West Station. Departing from Suzhou Station or Suzhou North Station in the city center to Hangzhou East Station usually takes 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes, as these trains detour through Shanghai Hongqiao first. Driving via the expressway covers about 150 km and takes under two hours without traffic. Below, we break down which option truly saves time based on your starting point, luggage, and travel companions.
The train times, durations, and fares in this article were checked on 12306 on November 10, 2026, for services on November 18 (Wednesday). Extra trains may be added or schedules adjusted on weekends and holidays, so always check 12306 for the latest info when booking.
Bottom line: which route suits whom
Suzhou South Station–Hangzhou West Station: There are 38 direct trains that day, running from 6:55 am to 9:40 pm. Most take 43 to 57 minutes, with second-class seats around ¥61–70. Best for travelers staying near Wujiang or Tongli, or heading to western Hangzhou, Xixi Wetland, or Future Sci-Tech City. The downside is that Suzhou South Station isn't in the city center—it takes 40 to 50 minutes to drive there from the old town.
Suzhou Station or Suzhou North Station–Hangzhou East Station: Together, the two stations offer about 32 trains that day. Most are long-distance high-speed trains passing through Shanghai Hongqiao, taking 1 hour 11 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes, with second-class seats around ¥115–133. Both stations are in the city center and accessible by metro, making them ideal if you're staying near the old town, Pingjiang Road, or Guanqian Street, or heading to West Lake or Hubin in Hangzhou.
Driving or private car: From Guanqian Street in Suzhou to Hubin in Hangzhou, the distance is about 150 km based on OpenStreetMap data. With clear roads, the drive takes just over an hour and 40 minutes, but factoring in getting out of the city, entering the next one, and finding parking, it's safer to allow two and a half hours. This works well for groups of three or more, travelers with lots of luggage, those with seniors or kids, or anyone who wants to stop at a water town along the way.
Choosing a station: Five stations in Suzhou offer direct trains to Hangzhou
When people search for "Suzhou to Hangzhou high-speed train," they see all kinds of options because several stations in Suzhou run direct services to Hangzhou across two different rail lines. Knowing where these stations are matters more than memorizing train numbers.
Suzhou South Station: Fastest, but far from the old town
Suzhou South Station is located near Fenhu in Lili Town, Wujiang District, and opened on December 26, 2024, with the Shanghai-Suzhou-Huzhou Railway. The line runs from Shanghai Hongqiao through Suzhou South Station and Shengze to Huzhou, covering 164 km with a design speed of 350 km/h. From Huzhou, you can connect to lines heading toward Hangzhou, so Suzhou South to Hangzhou West takes only 40 to 50 minutes—the fastest option between the two cities right now.
The catch is its location. Based on station coordinates, driving from Suzhou South Station to Guanqian Street is about 47 km—longer than the trip to Hangzhou itself. There's no metro connection yet, so transfers rely on buses and dedicated shuttles: three bus routes reach stations on Suzhou Metro Line 4, while the Kaixuan Plaza shuttle and Tongli rail shuttle also connect to metro stations, running until around 22:50. Taxis and ride-hailing cars pick up passengers in Zone E of the underground parking lot. If you're staying in the old town and make a special trip to Suzhou South Station, the transfer and waiting time often adds up to about the same as departing directly from Suzhou Station, with the only benefit being roughly half the ticket price.
If you're already staying in Tongli or Lili, or plan to visit Tongli Ancient Town before heading to Hangzhou, Suzhou South Station is very convenient. Shengze Station in Wujiang is on the same line, with 20 direct trains daily to Hangzhou West taking as little as 37 minutes, with second-class seats around ¥55.
Suzhou Station and Suzhou North Station: In the city with more trains, but a detour
Suzhou Station is the old railway station, located north of the ancient city. Metro Lines 2 and 4 both stop here, and a taxi to Humble Administrator's Garden or Pingjiang Road takes about ten minutes. Suzhou North Station is in Xiangcheng District, connected to downtown by Metro Line 2. Most high-speed trains from these two stations to Hangzhou originate in Nanjing or Suzhou, pass through Kunshan South and Shanghai Hongqiao, then follow the Shanghai-Hangzhou line to Hangzhou East. Some continue on to Ningbo, Wenzhou, Fuzhou, or Guiyang.
