Frequently Asked Questions about Hangzhou tour

Meals are a big part of any Hangzhou trip, and we arrange a la carte Chinese food rather than set tourist buffets - you order from the menu, so you pick what you actually want and pay for what you eat. Zhejiang cuisine is one of the eight great culinary traditions of China, and Hangzhou is its home. Longjing shrimp, Dongpo pork and West Lake fish in vinegar are the dishes the city is known for.

A few local classics worth trying:

Dongpo Rou (Dongpo Pork) - braised pork belly, balanced between sweet and savoury. It is named after Su Dongpo, a poet who once served as an official in Hangzhou.

Jiaohua Ji (Beggar's Chicken) - a whole chicken wrapped in clay and slow-cooked, which keeps the juices in. A folk tale says a beggar roasted a clay-sealed chicken over a fire and an emperor loved it.

Cong Bao Hui (Fried Dough Twist) - crispy fried dough, eaten with a sweet or spicy sauce. Its name refers to Qin Hui, a disliked prime minister, as a bit of folk protest.

Longjing Xia Ren (Dragon Well Tea Shrimp) - light river shrimp cooked with Longjing tea, mild and good for all ages.

Xi Hu Cu Yu (West Lake Vinegar Fish) - steamed fish in a vinegar sauce, a Hangzhou signature. Note it is served whole with bones; if you prefer a boneless dish, ask for Song Sao Yu Geng, a fish stew.

For traditional Hangzhou food near West Lake, Lou Wai Lou, Xin Xin Fan Dian and Shan Wai Shan are the well-known names. Hangzhou Jiu Jia does local traditional dishes, Kui Yuan Guan is famous for handmade noodles, and Zhi Wei Guan does dumplings and steamed buns. De Ming Fan Dian is a good budget option, usually walk-in only. For a modern take on local flavours, Grandma's Kitchen (Wai Po Jia), Xin Bai Lu and Qi Yuan have branches in most shopping centres. Your guide is a local and can advise on what to order and where; vegetarian and lighter meals are easy to arrange.

If you have one day in Hangzhou

Start early at West Lake. Take a boat over to the Broken Bridge and the Su Causeway, then walk part of the lakeside path; the morning light on the water and the willow banks is the best time for photos. Next, go to the Longjing tea plantations around Meijiawu Village, where you can watch tea picking and processing and sit down for a tea tasting. After lunch, visit Lingyin Temple, one of the most famous Buddhist temples in China, and the Fei Lai Feng cliff carvings beside it. If you still have time, finish on Hefang Street, an old pedestrian street good for a stroll, snacks and souvenirs.

If you have two days

Day one keeps the lake theme. After a morning boat ride on West Lake, visit Guo Zhuang, a classical lakeside garden, and Fish Viewing at the Flower Pond, another lakeside garden known for its koi ponds. In the afternoon, head to Meijiawu Tea Plantation in the hills west of the lake to walk the tea fields, see how Longjing leaves are roasted, and taste tea with the farmers; a short bamboo-forest walk nearby is an easy add-on.

Day two goes into local life. Start at a neighbourhood morning market, with tofu stalls, handmade snacks and steaming breakfast dishes, and try sesame flatbread, sticky rice dumplings or soy milk with fried dough. Then explore the Grand Canal historic blocks, old lanes and small museums along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, where canal trade once made the city its money. Late in the afternoon, climb Chenghuang Pavilion on Wushan Hill for a wide view over Hangzhou and West Lake, best at sunset. End again on Hefang Street for dinner under the lanterns.

We arrange the transport, tickets and guides for either plan, so you only have to enjoy the day.

Tea is central to Hangzhou. The city is the home of Dragon Well (Longjing) green tea, with tea fields, tea houses and the biggest tea museum in China. Visiting a tea village - picking a handful of leaves, watching them roasted, and sitting down to a cup of Longjing - is one of the best ways to understand local culture.

On our tours we will not take you to mandatory shopping stops or factory stores to push overpriced goods. If you are a tea fan and want to bring some back as gifts, your guide will point you to good-quality tea and other souvenirs, and you only buy what you actually want.

Auctually, travel from Hangzhou to Shanghai and Suzhou quite easy. As the three cities are close to each other, the best way to get around is by train. You can take high speed train, normal train and intercity bus to travel. However, we highly recommend you to take high speed train to travel. The running time of high speed train between Shanghai and Suzhou is only 0.5h, between Shanghai and Hangzhou is 1h, while between Suzhou and Hangzhou is 1.5h.

