Trains from Shanghai
Shanghai has 13 direct high-speed destinations. Times below come from the current national timetable; fares and live seat availability are confirmed when you search.
Stations in Shanghai
Shanghai Hongqiao · Shanghai station · Shanghai South
Shanghai has three main stations: Hongqiao (almost every high-speed train), Shanghai station (some high-speed and all conventional trains) and Shanghai South (conventional). Hongqiao is west of the city, Shanghai station north of the centre, and they are about 40 minutes apart by metro. Go to the station on your ticket.
Tickets are nominative: each is tied to a passport and checked at the gate, so the name you book must match exactly.
Getting to the station
- Hongqiao is on metro lines 2, 10 and 17; about 30 minutes from People's Square.
- Shanghai station is on lines 1, 3 and 4.
- From Pudong airport: line 2 with a change at Guanglan Road, or the maglev to Longyang Road then a connection — allow about an hour to Hongqiao.
Where you can go from Shanghai
Direct trains only — no changes. Timetable as of 2026-10-25.
| Destination | Fastest | Trains a day | Arrives at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suzhou | 10m | 601 | Suzhou |
| Hangzhou | 34m | 339 | Hangzhou East |
| Nanjing | 59m | 329 | Nanjing South |
| Huangshan | 1h 59m | 51 | Huangshan North |
| Chongqing | 3h 24m | 22 | Chongqing North |
| Wuhan | 3h 32m | 59 | Wuhan |
| Qingdao | 4h 16m | 28 | Qingdao |
| Beijing | 4h 24m | 53 | Beijing |
| Xiamen | 5h 03m | 28 | Xiamen |
| Xi'an | 5h 39m | 37 | Xi'an North |
| Shenzhen | 6h 35m | 18 | Shenzhen |
| Chengdu | 6h 37m | 16 | Chengdu East |
| Hong Kong | 8h 06m | 3 | Hong Kong West Kowloon |
Trains to Shanghai
| Destination | Fastest | Trains a day | Arrives at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suzhou | 10m | 636 | Shanghai |
| Hangzhou | 32m | 362 | Shanghai |
| Nanjing | 1 h | 329 | Shanghai |
| Huangshan | 2h 15m | 55 | Shanghai |
| Wuhan | 3h 36m | 55 | Shanghai |
| Qingdao | 4h 17m | 39 | Shanghai |
| Beijing | 4h 18m | 54 | Shanghai |
| Chongqing | 4h 35m | 22 | Shanghai |
| Xiamen | 5h 05m | 30 | Shanghai |
| Xi'an | 5h 50m | 36 | Shanghai |
| Shenzhen | 6h 34m | 18 | Shanghai |
| Hong Kong | 8h 08m | 3 | Shanghai Hongqiao |
| Chengdu | 10h 06m | 15 | Shanghai |
Day trips from Shanghai by train
Leave in the morning, come back the same evening.
Lingyin Temple · West Lake cruise · Song dynasty tea — A thousand-year monastery in the morning, a lake and a bowl of whisked tea in the afternoon
Zhujiajiao · private car, guide and sculling boat — A thousand-year canal town an hour from the Bund, with a boat through the bridge arches
Xitang by day, Zhouzhuang by night — Two canal towns in one day — one alive with shopfronts, the other lit up after dark
Zhouzhuang · admission and sculling boat included — China’s most photographed canal town, with Twin Bridges, the Shen and Zhang halls
Questions about trains from Shanghai
Hongqiao or Shanghai station — which do I need?
Check the ticket. The great majority of high-speed trains leave from Hongqiao; a few intercity services use Shanghai station. They are about 40 minutes apart by metro, and going to the wrong one means missing the train.
How long does Pudong airport to Hongqiao take?
About an hour on line 2, which needs a change at Guanglan Road. The maglev to Longyang Road followed by a metro connection is slightly quicker.
Can I buy a ticket on the day?
You can, but popular departures sell out. Booking ahead is the safer choice.