On any given day, there are 16 trains from Suzhou Station to Hangzhou East, with the earliest at 7:15 and the latest at 18:52. Suzhou North Station also has 16 trains to Hangzhou East, the earliest at 7:06 and the latest at 18:25, with noticeably fewer options after 3 p.m. The fastest train departs from Suzhou North Station and reaches Hangzhou East in 1 hour 11 minutes; most take between 1 hour 25 minutes and 1 hour 45 minutes. Second-class seats cost around ¥115–133, roughly double the price from Suzhou South, because the route actually detours through Shanghai.
Suzhou Yuanqu Station and Suzhou New District Station also have a few direct trains to Hangzhou East—worth checking if you're staying near Jinji Lake or the High-Tech Zone. In addition, Suzhou Station has several regular and D-trains heading to Hangzhou Station (Chengzhan), taking two and a half to three hours, with fares starting around ¥47. These suit travelers with plenty of time who want to save money.
Arriving in Hangzhou: Where West Station and East Station connect
Hangzhou West Station is in Yuhang District. Opened in 2022, it's served by Metro Lines 3 and 19. Line 19 runs east through Xixi Wetland North and Wensan Road to West Lake Cultural Square and Hangzhou East Railway Station. According to Hangzhou's official English-language media, the ride from West Station to East Station on Line 19 takes about 25 minutes. To reach West Lake, get off at West Lake Cultural Square or transfer to another line for Hubin. Overall, it takes a bit longer than departing from East Station.
Hangzhou East Railway Station is Hangzhou's largest rail hub, where Metro Lines 1, 4, 6 and 19 intersect. Take Line 1 west for a few stops to Longxiangqiao Station; from there it's just a few minutes' walk to Hubin and West Lake, making this the most convenient route if you're staying lakeside. Taxis and ride-hailing pick-up points at the station are underground, and during holidays the wait in line can take longer than the ride itself—if you're in a hurry, the metro is more reliable.
Hangzhou to Suzhou: what to watch for on the return trip
The same rules apply in reverse. There are 41 trains daily from Hangzhou West Station to Suzhou South Station, running from 6:41 to 21:39, taking 43 minutes to just over an hour, with second-class seats around ¥50–67. From Hangzhou East Station to Suzhou Station there are 18 trains, the earliest at 8:09 and the latest at 20:40. Ten trains run from Hangzhou East to Suzhou North Station, mostly in the afternoon and evening, taking between 1 hour 15 minutes and 2 hours, with second-class seats around ¥124–133.
When heading back to Suzhou from Hangzhou, pay special attention to the last train. Trains to Suzhou Station and Suzhou North Station are scarce after 8 pm. If you're exploring West Lake until evening and don't leave until after 8, your safest bet is to take the metro to Hangzhou West Station and catch a late train to Suzhou South—but you'll still need to transfer to reach the old town, so you might not get to your hotel until nearly 11 pm. If you're traveling with seniors or kids, plan your return before evening rather than racing for the last train—it's far more comfortable.
Calculating total travel time based on where you stay: three common examples
Staying near Guanqian Street in the old town, heading to a hotel by West Lake: A taxi to Suzhou Station takes about 10 minutes; allow half an hour to get through the station; the high-speed train to Hangzhou East Station takes around 1 hour 30 minutes; then take Metro Line 1 to Longxiangqiao and walk to the lake. Door-to-door takes about three hours, with only half of that actually spent on the train. If you switch to Suzhou South Station, the taxi ride alone takes 40–50 minutes, and once you arrive at Hangzhou West you still have to transfer to the metro to reach the city center, so the total time won't be any shorter.
Staying near Jinji Lake or the SIP, heading to western Hangzhou: First check whether Suzhou Yuanqu Station, located right in the industrial park, has suitable trains. If not, you have two options: take a taxi about 16 km to Suzhou North Station for a train to Hangzhou East, then transfer to Line 19 westbound; or take a taxi about 46 km to Suzhou South Station for a direct train to Hangzhou West. The latter costs more in taxi fare, but Xixi Wetland, Future Sci-Tech City and hotels in Yuhang are all nearby once you arrive, saving you one transfer.