Your Way Holiday is a leading travel agency in Hangzhou provides customized Hangzhou Tour Service. We are happy to create the best tour for your needs and preferences. Either you are a private person, a group, a company or a school, give us your inputs and we do the rest. The tour is 100% flexible for you, just tell us where you want in Hangzhou, and our 1-on-1 travel consultant will offer you a most suitable tailor-made itinerary at the best price within 24 hours. We will create a Hangzhou trip 100% fits your specific needs.

Shanghai: 

Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station is the main high speed railway station in Shanghai. It runs high speed trains to Beijing, Wuhan, Nanjing, Hanghzou, Suzhou Kunming, etc. Close to Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, it can be reached easily by Maglev Train, metro Line 2, metro Line 10, taxi and public bus.

Shanghai Railway Station located in the city center, Shanghai Railway Station can be reached by subway (metro Line 1, Line 3 and Line 4) conveniently. It operates some high speed trains as well as the majority of regular trains to/from 70 domestic large and middle-sized cities. 

You can choose the train station based on your hotel location. 

Hangzhou: 

We suggest Hangzhou Dong Station (Hangzhou East Railway Station) if you travel from Shanghai to Hangzhou by train. Most high-speed trains reach hangzhou east railway station. 

For example: 

Shanghai to Hangzhou

Option1: G1509 Shanghai Hongqiao Station to Hangzhou East Station: Departs at 08:42AM and arrives at 09:32AM.

Option 2: G7317 Shanghai  Station to Hangzhou East Station: Depart at 08:05AM and arrive at 09:46AM.

Please choose one of the above options according to your hotel location.

Hangzhou to Shanghai

G7312 Depart at 18:12 from Hangzhou East Station and arrive at Shanghai Hongqiao Station at 19:09. 

You can book other trains arrives Hangzhou around 10:00, and back to Shanghai around 6:00pm are all fine. 

Please kindly note, book the round way train tickets IN ADVANCE in case sould out. 1),You can book the tickets online (www.trip.com). 2) You can book from your hotel in Shanghai. 3) We can help you book the tickets and delivery it to your hotel.  

Our guide will pick up from the exit of train station with a welcome sign "Your Way Holiday" when you arrive.

We run group tours in some other cities, but in Hangzhou we mostly arrange private tours. Hangzhou sights are best at your own pace, and a private tour gives you your own car and your own English-speaking local guide, with no strangers in the group. It is flexible for you, your family or a small group of friends - you set the schedule and choose what to spend time on.

Yes. For a Hangzhou day trip from Shanghai we can book round-trip train tickets and handle the transfers. On the morning of your tour a Shanghai driver meets you at your hotel and takes you to the station, and when you get back to Shanghai another driver meets you at the arrival station and returns you to your hotel.

Our Hangzhou car service runs private, air-conditioned non-smoking vehicles with professional drivers who speak Chinese and, on request, English. Most drivers have over ten years of experience and are careful, courteous and well trained; vehicles are kept in good condition for a safe, smooth trip.

We have vehicles from 5 to 40 seats - economical sedans, minivans and higher-end cars such as Buick, Benz and BMW - so we can match the car to your group size and budget.

We provide knowledgeable and reputable private guides for your Hangzhou trip or business. All of our tour guide are professional licensed tour guides, they are university graduates. What's more, our Hangzhou tour guides have received very good professional training in hospitality industry. All of them love their work and are ready to render their good services to you. A professional local guide can direct you to the best hotels and restaurants, show you the most popular attractions and smooth the way through local customs and travel arrangements.

We have Shopping tour and No shopping tour in Hangzhou. No shopping tour is for the travelers who are not willing to take a tour with a tourist souvenir shop. We guarantee that there is no shopping stop during the tour. Therefore, the cost of a no-shopping tour is higher than a normal tour.With our"No shopping" promise, you would enjoy more time to visit without going to any shops and factories. You will have a letter of guarantee with your confirmation when you booked a no-shopping tour.

Yes, it’s very easy to travel between Hangzhou, Shanghai, and Suzhou. These three cities are located close to each other in eastern China and are all well connected by a fast and reliable high-speed rail network. Taking the high-speed train is definitely the most convenient and recommended way to get around.

High-speed trains operate frequently on all three routes:

From Shanghai to Hangzhou, trains run from around 6:00 am to 10:00 pm, departing every 5 to 15 minutes during the day. The journey takes about 1 hour, making it perfect even for a day trip.

