Getting to Hangzhou

The Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport is 27 kilometers from downtown Hangzhou. The airport bus departs from the Hangzhou airport to downtown Hangzhou, with one stop at the Hangzhou Central Train Station and ending at Wulin Square, every twenty minutes and costs only CNY 15. If you get off the airport bus at the first stop in front of the train station and need to take a taxi to your next destination, you must cross the street from the parking lot in the roundabout toward the train station, and take the stairwell outside on the ground floor to the underground taxi queue as taxis are not permitted to stop in the immediate vicinity of the train station to pickup passengers. Alternatively, you may take a taxi for about CNY 80, but note that the fleets of black Mercedes Benz taxis in Hangzhou tend not to accept short-distance fares and therefore often wait outside the Xiaoshan Airport, so while your ride may be in style it will also be over CNY 100.

Once in downtown Hangzhou, you should take a taxi to the International Students Building, which can be reached by most central locations within thirty minutes and should cost between CNY 10 to 30. It only costs CNY 10 to 15 from downtown Hangzhou at Wulin Square. The starting fair is CNY 10 for the first 4 kilometers, CNY 12 for the first 8 kilometers, and CNY 2.4 for each kilometer after, although the fair for a luxury Mercedes taxis is CNY 12 for the first 4 kilometers and CNY 3 for each additional one.

To take a taxi from Hangzhou to the Hangzhou International Airport will cost the same by meter but many drivers will negotiate a fixed price first so make sure to negotiate in advance between CNY 100-120.

The airport bus at the Shanghai International Pudong Airport to Hangzhou departs at the following times: 10:30, 12:00 13:30, 15:30, 17:30, and 19:30. The price is CNY 100 and the bus takes approximately three hours and is non-stop between the airport and the Yellow Dragon Sports Center (Huanglong Tiyu Zhongxin 黄龙体育中心), which is located just twenty minutes from the International Student Building on campus by foot or five minutes by taxi, which should cost only CNY 10. To find the long distance bus station at Pudong Airport, simply exit the main arrival hall at gate 15, cross the road, and enter through the door of the stairwell on the opposite side of the road and ascend to the second floor above the parking garage. The Long-Distance Airport Passenger Bus Station is the first small building in front of you as you exit on the second floor to the right of the stairwell and the bus leaves from in front of the ticket counter at the above times. Make sure to use the restroom at the airport because there are no toilets on the bus.

Long-Distance Airport Passenger Bus Station
Phone: 021-68345743
Name in Chinese: Konggang Ba-si Changtu Keyun Zhan 空港八四长途客运站

Alternatively, you may take a taxi from the Shanghai Pudong Airport straight to Hangzhou, but make sure to negotiate the price before getting into the taxi. A reasonable price is between CNY 600 and 800 depending on how well you can negotiate with that particular taxi driver. It can even cost as much as CNY 900 to 1,000 if after hours. Be warned that the taxi touts waiting outside the airport are not official and typically ask for higher prices than those drivers who wait in line for passengers. If in doubt ask one of the airport staff at the information counter or those outside wearing official airport uniforms.

There is also an airport bus from the Yellow Dragon Sports Center for students leaving China out of the Pudong International Airport. The bus departs: 7:00, 8:30, 10:30, 12:30, 14:30, 16:00. Tickets can be purchased the same day just before departure from inside the Hangzhou Tourist Center south of the Yellow Dragon Sports Center and just north of the bus parking lot. The journey is scheduled to take 3.5 hours, but may take only 2.5 if traffic is good up t 4 hours if there is heavy fog. In some cases low visibility due to severe fog may cause the highway to be closed. The cost is CNY100 per person and there is plenty of space below the bus for luggage.

Hangzhou Tourist Center
3 Huanglong Road
Phone: 571-962123, 86990460
Name and address in Chinese: 杭州旅游集散中心, 黄龙路3号黄龙体育中心(体育馆)

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