Staying in Tongli or Wujiang, heading anywhere in Hangzhou: Go directly to Suzhou South Station or Shengze Station. It takes 40–50 minutes to reach Hangzhou West Station, then take Line 19 into the city. This is the fastest door-to-door option between Suzhou and Hangzhou, and the route that changed most after the Shanghai-Suzhou-Huzhou Railway opened. Previously, getting from Wujiang to Hangzhou meant going through downtown Suzhou or driving.
Tickets, station entry and luggage
High-speed train tickets are sold on the 12306 website or app. Foreign passports and Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan resident permits all work for real-name ticket purchases. Show the original ID used for booking when entering the station. For first-time passport users, see How foreigners buy China high-speed train tickets. Trains run all day on the Suzhou-Hangzhou route. On weekdays, booking a day or two ahead is usually fine, but on Friday evenings, Sunday afternoons and around public holidays, second-class seats during peak hours sell out fast—book early once your plans are set.
Ticket gates close a few minutes before departure. At major stations, allow at least 20–30 minutes for security checks and walking to your platform. Suzhou Station and Hangzhou East Station are busy, and security lines get longer during holidays. For luggage, there are racks for oversized bags at both ends of each carriage, and carry-on suitcases fit in the overhead bins. Board early to find space for a 28-inch suitcase. Strollers can be folded and stored near the carriage connections.
Driving: 150 km, easy route, tricky at both ends
The expressway between Suzhou and Hangzhou is generally in good condition. Head south from the old town onto the Su-Jia-Hang Expressway, then connect to the expressway toward Hangzhou. Based on OpenStreetMap data, the total distance is about 150 km, taking roughly 1 hour 40 minutes in free-flowing traffic. The real time sinks are at both ends: the elevated roads leaving Suzhou and entering Hangzhou often jam during morning and evening rush hours, and traffic heading back toward Suzhou from Hangzhou picks up noticeably on weekend afternoons.
Once in Hangzhou, parking around West Lake is the biggest hassle. Lots near Hubin, Broken Bridge and Lingyin often fill up on holidays, and some roads have temporary traffic controls. An easier approach is to park at your hotel and explore the lake on foot, by bike or by bus. Rules for non-local license plates in downtown Hangzhou change frequently, so check the day's restrictions in your navigation app or via local traffic police announcements before you drive.
How to fit a water town into your route
Several ancient towns sit right between Suzhou and Hangzhou. High-speed trains run point-to-point, making it hard to stop along the way. If you drive or hire a private car, you can work a water town into the trip—for example, leave Suzhou in the morning, reach Wuzhen by noon, and arrive in Hangzhou in the evening, or visit Tongli and Zhouzhuang first before heading south. This splits the day's travel into two legs of about an hour each, which is easier on older travelers than sitting for two and a half hours straight.
If you plan to see the night views in Wuzhen West Scenic Zone, put Wuzhen at the end of your itinerary and head to Hangzhou the next morning instead of traveling late at night. For routes and travel times from Wuzhen to Hangzhou, see our article on Hangzhou to Wuzhen private car.
Besides Suzhou and Hangzhou, Shanghai and Qiandao Lake are also common stops on a Jiangnan trip. For routes from Shanghai, see How to get from Shanghai to Suzhou and How to get from Shanghai to Hangzhou; for those flying into Hangzhou, see the subway and bus options from Xiaoshan Airport to the city at Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport to downtown.
When a private car makes more sense
For two people traveling light and staying near the station, the high-speed train is usually the best deal. But a door-to-door private car is easier in these cases: groups of three to six, where train tickets plus taxis at both ends add up to about the same per person; traveling with large suitcases, strollers, or older guests with limited mobility who'd rather avoid stairs and taxi lines at Suzhou Station and Hangzhou East Station; staying in Suzhou Old Town and heading to spots far from Hangzhou East Station like Lingyin Temple or Longjing; or wanting to stop at an ancient town along the way.
To learn how to book a private car between Suzhou and Hangzhou and match vehicle types to group sizes, see Suzhou to Hangzhou private car and the reverse route, Hangzhou to Suzhou private car. For hopping between gardens and station transfers within Suzhou, see Suzhou private car. Need a car once you reach Hangzhou? Check out Hangzhou private car.