From Shanghai to Suzhou, high-speed trains are even more frequent. They operate from about 6:00 am to 10:00 pm, with departures every few minutes. The travel time is only around 30 minutes, making it one of the busiest and most convenient routes in China.

From Hangzhou to Suzhou, trains run from approximately 7:00 am to 8:30 pm, with departures roughly every 20 to 30 minutes. The ride takes about 1.5 hours, and seats are usually available even on short notice.

All three cities have modern train stations and smooth transfer connections. We’re happy to help with booking train tickets and arranging transfers, so you won’t need to worry about the details. With flexible departure times and short travel durations, getting around is fast, easy, and comfortable.

Yes. Many guests add a nearby water town to a Hangzhou trip to see traditional Jiangnan canal life. All three below are an easy drive from the city:

Wuzhen - about 1.5 hours from Hangzhou, one of the best-known and best-preserved ancient water towns. It is split into East and West scenic areas; expect stone lanes, arched bridges, wooden houses and canals running past homes and shops. The West area is lit at night and is the livelier of the two.

Xitang - about 1.5 to 2 hours out, known for its covered riverside corridors, so you can walk the canals even in rain, plus 9 waterways and over 100 bridges. It has an easy, lived-in feel and shoots well at dawn and dusk; it appeared in Mission: Impossible III.

Nanxun - about 1.5 hours away and quieter than Wuzhen or Xitang. Once a rich silk-trading town, it mixes Jiangnan gardens and mansions with late-Qing Western-style villas; the Little Lotus Garden and the Liu residence are the highlights, and it is a good pick if you want fewer crowds.

We can arrange a day trip or an overnight stay in any of them, with comfortable transport and a guide who can explain the history as you go.

Shanghai: 
Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station is the main high speed railway station in Shanghai. It runs high speed trains to Beijing, Wuhan, Nanjing, Hanghzou, Suzhou Kunming, etc. Close to Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, it can be reached easily by Maglev Train, metro Line 2, metro Line 10, taxi and public bus. 

Shanghai Railway Station located in the city center, Shanghai Railway Station can be reached by subway (metro Line 1, Line 3 and Line 4) conveniently. It operates some high speed trains as well as the majority of regular trains to/from 70 domestic large and middle-sized cities.  

You can choose the train station based on your hotel location.  

Hangzhou:  
We suggest Hangzhou Dong Station (Hangzhou East Railway Station) if you travel from Shanghai to Hangzhou by train. Most high-speed trains reach hangzhou east railway station.  

For example:  Shanghai to Hangzhou 
Option1: G1509 Shanghai Hongqiao Station to Hangzhou East Station: Departs at 08:42AM and arrives at 09:32AM. 
Option 2: G7317 Shanghai  Station to Hangzhou East Station: Depart at 08:05AM and arrive at 09:46AM. 
Please choose one of the above options according to your hotel location. 

Hangzhou to Shanghai:
G7312 Depart at 18:12 from Hangzhou East Station and arrive at Shanghai Hongqiao Station at 19:09.  You can book other trains arrives Hangzhou around 10:00, and back to Shanghai around 6:00pm are all fine.  

Please kindly note, book the round way train tickets IN ADVANCE in case sould out.
1.You can book the tickets online (www.trip.com).
2. You can book from your hotel in Shanghai.
3. We can help you book the tickets and delivery it to your hotel.   

Our guide will pick up from the exit of train station with a welcome sign "Your Way Holiday" when you arrive. 

We suggest booking a customized Hangzhou tour about 3 to 4 weeks ahead. That lead time lets us line up your guide, car and any extras like tea tastings or workshop visits. For peak spring and autumn, or around major Chinese holidays, aim for roughly 6 weeks so we can secure good hotels and timed-entry tickets. If you are booking at the last minute, just tell us your dates; we will do our best, though short notice gives us less room to arrange everything.

Absolutely! Our customized tour packages include airport and train station pickups for your convenience. Upon your arrival in Hangzhou, our professional guide will be waiting for you at the designated meeting point, holding a clearly marked “Your Way Holiday” sign to make it easy to find them. From there, you’ll be smoothly escorted to your hotel or directly to the start of your tour in a comfortable private vehicle. We take care of these details so you can relax and start enjoying your trip right away!

We recommend a separate driver and guide rather than one person doing both. A combined driver-guide has to explain the sights while driving, and we have seen accidents in Hangzhou where a driver was talking to guests instead of watching the road. On top of safety, traffic around the scenic areas is often heavy and parking is hard to find. With a separate driver, they drop you at the entrance and wait, so you spend less time hunting for parking and more time on the sights, which matters if you only have a day.

