Route
Suzhou to HangzhouHangzhou to Suzhou: take the train or fly?
Suzhou and Hangzhou are about 40 minutes to an hour and a half apart, depending on which stations you use. The fastest trains run between new stations on the edge of each city; the central stations are slower but closer to what you came for.
Hangzhou 杭州
Hangzhou East
Suzhou 苏州
Suzhou Railway Station
- 2nd class
- from ¥94 ≈ $13
- Departures
- ~40/day
- 06:41–21:39
- Train types
- G · D
- Flight
- no flights — too short
It's a short, cheap hop with dozens of trains a day. The fastest run in about 40 minutes between Suzhou South and Hangzhou West, but both sit on the edge of their cities; Suzhou's central station to Hangzhou East is slower at 1h20m–2h and drops you far closer to the gardens and West Lake. Door to door the two are about even — pick the pairing that matches where you're staying.
Should you take the train or fly?
There’s nothing to decide on transport — it’s 240 km and nobody flies it. Trains run dozens of times a day, second class costs around ¥94–112, and even the slow option is under two hours.
The real choice is which stations. A high-speed line opened in 2024 links Suzhou South and Hangzhou West in about 40 minutes — but both stations are on the outer edge of their cities. The older pairing, Suzhou Railway Station (central) to Hangzhou East, takes 1h20m–2h and leaves you much closer to the gardens, the old town and West Lake. Once you add the taxi or metro at each end, the two work out about the same. Book the pairing that suits where you’re staying.
Stations, tickets and what to expect
Suzhou. Suzhou Railway Station is the central one, on metro lines 2 and 4, a short ride from the old town, Pingjiang Road and the main gardens. Suzhou North is in the northern suburbs; Suzhou South is south, on the fast 2024 line.
Hangzhou. Hangzhou East (Hangzhoudong) is the big hub, on metro lines 1 and 4, about 20 minutes from West Lake. Hangzhou West (Hangzhouxi) is newer and further out, in the northwest.
Fares. Second class is about ¥94 on D-trains and ¥112 on G-trains; first class ¥150–180.
Booking. Trip.com or the 12306 app, passport as the ID type, electronic ticket scanned at the gate. Second class is all anyone uses on a hop this short. A day or two ahead is usually fine; book earlier for weekends and holidays.
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FAQ
Common questions
How long is the train from Suzhou to Hangzhou?
As little as 40 minutes on the fastest trains between Suzhou South and Hangzhou West, and about 1 hour 20 minutes to 2 hours between the central stations. Around 40 high-speed trains run each way daily.
How much does it cost?
Second class is about ¥94 on D-trains and ¥112 on G-trains (≈ $13–16). First class is around ¥150–180. It's one of the cheaper intercity hops in the region.
Which stations should I book?
For sightseeing, book Suzhou Railway Station (central, by the old town and gardens) to Hangzhou East (metro to West Lake in about 20 minutes). The faster Suzhou South ↔ Hangzhou West trains save time on paper but both stations are well out of the centre, so the door-to-door time is similar.
Are there direct trains, or do they go via Shanghai?
There are plenty of direct trains — you do not need to change at Shanghai. If your times don't line up, though, routing through Shanghai Hongqiao is quick and easy.
Can I do this as a day trip?
Yes, in either direction — but both cities reward an overnight. A day trip works if you're focused on one thing, like West Lake or the Humble Administrator's Garden.
Do I need to book ahead?
A day or two is usually enough. Weekends, holidays and cherry-blossom season are much busier — book earlier then.
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