Enchanting Suzhou and Hangzhou 4 days 3 nights, no-shopping high-quality group tour
A 4-day, 3-night group tour meeting at Hangzhou East Railway Station: lantern-lit evening stroll in Wuzhen West Scenic Zone; Xitang with a complimentary boat ride (except on public holidays) and Lingyin Temple's Feilai Peak; Humble Administrator's Garden and Hanshan Temple in Suzhou; and a full day at West Lake. Includes admission tickets, upscale or luxury hotel stays, 3 breakfasts and 1 meal, plus a Chinese-speaking guide. Songcheng is optional at your own expense.
Jiangnan elegance 3-day 2-night tour: Hanshan Temple, Lingering Garden, Feilai Peak and Lingyin Temple, West Lake boat cruise, Flower Harbor Park, tea plantation photo shoot
A 3-day 2-night private tour starting in Suzhou and ending in Hangzhou: Hanshan Temple and Shantang Street, the Lingering Garden and Pingjiang Road, then Lingyin Temple and Feilai Peak in Hangzhou in the afternoon. On the last day, enjoy a West Lake boat cruise and a tea plantation photo shoot. Includes transport, guide, two nights at an upscale or luxury hotel, and admission tickets, with an English-speaking guide available.
4 Days 3 Nights in Suzhou, Hangzhou and Beyond: Hangzhou (West Lake + Feilai Peak + Hu Xueyan's Former Residence) + Zhouzhuang + Wuzhen West Scenic Zone + Suzhou (Pingjiang Road + Shantang Street), no shopping stops
A 4-day, 3-night private tour starting and ending in Hangzhou, visiting both Wuzhen and Zhouzhuang. Spend the first night in Wuzhen to see the West Scenic Zone lit up at night, then explore Zhouzhuang, Pingjiang Road and Shantang Street the next day before touring the Humble Administrator's Garden. Back in Hangzhou, enjoy a boat ride on West Lake and visit Feilai Peak. Includes transport, guide, hotels and admission tickets. English-speaking guide available.
FAQs
How long is the high-speed train from Suzhou to Hangzhou?
It depends on which stations you use. From Suzhou South Station to Hangzhou West Station, the fastest trains take 43 minutes, with most around 50 minutes. From Suzhou Station or Suzhou North Station to Hangzhou East Station, most trips take 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes, with the fastest at 1 hour 11 minutes. These are the schedules as of November 18, 2026; always check 12306 for real-time information.
How much is a high-speed train ticket from Suzhou to Hangzhou?
Again, using November 18 schedules as an example: second-class seats from Suzhou South to Hangzhou West cost about ¥61–70, while tickets from Suzhou Station or Suzhou North Station to Hangzhou East run about ¥115–133. First-class and business-class seats cost more. Many routes now use dynamic pricing, so fares vary by train and time of day even on the same route—double-check before booking.
Is Suzhou South Station far from downtown Suzhou?
Yes, it's quite far. The station is in Lili Town, Wujiang District, about 47 km by car from Guanqian Street. There's no direct metro yet, so you'll need to take a bus or shuttle to a station like Tongli Station on Line 4 to transfer, or take a taxi. If you're staying in the old town, departing from Suzhou Station or Suzhou North Station is usually much easier.
Which station in Suzhou is best for getting to West Lake?
If you're staying in downtown Suzhou, take a train from Suzhou Station or Suzhou North Station to Hangzhou East Station, then ride Metro Line 1 to Longxiangqiao—this route requires the fewest transfers. If you're staying near Wujiang, take a train from Suzhou South Station to Hangzhou West Station, then ride Line 19 into the city. The total door-to-door travel time for both options is about the same; the main differences are which station is closer to where you're staying and the ticket price.
Is a day tour from Hangzhou to Suzhou doable?
Yes, but you'll need to leave early and head back early. Take an 8 or 9 am train from Hangzhou East Station to Suzhou Station, visit Humble Administrator's Garden and Pingjiang Road, and catch a return train around 5 or 6 pm for a relaxed pace—there are very few trains from Hangzhou East after 8 pm. One day is enough if you just want to see the gardens, but if you'd like to add a water town, we recommend spending a night in Suzhou.