Cities
Suzhou in a day: classical gardens, canals, and Pingjiang Road
How to book Suzhou's famous gardens with a passport, which gardens to choose, and a one-day plan, 30 minutes from Shanghai.
Suzhou is famous for its classical gardens, several of them UNESCO World Heritage sites, and for the canals that run through its old town. It’s only about 30 minutes from Shanghai by high-speed train, so it works as a day trip or an overnight stay.
Booking the gardens
The major gardens use real-name, timed reservations, and daily numbers are limited. In spring and autumn, the best slots go early.
- Book through the city’s official Suzhou Garden Tourism booking service, which has an English version. Choose passport as the document type and enter your name exactly as it appears.
- Agents such as Klook or GetYourGuide can book for you, for a little more.
- Bring the original passport you booked with. A photo or copy isn’t accepted.
- A Suzhou Museum booking doesn’t include the gardens next door: book each separately.
Which gardens?
| Garden | Why go | Adult ticket |
|---|---|---|
| Humble Administrator’s Garden | The largest and most famous: ponds, pavilions, and bridges | about ¥70–90 depending on the season |
| Lingering Garden | Elegant halls, covered walkways, and rockeries | about ¥40–55 |
| Master of the Nets Garden | Small and perfect; evening shows in summer | about ¥30–40 |
| Lion Grove Garden | A maze of limestone rock formations, fun with children | about ¥30–40 |
Pick two: more than that in one day and they start to blur. Arrive at opening time (7:30) to see them before the tour groups.
A day in Suzhou
- Morning: Humble Administrator’s Garden right at opening, then the Suzhou Museum next door, designed by I. M. Pei (free, but book ahead).
- Lunch: Suzhou noodles in a local noodle shop, or squirrel-shaped mandarin fish if you want a feast.
- Afternoon: Lion Grove Garden or Lingering Garden, then walk Pingjiang Road, a pedestrian street along a canal, lined with teahouses and old houses.
- Evening: a canal boat ride, or a pingtan (storytelling and ballad) performance in a teahouse. Or stay the night and visit Shantang Street, lit up with red lanterns.
Water towns nearby
Zhouzhuang and Tongli are canal towns close to Suzhou, with stone bridges and old houses. Go early or late to avoid the day-trippers. See also Zhujiajiao, in our Shanghai itinerary.
Getting there and around
- Trains from Shanghai Hongqiao reach Suzhou or Suzhou North in about 25 to 35 minutes. Suzhou station is closer to the old town. See how to book trains.
- Suzhou’s metro and buses cover the old town; Metro Line 4 and Line 6 are handy for the gardens.
Where to stay
Stay in the old town near Pingjiang Road for canal views and walking distance to the gardens. Compare on Trip.com or Agoda.
Next: Hangzhou and West Lake.
