Getting Around Jiaxing: An Overview
Jiaxing is a prefecture-level city in northern Zhejiang province, sitting on the Grand Canal between Shanghai to the northeast and Hangzhou to the southwest. For a visitor, the practical picture is simple: the compact old city is walkable, buses and taxis cover the rest of the urban area, trams link the city centre with the high-speed rail station in the south, and the surrounding canal towns such as Wuzhen and Xitang are reached by a combination of train and bus. Jiaxing has no metro system, so buses, trams, taxis and ride-hailing do the heavy lifting.
Rail: Two Stations, Two Very Different Locations
Jiaxing is served by two railway stations, and which one you use shapes how you get into town.
- Jiaxing Railway Station (179 Chengdong Road, Nanhu District) sits within walking distance of both the city centre and South Lake. It is on the conventional Hangzhou–Shanghai railway rather than the high-speed line, and it is where most train arrivals alight. The bus stop outside is served by many routes, and the tram also stops here.
- Jiaxing South Railway Station (Shuangxi Road, Yuxin Town, Nanhu District) is on the high-speed Shanghai–Hangzhou Passenger Railway. It can shave a little time off a journey from Shanghai or Hangzhou, but it lies well to the south of the centre. From here you reach the city by bus, tram or taxi.
If your priority is stepping straight into the historic core, the older central station is the more convenient arrival point. If you are coming on the bullet train, expect a transfer at the southern station.
Trams
Jiaxing does have a tramway, and it is genuinely useful for visitors because it connects the two ends of a typical trip: the city centre and Jiaxing South Railway Station. The tram runs to the city centre from the exit of Jiaxing South Station, and the central railway station also has a tram stop. Further tram lines are planned, so the network is expected to grow, but for now think of it as a handy link between the rail hubs and downtown rather than a way to criss-cross the whole city.
Buses
The bus network is the mainstay of public transport and covers the urban area, connecting out to suburban districts as well. Key hubs include the area around the central rail station and Jiaxing South Railway Station, along with major intersections and business districts.
- Fares: low, in the region of a few yuan per ride on most local routes.
- Payment: cash (exact change needed) or mobile payment by scanning a code with WeChat Pay or Alipay.
- Hours: roughly early morning until around 9:30–10:00 pm.
- Frequency: varies by route and time of day, typically every ten to twenty minutes at peak.
- Peak times: morning and late-afternoon/early-evening commuter windows — expect crowding.
- Navigation: stop information is usually in Chinese only, so use Baidu Maps or Gaode (Amap) for real-time tracking and route planning.
In the old city, buses tend to follow the ring road that surrounds the historic core or one of the main north–south and east–west avenues that link the centre with nearby scenic areas. Newer buses may have low-floor access, but older vehicles and general infrastructure can be difficult for travellers with mobility needs; arranging assistance in advance is wise.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are plentiful and cheap by the standards of Shanghai and Hangzhou, which makes them a genuinely practical option rather than a splurge.
- Finding one: hail on the street, use taxi stands outside train stations and major hotels, or book through an app. Taxis cluster outside high-speed rail stations, the airport and bus stations.
- Appearance: licensed sedans with a roof "TAXI" sign, commonly yellow, green or blue.
- Fares: a modest flag-fall, with surcharges for evening and night travel. Confirm the driver uses the meter.
- Payment: cash is accepted, but WeChat Pay and Alipay are preferred.
For ride-hailing, Didi Chuxing is the dominant platform, offering tiers such as Didi Express, Didi Premier and Didi Taxi. The app has an English interface and integrates with WeChat Pay or Alipay. Drivers are registered and trips are tracked; before getting in, check the car model, licence plate and driver photo against the app.
Walking and Cycling
The old city is walkable on foot, and several areas are especially pleasant for pedestrians:
- Yuehe Historic Block — a pedestrianised canal-side area of old buildings and shops, easy to explore with a map or navigation app.
- South Lake Park — wide pathways around the lake, a popular spot for centuries and the site associated with the founding of the Chinese Communist Party.
- Meiwan Street — a restored neighbourhood south of the old city, near the moat, canals and lakes, with buildings in the style of prominent families' private residences.
Guided tours may be offered by local operators or some hotels. Dedicated cycling lanes exist on some major roads, but cyclists often share space with electric scooters and sometimes motor vehicles, and helmets are not universally worn. Pedestrians and cyclists are prohibited on major highways and expressways, and industrial or heavy construction zones may be unsafe. Crossings are common in urban areas, but stay alert for dense traffic and silent electric scooters.
