Shanghai to Hangzhou HSR 2026 (沪杭高铁)
1 hour HSR — the iconic weekend escape from Shanghai to West Lake. 60+ daily departures. CNY 73 to 219 by class. Tickets available same-day. The busiest short-distance HSR corridor in eastern China.
1 hour
Shanghai Hongqiao to Hangzhou East
60+ daily
G/D-class, every 10-15 minutes
300 km/h
Top speed
CNY 73
Second class fare (one-way)
Route Map
Quick Answer
Shanghai-Hangzhou HSR is the busiest short-distance HSR corridor in eastern China — 60+ daily departures, 1 hour, 202 km. Shanghai Hongqiao (the airport station) to Hangzhou East Station. Second class CNY 73, First class CNY 117, Business class CNY 219. Tickets release 15 days ahead but are usually available same-day except Spring Festival. Most popular weekend escape route in Shanghai — West Lake, Lingyin Temple, Longjing tea villages.
Shanghai-Hangzhou HSR Class Options
Business (Shang-wu)
CNY 219
3 seats per row, lounge access — overkill for 1 hour but cheap upgrade
First class (Yi-deng)
CNY 117
4 seats (2+2), extra legroom — popular for business commuters
Second class (Er-deng)
CNY 73
5 seats (2+3), free WiFi — recommended for 1-hour journey
Standing (Wu-zuo)
CNY 73
Available when seats sell out — only 1 hour so manageable
Book Shanghai-Hangzhou HSR on Trip.com
All G/D trains, full Mandarin interface, CNY + Alipay/WeChat Pay, foreign passport accepted, mobile QR ticket.
Frequently Asked Questions
Shanghai Hongqiao versus Shanghai Station — which one for Hangzhou HSR?+
Shanghai Hongqiao. All Shanghai-Hangzhou G-trains depart Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station — integrated with Hongqiao Airport (SHA) Terminal 2. Same building, 5 minute walk between SHA gate and HSR platform. Subway Line 2 and 10 serve Hongqiao. Shanghai Station (downtown) handles legacy long-distance trains, NOT Hangzhou HSR. For Shanghai-Pudong-Airport visitors, take Metro Line 2 (60 minutes) or shuttle bus to Hongqiao.
Which Hangzhou station — East or West?+
Hangzhou East (Hangzhou-Dong) is the main HSR station and where all Shanghai trains arrive. Subway Lines 1 and 4 connect from Hangzhou East to downtown (15 to 20 minutes to West Lake area). Hangzhou West is a newer station for the Hangzhou-Huangshan HSR (toward Anhui province) and is far from downtown. For West Lake tourism, always Hangzhou East.
Is the Shanghai-Hangzhou HSR good for a day trip from Shanghai?+
Yes, perfect day trip. Leave Shanghai Hongqiao at 8 AM, arrive Hangzhou East 9 AM, take 20 min subway to West Lake, full day at West Lake plus Lingyin Temple, return 8 PM train arrives Shanghai 9 PM. Total time: 13 hours. Trip.com offers day-tour packages with included HSR plus West Lake boat tour plus Longjing tea village lunch plus return HSR. Spring Festival and Golden Week are too crowded for day trips — book 2 nights in Hangzhou instead.
Can I just walk up and buy a Shanghai-Hangzhou HSR ticket?+
Usually yes for Second class (most flexible). Hongqiao has a manned ticket counter and automated machines. However, automated machines do NOT accept foreign passports — go to the manned counter (Window 1 to 4 at Hongqiao). For peak weekend evenings (Friday plus Sunday) and holidays, book 1 to 2 days ahead via Trip.com to guarantee a seat. Friday 6 PM to 9 PM and Sunday 5 PM to 9 PM are the busiest.