Hefang Street is the most famous food street in Hangzhou: traditional snacks like beggar's chicken, stinky tofu, walnut cakes and osmanthus pastries, mixed with old shops and historic buildings.

For a livelier local scene, Wulin Night Market is big with skewers, spicy noodles, grilled seafood and bubble tea. Fengqi Night Market is smaller and cheaper but full of good grilled meats, pancakes and sweet tofu pudding. Wushan Night Market is a casual evening mix of local bites and small souvenirs, good for dumplings, spicy duck neck and sticky rice.

Tell us what you feel like eating and we can fit any of these into your itinerary.

Yes, we can build Michelin-recommended and other top restaurants into your Hangzhou itinerary. Hangzhou dining runs from traditional Zhejiang cooking to newer fine-dining kitchens. Places to look at include Jin Sha (modern Hangzhou cuisine), Silk Road (dishes themed on Silk Road flavours) and Yu Yue Heen (Cantonese and seafood). For a classic local house, Lou Wai Lou is famous for West Lake Vinegar Fish and Dongpo Pork.

Send us your preferences and any dietary needs and we will plan the meals around them.

Yes. We can arrange for special diets on your Hangzhou trip, including vegetarian, halal and gluten-free.

Many of the restaurants we work with cook fresh-vegetable and tofu dishes and can drop the meat from traditional plates. For halal travellers there are certified halal and Muslim-friendly restaurants. Gluten-free is getting easier to find too, and we will pick places that can respect your needs without turning the meal into an afterthought. Just tell us your requirements when we plan, and we will handle the rest.

For first-timers, it’s highly recommended to stay as close to the West Lake Scenic Area as possible. This area allows a convenient exploration of the lake and its surrounding attractions both during the day and at night. And major attractions in the city area are concentrated around West Lake. Even the farther Songcheng and Xixi National Wetland Park are within a half-hour drive.

Shangcheng District is also a great choice for accommodation. As the old town of Hangzhou, it is home to the historical South Song Imperial Street and Hefang Street and is bordered by West Lake to the west.

Recommended Hotels

East of West Lake (along Hubin Road): Hyatt Regency, Lakeside Village

North of West Lake (along Beishan Street): Xinxin Hotel, West Lake State Guesthouse, Qiushui Villa

West of West Lake (along Yang Gong Causeway): West Lake State Guesthouse, Relais & Châteaux Chaptel Hangzhou, Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou at West Lake, Nine Li Yun Song

South of West Lake (along Nanshan Road): Xizi Hotel, Liuying Hotel

For the confirmation, we require 20% of total amount in advance as deposit and pay the rest balance before the tour ends. For the payment,we accept Paypal,Bank transfer,Alipay and Wechat, the credit card is not available at the moment. 

West Lake was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011 because of its outstanding cultural significance and natural beauty. It is more than just a scenic lake; it has inspired poets, painters, scholars, and emperors for over a thousand years. The landscape represents the traditional Chinese ideal of harmony between people and nature, which is deeply rooted in the country’s aesthetics and philosophy.

The area features temples, pagodas, stone bridges, classical gardens, and causeways that all blend beautifully into the natural surroundings. Its influence on landscape design throughout East Asia also played an important role in its UNESCO recognition. Visiting West Lake means experiencing a living piece of cultural history that continues to shape Chinese art and identity.

Three water towns are usually paired with a Hangzhou trip: Wuzhen, one of the six best-known Jiangnan water towns; Tangqi, the closest to Hangzhou and free to enter; and Nanxun, the quietest, known for its old merchant houses. Xitang is also popular though a little further.

Xitang - about 90 km, roughly 1.5 hours by car. Covered corridors and a lively evening canalside; a Mission: Impossible III film location.

Wuzhen - about 80 km, roughly 1.5 hours. Restored and well-kept, with museums, performances, boat rides and hotels in the West scenic area; more developed than Xitang and good for a first visit.

Nanxun - about 100 km, roughly 1.5 to 2 hours. Quiet and less touristy, with old libraries, gardens and houses that mix Chinese and Western styles.

The nearest water town is Tangqi water town, which is the only one free of antrance ticket. Only 28 kilometers away from Hangzhou downtown. There are many buses from Hangzhou to Tangqi water town.

For most first-time visitors, Wuzhen is the best water town to add to a Hangzhou trip. It is about 80 km from Hangzhou, sitting between Hangzhou, Suzhou and Shanghai, and it is the most complete and best-preserved of the old canal towns. You can leave Hangzhou in the morning and be back by afternoon. If you want to see it before the crowds, stay one night by the canal and walk it early.

