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Major city · China

Jiaxing嘉兴

One night in the old city, or a day trip from Shanghai: 45–60 min by train. Add a night only if you sleep in Wuzhen or Xitang.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
CNY
Best months
Apr–May, Oct–Nov
avoid Jul–Aug (hot, humid, heavy rain), Chinese New Year week
Airports
HGH · SHA · check
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7
  • East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
  • East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
  • China ↗Most nationalities need a visa, a unilateral visa-free entry (the list and end dates change) or the transit exemption below. Confirm your route on the official sites before you buy a ticket.
  • China ↗Transit stay without a visa: up to 240 hours (10 days) for citizens of about 55 listed countries who pass through China to a third country or region, with a confirmed onward ticket and a stay inside the permitted area (Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei count as one area). It replaced the 144-hour rule in December 2024, which some older pages still quote. Use the transit lane at immigration, show the onward ticket, and check the current nationality list. Hong Kong and Macau count as separate regions; check whether your ticket qualifies.
  • China ↗Foreign visitors must register their address with the police within 24 hours; hotels do it at check-in with your passport. Carry the original passport at all times: hotels, trains, museums, Tiananmen Square and police checks ask for it.
  • China ↗Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card before you fly. QR payment is the default in shops, taxis and many stalls, and some places refuse cash or a foreign card. Carry cash as a backup.
  • China ↗Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and many news sites are blocked. Use an eSIM with roaming (it routes through your home network) or install and test a VPN before you fly; VPN sites and app stores are hard to reach inside China, and only government-approved VPNs are officially permitted.

Jiaxing is a 2,000-year-old Grand Canal market town, 45–60 minutes by train from Shanghai and under an hour from Hangzhou. The old city is walkable in half a day; South Lake, the citadel and two restored canal streets fill a full one. Most travellers come for the day, or use Jiaxing as the gateway to the preserved canal towns of Wuzhen and Xitang, which sit inside the city's administrative area.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Jiaxing, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee or tea in a Yuehe Street tea room¥20–45 (≈ US$3–7)
  • Street or quick mealNoodle soup or rice bowl¥15–35 (≈ US$3–5)
  • Beerdraught in a bar / can at a convenience store¥25–40 (≈ US$4–6)¥5–10 (≈ US$1–2)
  • Taxi, about 5 km5 km taxi ride¥15–25 (≈ US$3–4)
  • Metro or bus rideCity bus ride¥2 (≈ under US$1)
  • Museum or sight ticketWuzhen or Xitang entrycheck
  • Budget bedHostel or guesthouse bed, a night, per personCN¥80 (≈ US$12)
  • Mid-range bedMid-range double room, a night, per roomCN¥380 (≈ US$55)
  • High-end bedMid-range double room, a night, per roomCN¥700 (≈ US$100)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget CN¥300 (≈ US$45) · Mid CN¥600 (≈ US$85) · High CN¥1,200 (≈ US$170)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

South Lake (Nanhu) and the Pavilion of Mist and RainGrand Canal historyWuzhen and Xitang canal townsZongzi (leaf-wrapped rice)Yuehe Street and Meiwan Street
Airports
HGH Hangzhou Xiaoshan (High-speed rail to Jiaxing South, then tram or taxi; check connections) · SHA Shanghai Hongqiao / Pudong (High-speed rail from Shanghai Hongqiao, about 30–45 min to Jiaxing South) · check Jiaxing Airport (Military base being converted to civil use; opening date and IATA code unconfirmed — check before planning around it)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Jiaxing: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

8°C

2°C

10 rd

Feb

11°C

3°C

10 rd

Mar

15°C

7°C

13 rd

Apr

21°C

12°C

13 rd

May

26°C

17°C

13 rd

Jun

28°C

22°C

15 rd

Jul

33°C

26°C

12 rd

Aug

32°C

25°C

12 rd

Sep

28°C

21°C

11 rd

Oct

23°C

15°C

8 rd

Nov

18°C

9°C

8 rd

Dec

11°C

4°C

8 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The old city is walkable. Buses cover the ring road and main avenues; taxis are cheap by Shanghai or Hangzhou standards. Tram Line 1 links Jiaxing South station with the centre and the riverfront. Water buses run in the centre by reservation, about ¥3 a ride (2022; check). Public bike share needs a local card, so it is not practical for visitors.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Wuzhen

overnight

Door to door: 1.5–2 h

Train to Tongxiang, then bus (every 15 min, 07:00–17:00); or direct coach from Jiaxing Coach Station

Preserved canal town with separate entry; sleep inside to see it after the day crowds leave.

Xitang

overnight

Door to door: 1.5–2 h

Train to Jiashan or Jiashan South, then local bus (about ¥5 (≈ under US$1))

Northeast of the city, toward Shanghai; also reachable by direct coach from Shanghai South.

