Hangzhou Day Trip from Shanghai: Bullet Train, West Lake Tour

The high-speed train gets you to Hangzhou in a short time, leaving the whole day for the lake and the ancient temple.

A private day trip from Shanghai to Hangzhou by bullet train, with a local English-speaking guide and driver meeting you at Hangzhou station. You visit West Lake, Hangzhou's most famous landmark, walk the grounds of Lingyin Temple, one of China's largest Buddhist monasteries, and tour a Longjing green tea plantation with a tasting. The itinerary is fixed to the train schedule, so the morning and evening departures anchor the day. All entrance tickets, lunch at a local restaurant, and round-trip second-class rail seats are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Hangzhou day trip from Shanghai

• Meet Shanghai driver early morning
• Transfer to Shanghai Hongqiao train station
• Take morning high speed train to Hangzhou
• Visit West Lake and hear Legend of White Snake
• Choose West Lake cruise or small boat ride
• Visit Fish Viewing at the Flower Pond
• Enjoy authentic Chinese lunch
• Walk through Longjing tea plantations and tea tasting
• Visit Lingyin Temple and grottos
• Transfer to Hangzhou east railway station
• Take high speed train back to Shanghai
• Meet driver at Shanghai Hongqiao station
• Transfer back to downtown Shanghai hotel

The experience

The day starts before dawn in Shanghai. Your driver picks you up from your hotel and takes you to Hongqiao high-speed train station, where you board the morning train to Hangzhou: a journey of under two hours. The operator confirms the exact departure time once you book and sends the paper tickets with your driver, so you walk straight to the platform. Keep the tickets visible during the journey and at the station exit in Hangzhou, where your local guide meets you to begin the tour.

West Lake is the centerpiece. You wander the shoreline, see the pavilions and pagodas that frame the water, and hear the Legend of White Snake. A folk tale your guide tells as you walk. The lake is Hangzhou's most renowned feature, and the itinerary gives you time to linger. You can also choose to take a West Lake cruise or a small boat if you prefer the water. Afterward, you stop at Huagang Park for the Fish Viewing at the Flower Pond, one of the ten famous scenes of West Lake. Lunch follows at an authentic Chinese restaurant your guide recommends, paired with the local Longjing green tea.

Lingyin Temple comes next. Located in the Feilaifeng scenic area, it is one of China's top ten most famous ancient Buddhist monasteries and one of the largest and wealthiest. The grounds hold numerous pagodas and Buddhist grottoes carved into the rock face. The approach itself is lined with grottos and religious carvings. Your guide walks you through the complex and translates the history and significance of what you see. The tea plantation visit happens during or after lunch. You walk through the lush greenery of the Longjing green tea farm, learn the cultivation process from local farmers and your guide, and taste the tea itself.

By late afternoon, your driver transfers you back to Hangzhou East railway station for the return train to Shanghai around 5 or 6 p.m. A Chinese-speaking driver meets you at Shanghai Hongqiao station (South exit) and takes you back to your downtown hotel, completing the loop. The entire trip runs 11 hours from pickup to drop-off.

What’s included

• Round-trip high-speed train tickets (second-class seat) between Shanghai and Hongqiao and Hangzhou.
• private car and driver for all transfers in Shanghai and Hangzhou.
• professional English-speaking guide for the entire day in Hangzhou.
• entrance tickets to West Lake, Lingyin Temple and the tea plantation.
• lunch at a local Chinese restaurant with Longjing green tea tasting.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in downtown Shanghai.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day6 departure times: the first at 07:15, the last at 08:30

AgesAdult (4 to 80 years) · Infant (1 to 3 years): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendly

Operated by Catherine Lu Tours

Is this one for you?This is a private tour on a fixed schedule tied to the morning and evening train departures, so the day is structured and you do not arrange the transport yourself. It suits travelers who want a guided experience without the logistics of renting a car or navigating trains alone. The bullet train is fast enough that you see three major sites in a single day without rushing. If you prefer a slower pace or want to stay overnight in Hangzhou, a different tour would fit better.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

2 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (1 to 3 years): free.

How do I get to the train station in Shanghai on the morning of the tour?

Your driver picks you up from your downtown Shanghai hotel in the early morning and drives you to Hongqiao high-speed train station. The exact departure time is confirmed once you book, and the driver brings your round-trip paper train tickets to give you at pickup.

What is Lingyin Temple and why is it worth visiting?

Lingyin Temple is one of China's ten most famous ancient Buddhist monasteries and one of the largest and wealthiest. It sits in the Feilaifeng scenic area and contains numerous pagodas and Buddhist grottoes carved into the rock face. The approach to the temple is lined with religious rock carvings and grottos that your guide will explain.

Can I choose how to spend time at West Lake?

Yes. You walk along the shoreline and hear the Legend of White Snake from your guide, but you can also choose to take a West Lake cruise or rent a small boat if you prefer to see the lake from the water rather than from the shore.

What happens with lunch and the tea tasting?

Lunch is at an authentic Chinese restaurant your guide recommends, and it is paired with Longjing green tea tasting. You also visit a Longjing green tea plantation where you walk through the tea fields and learn the cultivation process from local farmers and your guide's translation.

What time do I return to Shanghai?

You take the return high-speed train from Hangzhou around 5 or 6 p.m., arriving back at Shanghai Hongqiao station in the early evening. A driver meets you there and drives you back to your downtown hotel to finish the trip.