Best China Travel Itinerary 2026 | 6D5N China Itinerary: Shanghai → Suzhou → Hangzhou

Day 1: Arrival in Shanghai

✈️ Arrival & Transport

• Airport: Shanghai Pudong (PVG) / Hongqiao (SHA)
• To City:
  • PVG: Metro Line 2 (¥6, 60 mins) or Maglev (¥50, 8 mins)
  • SHA: Metro Line 2/10 (¥4, 20 mins)
• Payment: Alipay/WeChat Pay (bind Visa/Mastercard); cash ¥500 recommended

🏨 Accommodation (People Square / Nanjing Rd)

• Mid-range (¥400–600/night): Ji Hotel, Hanting (walk to The Bund 10 mins)
• Luxury (¥800–1500/night): Shanghai Hotel, Peninsula Hotel

🌆 Afternoon & Evening

1. The Bund (Free, 24h)
   • Best time: 17:00–21:00 (sunset + light show 19:00–23:00)
   • View: 52 colonial-era “World Architecture” buildings
      
      
2. Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street (Free, 24h)
   • 1 km shopping street: century-old brands + modern malls
   • Walk to The Bund in 10 mins
      

🍽️ Dinner (Shanghai Cuisine)

• Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant (Yuyuan): Soup dumplings, ¥60/person
• Xiaoyang Shengjian: Pan-fried buns, ¥30/person

Day 2: Shanghai – Yuyuan Garden & City Highlights

🏯 Morning: Yuyuan Garden

• Ticket: ¥40 (peak: Mar–Oct), ¥30 (off-peak: Nov–Feb)
• Hours: 8:30–17:00 (last entry 16:40)
• Highlights: Ming-dynasty garden, rockeries, ponds, pavilions
• Route: Main Gate → Three-Elegance Hall → Great Rockery → Jade Exquisite → Exit (1.5h)
   

🛳️ Afternoon: Oriental Pearl Tower & Huangpu River Cruise

1. Oriental Pearl Tower
   • Ticket: ¥199 (basic), ¥269 (glass walkway)
   • Hours: 9:00–21:30 (last entry 21:00)
   • Highlights: 259m glass walkway, 360° skyline view, Shanghai History Museum
      

      
2. Huangpu River Cruise (¥120, 1h)
   • Depart: 19:30; night views of The Bund & Lujiazui
      
      

Day 3: Shanghai → Suzhou (25 mins by high-speed train)

🚄 Transport

• Train: Shanghai Hongqiao → Suzhou, 25 mins, ¥34 (2nd class)
• Station: Suzhou Railway Station (metro Line 2)

🏨 Accommodation (Pingjiang Road / City Center)

• Mid-range (¥300–500/night): Atour S, Mercure (walk to Pingjiang Rd 5 mins)

🌿 Morning: Humble Administrator’s Garden

• Ticket: ¥80 (peak: Apr–May, Jul–Oct), ¥70 (off-peak)
• Hours: 7:30–17:30 (peak), 7:30–17:00 (off-peak)
• Highlights: Largest classical garden in Suzhou, UNESCO site
   

🛶 Afternoon: Pingjiang Road & Tongli Water Town

1. Pingjiang Road (Free, 24h)
   • Ancient canal street: stone bridges, white walls, black tiles
   • Boat ride: ¥50/30 mins (canal views)
      
2. Tongli Water Town (¥100, 1h by bus)
   • 1,000-year-old water town: canals, ancient houses, tea houses
      

🍽️ Dinner (Suzhou Cuisine)

• Songhelou: Squirrel fish, crab soup dumplings, ¥150/person
• Pingjiang Road Snacks: Osmanthus congee, plum cake, ¥20

Day 4: Suzhou – Tiger Hill & Evening to Hangzhou

🐯 Morning: Tiger Hill

• Ticket: ¥70 (peak: May–Oct), ¥60 (off-peak)
• Hours: 7:30–18:00 (peak), 7:30–17:30 (off-peak)
• Highlights: “No.1 Scenic Spot in Wu”; Yunyan Pagoda (Leaning Tower of China)
   

🚄 Afternoon: Suzhou → Hangzhou (45 mins)

• Train: Suzhou → Hangzhou East, 45 mins, ¥65 (2nd class)
• Station: Hangzhou East (metro Line 1)

🏨 Accommodation (West Lake Area)

• Mid-range (¥400–600/night): West Lake Hotel, Home Inn (walk to West Lake 5 mins)

🌇 Evening: West Lake Night View

• Free, 24h; best at 19:00–21:00 (lights on)
• Route: Broken Bridge → Bai Causeway → Su Causeway → Leifeng Pagoda (2h)
   

   

🍽️ Dinner (Hangzhou Cuisine)

• Zhiweiguan: West Lake vinegar fish, Longjing shrimp, ¥120/person
• Hefang Street: Local snacks, ¥50

Day 5: Hangzhou – West Lake & Lingyin Temple

🛶 Morning: West Lake Cruise

• Ticket: ¥55 (1h cruise; covers 3 islands)
• Hours: 8:00–16:30
• Highlights: Three Pools Mirroring the Moon, Lesser Paradise Island
   

🏯 Afternoon: Lingyin Temple & Feilai Peak

• Ticket: ¥45 (temple), ¥30 (Feilai Peak)
• Hours: 8:00–18:00
• Highlights: 1,700-year-old Buddhist temple, stone carvings, pagodas
   

🍵 Evening: Longjing Tea Village

• Free entry; tea tasting ¥80/person
• Activity: Learn tea processing, taste authentic Longjing tea
   
   

Day 6: Hangzhou – Songcheng & Departure

🎭 Morning: Songcheng Theme Park

• Ticket: ¥300 (includes “Romance of the Song Dynasty” show)
• Hours: 9:00–21:00
• Highlights: Song-dynasty street, traditional performances, acrobatics
   

✈️ Departure

• Airport: Hangzhou Xiaoshan (HGH)
• To Airport: Metro Line 7 (¥7, 40 mins) or taxi (¥100, 30 mins)

Essential Tips for Foreigners

📋 Entry Documents

• Passport: Valid >6 months, ≥2 blank pages
• Visa: Chinese Tourist Visa (L); 15-day visa-free for EU/UK/US citizens

💳 Payment

• Alipay/WeChat Pay: Bind Visa/Mastercard (90% coverage)
• Cash: ¥500–1000 recommended (small shops/street food)

📱 Communication

• SIM Card: China Mobile/Unicom (¥50, 10GB data + 100 mins)
• Apps: Google Translate (offline Chinese), Metro Man, Alipay

💰 Budget Estimate (Per Person)

• Accommodation: ¥400×5 = ¥2000
• Transport: Trains + metro/bus = ¥800
• Tickets: All attractions = ¥750
• Food: ¥100×6 = ¥600
• Others: Souvenirs = ¥300
• Total: ≈ ¥4450 (≈ $620 USD)