Pizhou
Introduction
Pizhou is a county-level city in Jiangsu province, administered as part of Xuzhou. It sits in the far north of the province, where Jiangsu meets Shandong: the Shandong cities of Linyi lie to the northeast and Zaozhuang to the northwest.
Getting around
Pizhou is a compact, walkable town centre, and many sights, shops and restaurants are best reached on foot — keep a map app handy for the smaller streets and take care on busy roads at night. Local buses are the cheapest way to get around and reach residential areas, markets and industrial zones, though they get crowded at peak times and signage is mainly in Chinese, so have your destination written down in Chinese characters. Metered taxis and ride-hailing apps such as Didi are the most convenient choice for door-to-door trips, odd hours or when you have luggage; short in-city rides are inexpensive, but for longer transfers insist on the meter or agree a price in advance. Shared bicycles and electric scooters are handy for short hops and last-mile connections, though availability fluctuates, so have a backup plan for rain or late evenings.
For arrivals, Pizhou Railway Station handles both conventional trains and CRH/EMU services, with short regional hops from Xuzhou typically taking under an hour; longer journeys such as from Nanjing generally require a transfer at Xuzhou. Buses and taxis usually wait at the station exits. The long-distance coach station links the city with Xuzhou, Lianyungang, Linyi and nearby counties — slower than high-speed rail and subject to traffic, with frequency varying by route, so check departure times in advance and carry cash, as not every service takes mobile payment. Pizhou has no airport of its own; the nearest option is Xuzhou Guanyin Airport, from which you can take a shuttle into Xuzhou and continue by train or coach, or arrange a direct taxi or car-with-driver transfer. Lianyungang and Linyi are alternative airports, and long-haul arrivals via Nanjing Lukou involve a high-speed train toward Xuzhou and a transfer onward. English is rarely spoken, so keep a translation app and offline maps on your phone, and have your hotel address written in Chinese characters.
Three days in Pizhou
Day one: Arrive at Pizhou Railway Station, served by CRH and EMU trains, or come in via Xuzhou Guanyin Airport or Nanjing Lukou if you are flying. Pizhou sits in Jiangsu, close to the borders with Shandong, Linyi, Zaozhuang and Lianyungang, and Xuzhou is the nearest major city. Once you are in town, use metered taxis, Didi, or shared buses to get around, and keep in mind that local buses are the cheapest way to cover longer hops. English is not widely spoken, so have your destinations written in Chinese.
- Arrive at Pizhou Railway Station by CRH or EMU
- Alternatively fly into Xuzhou Guanyin Airport or Nanjing Lukou
- Get around by metered taxi, Didi, or shared bus
Day two: Spend the day exploring Pizhou itself on foot and by local bus. Because English is limited, carry your addresses in Chinese and rely on metered taxis or Didi for anything beyond walking distance. If you want a change of scene, Xuzhou is the obvious day trip, and the surrounding towns of Linyi and Zaozhuang in Shandong are within reach.
- Explore central Pizhou on foot
- Use metered taxis or Didi where walking is impractical
- Consider a day trip to Xuzhou
Day three: Use your last day for a wider loop. Buses connect Pizhou with Lianyungang and other nearby towns, and the rail links through Pizhou Railway Station make it easy to head onward to Nanjing or back toward Xuzhou. If you are flying out, allow time to reach Xuzhou Guanyin Airport or Nanjing Lukou, and confirm your transport the day before, since English-language signage and assistance are limited.
- Take a bus to Lianyungang or another nearby town
- Depart via Pizhou Railway Station on a CRH or EMU service
- Allow extra time for Xuzhou Guanyin Airport or Nanjing Lukou