Hangzhou Transportation

If you happen to be in Kuala Lumpur or Singapore, you can buy cheap airfare flight to Hangzhou with Airasia.

The flight takes about 5 hours.

KL--> Hangzhou
8:10 --> 13:10
17:20 --> 22:20

Hangzhou --> KL
23:20 --> 04:20
14:10 --> 19:10

check out the website!!

We arrived at Hangzhou Airport at 11pm due to flight delay. We still can catch an Airport Bus outside of the first floor arrival hall exit 5. It comes with several stops, we stopped at West Lake and spend taxi Y14 yuan to ride to our hotel.

Tip: You can buy a map (Y5) on board. Don't worry it is a standard price.

Airport Bus costs Y20/each adult.

There are several boat trips across West Lake. I took one to the Lesser Yingzhou Island in the middle of the lake which cost Y45. Details and maps of the journeys that the boats take can be found at the different places they stop at around the lake.

2 more images

The train station is located in the eastern part of the city centre. I took a train from here to Shanghai (there's loads during the day). The train was one of the new and posh CRH trains. Check out the website below for train times:

2 more images

There are plenty of trains traveling bewteen Hangzhou and Shanghai.
The trip takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes with the new high speed trains.
Note, most trains from Hangzhou to Shanghai ends at Shanghai South Railway Station, it's different from Shanghai Railway Station. From South Station, you can take subway to get to Shanghai Railway Station.

Hangzhou has introduced a great bike rental scheme. You show your passport, plonk down a deposit of 300 yuan per bike and get a smart card. Swipe it at any bike station around the city (there are many) for FREE use of the bike for the 1st hour. It costs 1 yuan per hour after that. We were able to ride to & from tourist spots around the West Lake as well as to shop in the city without paying anything, by returning the bikes and re-borrowing at the different stations. Some of the bikes have baby carriers.

When you are through with the bike, go to the bike station and get back your deposit by giving them the receipt. Only certain bike stations can issue the smart card as well as return the deposit. The bike stations are open from 8 am to 7 pm daily. All the bikes are bright orange, so you can't mistaken them for bikes for rental by private operators. And don't worry, the workers will only allow bikes in good condition to be borrowed.

Hangzhou roads are very good to ride on. Smooth and wide. Many roads have bike lanes and the drivers there are used to sharing the roads with bikes, so you can enjoy your ride safely.

In Hangzhou there are automatic bike rental stations around town. You have to buy a magnetic card in advance, to use when collecting a bike and returning it. Nice thing is you can pick up and drop off at different locations.

I've done a lot of city cycling in Shanghai and Hangzhou. I do not rate it as "enjoyable", and unless you have good urban riding experience in chaotic places, I wouldn't recommend it.

As for parking a bike, it's not a big problem. If you have a lock, you can leave it just about anywhere.

Some people suggest bicycling around the West Lake area of Hangzhou -- I think the pace on foot is much more enjoyable.

From Shanghai to Hangzhou I had a comfortable seat for 33.00yuan (that was on the N 509).

On the return trip I caught the T730 and paid 48.00 yuan, but I don't remember it being any more comfortable for the extra yuan... maybe it was slightly faster.

I found it easy to get tickets on the day, but I had to get used to the lining up system at the ticket windows (i.e. some people will line up, but generally people just push in and the line means very little).