Shanghai to Nanjing by High-Speed Rail (2026)
Stations
| Pair | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Shanghai Hongqiao → Nanjing South | Default high-speed pair. Metro 2/10 at Hongqiao; metro 1/3/S1 at Nanjing South. |
| Shanghai Station → Nanjing Station | Fewer G/D trains; Nanjing Station is closer to the city wall / Xuanwu Lake. Read the ticket characters: 南京 vs 南京南. |
Nanjing South is a large through-station south of the old city. Budget 25–40 minutes on metro Line 1 or 3 to Fuzimiao (Confucius Temple) or the wall. Do not assume you can walk to the Presidential Palace from the high-speed hall.
Time and fare
| Typical | |
|---|---|
| Fastest G-trains | ~59–70 minutes |
| Most G-trains | ~1h–1h 45m |
| Second class | typically 110–171 CNY on G-trains; D-trains can sit near 104–144 CNY |
| First class | often ~175–274 CNY — skip it on a one-hour hop; see first class |
| Frequency | hundreds of trains a day; last useful returns run late evening — check 12306 for your date |
Published ranges (Travel China Guide April 2026 timetable style, plus typical Hongqiao–Nanjing South G-train 171/274 listings). Floating fares: confirm on 12306 or Trip.com.
There is no flight worth taking. Booking: ticket guide. Station lockers: Radical Storage hop.
A one-day Nanjing plan from Shanghai
| Time | Plan |
|---|---|
| 07:30–08:00 | G-train Hongqiao → Nanjing South |
| Morning | Ming city wall (Zhonghua Gate 中华门 or Taicheng 台城 / Xuanwu Lake stretch). Bike or walk; the wall is the city’s best hour. |
| Lunch | Fuzimiao / Qinhuai (夫子庙). Duck blood vermicelli soup, salted duck. It is touristy; eat and move. |
| Afternoon | Presidential Palace or Nanjing Museum if you want indoor history. Do not try Purple Mountain plus the wall plus Fuzimiao in one day. |
| 18:30+ | Metro back to Nanjing South; G-train to Hongqiao. Last trains are late, but do not assume a specific 22:00 service exists every night. |
Overnight if you want Purple Mountain (Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum) without rushing. Stay near Xinjiekou or Fuzimiao, not at Nanjing South unless you have an early onward train.
Triangle with Suzhou and Hangzhou
Shanghai–Suzhou–Hangzhou–Nanjing is four cities, not one day. If you only have two spare days from Shanghai: Suzhou gardens one day, Nanjing wall the next — or Hangzhou tea if you prefer lake over wall. Nanjing is the history city; Hangzhou is the landscape city.
FAQ
How long is Shanghai to Nanjing by high-speed train?
Typically 1 hour to 1 hour 45 minutes. The fastest G-trains are around 59 minutes. There is no useful flight.
Nanjing or Nanjing South?
Most G-trains from Hongqiao arrive at Nanjing South (南京南站). Nanjing Station (南京站) is a different, more central terminal. Read the Chinese characters on the ticket.
Is one day enough?
Yes for the city wall plus Fuzimiao. Overnight to add Purple Mountain or the museum without a sprint.
Do I need to book weeks ahead?
Outside Golden Week and Chunyun, this corridor is turn-up-and-go. Still buy a ticket before you reach the gate; popular clock-times do sell out on Friday evenings.
Suzhou or Nanjing for a day trip?
Suzhou is 23–35 minutes and is gardens. Nanjing is about an hour and is walls plus Republican history. Different days, not substitutes.
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