Xinqiao

Introduction

Xinqiao is a town in Songjiang District, in the southwestern suburbs of Shanghai. It is served by Xinqiao railway station on the Jinshan railway, and sits just east of where the G15 Shenyang–Haikou Expressway meets the G60 Shanghai–Kunming Expressway.

The town is organised into 13 residential communities, so expect a suburban, residential character rather than a dense urban core.

Getting around

Before you plan any journeys, confirm which Xinqiao you are actually visiting: the name is shared by many towns, townships, subdistricts and transport facilities across China, including a railway station on the Shanghai–Kunming Railway in Songjiang District, Shanghai, and metro stations on the Chongqing and Wenzhou rail systems. If your trip centres on Hefei in Anhui Province, the guidance below applies.

Hefei's urban public transport combines a developing metro network with an extensive bus system, supplemented by taxis and ride-hailing. Public transport cards are the simplest way to pay across modes without handling cash for every trip, and it is worth checking the current metro network before relying on it for a specific journey. Buses are a major part of getting around, and each railway station has its own set of city bus routes: Hefei Railway Station is served by buses no. 10, 40, 47, 114, 129, 159, 504, 517, 682, 701 and 705; South Railway Station by buses no. 4, 9, 11, 16, 31, 51, 57, 65, 99, 108, 131, 156 and 703; and West Railway Station by bus no. 111 from the Railway Station. Taxis and ride-hailing are useful when bus routes do not line up with your destination, when you are carrying bags, or when travelling late; having your destination written in Chinese characters helps with taxi drivers.

• Hefei has three main railway stations — Hefei Railway Station, South Railway Station and West Railway Station — each with a different role, so confirm which one your train uses. South Railway Station mainly serves high-speed trains.
• Hefei Railway Station sits in the New Railway Station Comprehensive Development Experimental Zone and handles trains to major destinations including Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Chengdu and Nanchang.
• South Railway Station lies between Huizhou Avenue and Luzhou Avenue; West Railway Station is at the west end of Wangjiang Road.
• Both Hefei Railway Station and South Railway Station connect to neighbouring Anhui cities such as Anqing, Bengbu, Wuhu, Haozhou and Huangshan, and high-speed rail links Hefei to cities including Shanghai and Beijing.
• Hefei Xinqiao International Airport (HFE) lies some distance from the city centre. Reach the city by metro, bus, taxi or ride-hailing, and allow generous time for the transfer, especially at peak hours. Confirm current ground transport via the airport website, https://www.hfairport.com/, before you travel.
• If your onward journey is by train, check which of the three stations your train departs from before heading into the city.
• Walking suits short trips within a neighbourhood or between nearby stops; for longer journeys across the city, use the metro, bus, taxi or ride-hailing.

Three days in Xinqiao

Day one: Base yourself in Xinqiao, in Songjiang District on the edge of Shanghai, and use it as your starting point. Before heading further afield, get your bearings around the New Railway Station Comprehensive Development Experimental Zone, which sits within the Hefei area and links onward to Anhui Province. If you arrive by rail, you can come in via Hefei Railway Station, South Railway Station, West Railway Station or the Railway Station itself, and taxis and public buses make it easy to move between them.

Day two: Follow the rail and road links outward. The Haikou Expressway and Kunming Expressway connect the area to destinations including Kunming Railway, Chongqing, Wenzhou, Hefei, Beijing, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Chengdu, Nanchang, Huizhou Avenue, Luzhou Avenue and Wangjiang Road. Both Hefei Railway Station and the other stations serve travellers heading to Anqing, Bengbu, Jinshan, Shenyang and Shanghai, so you can shape a day trip around whichever direction appeals.

Day three: Spend your last day moving between the stations and the surrounding avenues, using public buses and taxis to cover the ground. With China's wider network within reach, you can plan an onward leg toward Anhui Province or back toward Shanghai, or simply loop through the New Railway Station Comprehensive Development Experimental Zone before you leave.