For an evening show, the Impression West Lake performance stages lights, music and dance out on the lake itself. For something calmer, a night cruise on the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal runs past lit-up old bridges and warehouses.

For food and browsing, the night markets are the easy pick: Hefang Street for snacks and street performers, Wushan for a casual mix of food stalls and small shops, Fengqi for skewers and pancakes with a local crowd, and Wulin for late-night eats and a busy scene. Tell us what kind of night you want and we will plan it around that.

The classic Hangzhou souvenirs are Longjing (Dragon Well) tea, which is hand-picked and locally grown, and silk, in the form of scarves, fans or embroidery. You will also find hand-painted oil-paper umbrellas and bamboo crafts, especially around Hefang Street.

For something edible, try osmanthus pastries, West Lake lotus-root starch or green-tea flavoured snacks. If you want something personal, we can arrange a visit to a local workshop where you make your own fan or get a name seal carved.

One of the most popular options is fan making at a local studio, where you can design and paint your own traditional silk folding fan with guidance from a local artisan. If you're interested in Chinese calligraphy or seal carving, we can arrange a visit to a personalized seal workshop, where you’ll learn to carve your name or a meaningful symbol into stone, creating a one-of-a-kind souvenir.

For those who love textiles, Hangzhou silk embroidery workshops offer the chance to try hand-stitching techniques used in traditional Chinese clothing and art. There are also tea-related workshops where you can learn to roast and package your own Longjing tea leaves.

These experiences are not only interactive and fun, but also give you a deeper connection to Hangzhou’s rich cultural heritage. Let us know your interests, and we’ll customize a hands-on activity just for you.

(1) West Lake Loop  

Distance: ~10-15 km (depending on detours)  

Route: Start at Hubin Road ? Nanshan Road ? Sudi or Baidi ? Beishan Road ? Back to Hubin.  

Highlights: Scenic views of West Lake, Leifeng Pagoda, Lingyin Temple, and Broken Bridge. Best at sunrise or sunset.  

(2) Longjing Tea Plantations  

Distance: ~15-20 km (hilly)  

Route: West Lake ? Longjing Village ? Meijiawu ? Return via Jiuxi.  

Highlights: Tea fields, countryside roads, and a refreshing ride through Jiuxi’s streams. 

(3) Hangzhou Grand Canal Ride  

Distance: ~10-15 km (one way)  

Route: Start at Gongchen Bridge ? Ride along the canal toward Xiaoshan.  

Highlights: Historic canalside scenery, museums, and old industrial sites.  

Hangzhou offers many safe, family-friendly cycling routes with dedicated bike lanes and scenic paths. Most lakeside and riverside routes are flat and well-maintained, perfect for beginners. For kids, shorter loops around West Lake or Xixi Wetland are ideal, while Qiantang River's car-free paths suit longer rides. Avoid rush hours and steep tea plantation routes with young children. Shared bikes like Hellobike make cycling convenient, though helmets are recommended for kids. Morning rides are best for light traffic and cooler weather.

(1) Hangzhou East Railway Station

Best choice for high-speed trains, especially if you're coming from major cities like Shanghai, Beijing, or Ningbo.

Located about 8 km northeast of downtown Hangzhou.

Connected by Metro Lines 1 and 4, making it easy to get to West Lake, downtown, or the airport.

A modern station with excellent facilities, including lounges, shops, restaurants, and plenty of taxi access.

(2) Hangzhou Railway Station (Chengzhan Station)

Centrally located, just 2 km southeast of West Lake and downtown.

Handles both conventional and some high-speed trains.

Connected to Metro Lines 1 and 5, offering fast and easy access to many city attractions.

Ideal if you want to stay near West Lake or explore the old city quickly.

(3) Other Stations: Hangzhou South & Hangzhou West

These are farther out from the city center and mainly serve certain regional or long-distance routes.

Not recommended unless your train specifically arrives there or you're staying nearby.

Hangzhou is a very safe city for solo female travelers.

Low crime rate: Violent crime is rare, and street crime like pickpocketing is minimal in most tourist areas.

Modern infrastructure: Well-lit streets, reliable metro system, and lots of surveillance (CCTV is everywhere — it’s China).

Friendly locals: People are generally helpful and curious, and it’s not unusual for someone to offer assistance, even with limited English.

Active police presence: Tourist sites, transport hubs, and shopping areas usually have uniformed officers around.