Jiaxing has a public bicycle rental scheme, but it requires a special rental card unless you already hold a resident "city card" or a public transport card — so it is not a practical option for a casual visitor. Bike-sharing operators such as Hellobike, Meituan Bike and Didi Bike are accessed through WeChat or Alipay and often require a Chinese ID for full registration.
Boats and Water Transport
The World Heritage-listed Grand Canal runs through Jiaxing, and water is part of the city's identity — but it is no longer a way to commute. Public transport by boat around the city ceased years ago, and you cannot travel the Grand Canal by public transport. What remains is leisure-oriented:
- Water buses in the city centre, which require a time reservation and route selection, cost a few yuan per trip, and accept the local transportation card.
- South Lake is served by a regular ferry service.
- Scenic boats on South Lake and along the canals in Yuehe Historic Block are sightseeing excursions, not point-to-point transport.
Reaching the Suburban Canal Towns
Wuzhen and Xitang, the preserved canal towns within Jiaxing's city limits, are reached by combining trains and buses.
- Wuzhen: take a local train to Tongxiang station and change for a bus, or catch a bus directly from Jiaxing Coach Station. Buses run frequently from Tongxiang Station to Wuzhen through the day. A tourist coach also runs directly from Shanghai South Coach Station to Wuzhen, and coaches from Xujiahui in Shanghai go to Tongxiang, where you change for the local bus.
- Xitang: take a local train to Jiashan station or Jiashan South station and change for a bus, or catch a bus directly from Jiaxing or Jiaxing South station. Some coaches from Shanghai South Coach Station run straight to Xitang, though most go only to Jiashan, requiring a change to a local bus.
Once inside the preserved quarters of Wuzhen and Xitang, visitors mostly get around on foot. There are also buses and taxis between major locations such as the station and the scenic area, plus rickshaws for hire and small canal boats. Some quarters have boat-buses priced closer to a taxi, while others offer only sightseeing boats with guides at a much higher cost.
Long-Distance Buses and Driving
Long-distance coaches connect Jiaxing with surrounding cities including Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou and Nanjing. The downtown station is Jiaxing North Bus Station, which is the more convenient choice if you plan to spend time in the centre; the new Jiaxing Transportation Center is the other long-distance bus station. Note that buses are generally considered less convenient than the high-speed train, especially if you are carrying a lot of luggage.
By car, the highway is the fast approach. Jiaxing sits on the Shanghai–Hangzhou Highway, the 320 National Highway, the G60 Shanghai–Kunming Expressway and the G92 Hangzhou Bay Ring Expressway. Be aware that car rental is effectively unavailable to foreign tourists: a valid Chinese driving licence is required and International Driving Permits are not recognised. Motorcycle and scooter rentals are uncommon for visitors and likewise require a Chinese licence with the appropriate endorsement.
Getting In from the Airport
Jiaxing Nanhu Airport (formerly Jiaxing Air Base) is the city's airport, converted from military use to a public-use facility. It has been undergoing transformation into a military-civilian airport. Until it is fully open to passengers, the practical route into Jiaxing is via a neighbouring city's airport: fly into Hangzhou, Shanghai or Wuxi, then transfer to the high-speed rail or take a direct bus to Jiaxing. From Shanghai or Hangzhou, the high-speed rail to Jiaxing South is the smoothest connection; from the airport itself, taxis are readily available at the exits of airports, high-speed rail stations and bus stations.
Practical Notes for Visitors
- Language: Jiaxing dialect is a Northern Wu dialect, a sister of Shanghainese and Suzhou dialect and easily intelligible with both, but not mutually intelligible with Mandarin. Bus stop information is usually in Chinese only, so a translation or navigation app is a real help.
- Accessibility: newer buildings, major train stations such as Jiaxing South, and some public facilities may have ramps and elevators, but older areas generally lack them. Public buses can be challenging for travellers with mobility needs.
- Payment: WeChat Pay and Alipay are the default for buses, taxis and ride-hailing; carry some cash for exact-change bus fares.
- Where to base yourself: South Lake and Yuehe Historic Block suit those who want scenery and history on foot; the city centre near the central rail station is commercial and convenient; the Jiaxing South Railway Station area is modern and handy for high-speed rail but far from the historic sights.