Shanghai

go

Door to door: 1.5–2 h

High-speed rail from Jiaxing South to Shanghai Hongqiao

About 30–45 min on the train; the reason many people base here.

Hangzhou

go

Door to door: 1.5–2 h

High-speed rail from Jiaxing South

Under an hour on the train; West Lake is a full day on its own.

Suzhou

caution

Door to door: 2–3 h

High-speed rail from Jiaxing South; check 12306 (≈ US$1,800) for direct vs. transfer

Some schedules run direct, others add a change; confirm the routing before you buy.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Old city / Jiaxing Railway Station area

Walk to the citadel, St Mary's Church and South Lake; best for one night without a car.

Yuehe Street (Moon River Street)

Restored canal-side lanes with tea rooms and traditional-style hotels; quiet at night.

Meiwan Street

Southwest old city on the western South Lake; museums, bars and lakeside walks.

Wuzhen or Xitang

Sleep inside the preserved canal town if that is the point of your trip; book ahead for weekends.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
¥250–450 (≈ US$35–65) excl. bed
Mid
¥450–900 (≈ US$65–130) excl. bed
High
¥900 (≈ US$130)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Mid-range double room1 × 1 night × CN¥380CN¥380
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × CN¥600CN¥1,200
High-speed rail Shanghai → Jiaxing South, one way2 × CN¥60 · checkCN¥120
South Lake ferry and Pavilion of Mist and Rain2 × CN¥50 · check; ¥20 extra for the red boatCN¥100
eSIM, about a week of data2 × CN¥100CN¥200
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeCN¥200
Trip total≈ CN¥1,100 per person per day, bed includedCN¥2,200≈ US$350

2026 estimate in yuan; long-distance trains and flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee or tea in a Yuehe Street tea room¥20–45 (≈ US$3–7)
Noodle soup or rice bowl¥15–35 (≈ US$3–5)
Zongzi (leaf-wrapped rice)¥5–15 (≈ US$1–3)
Beer: draught in a bar / can at a convenience store¥25–40 (≈ US$4–6) / ¥5–10 (≈ US$1–2)
5 km taxi ride¥15–25 (≈ US$3–4)
City bus ride¥2 (≈ under US$1)
Water bus in the centre¥3 (≈ under US$1) (2022; check)
Wuzhen or Xitang entrycheck

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Low street crime; the real risks are summer heat and humidity, traffic when crossing roads, and unlicensed taxis at stations — use the queue or a ride-hailing app.
  • Jiaxing Railway Station is on the older Hangzhou–Shanghai line; high-speed trains use Jiaxing South, which is further out — allow 30–40 min to the centre.
  • St Mary's Church and Vincent Abbey are largely closed inside; you see them from outside.
  • The South Lake boat is sometimes closed to boarding for security reasons; no refunds for a changed itinerary.
  • Wuzhen and Xitang charge separate entry and are busiest at weekends and holidays.
  • Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to a foreign card solves most payments; small stalls may still want cash.

Emergency numbers

Police
110
Fire
119
Ambulance
120

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Jiaxing嘉兴

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

请到这个地址To this address, please

Emergency

  • Police110
  • Fire119
  • Ambulance120

Embassy

No embassies in Jiaxing; most countries keep embassies in Beijing and consulates-general in Shanghai. US citizens: US Consulate General Shanghai.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Shanghai Hongqiao → Jiaxing South, high-speed rail: about ¥40–70 (≈ US$6–10), 30–45 min (check)
  • Jiaxing South → old city, taxi: ¥30–50 (≈ US$5–7) (check)
  • Jiashan → Xitang, local bus: about ¥5 (≈ under US$1)

Say or show

  • 你好 — Hello (nǐ hǎo)
  • 谢谢 — Thank you (xiè xiè)
  • 多少钱？ — How much is it? (duō shǎo qián)
  • 可以刷卡吗？ — Can I pay by card? (kě yǐ shuā kǎ ma)
  • 洗手间在哪里？ — Where is the toilet? (xǐ shǒu jiān zài nǎ lǐ)
  • 我不要 — I don't want it (wǒ bú yào)

Screenshot this card before you leave Wi-Fi.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Jiaxing. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Apr–May, Oct–Nov · avoid Jul–Aug (hot, humid, heavy rain), Chinese New Year week · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for HGH and SHA: last high-speed departures field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: citadel and St Mary's, Yuehe Street, Meiwan Street, South Lake.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (South Lake ferry, Pavilion of Mist and Rain, Zicheng Site Park, Museum of Zongzi Culture) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Wuzhen and Xitang entry, ticket and last-bus fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to China

Sources