• Tongli Overview
• Highlights
• Food
• Transportation
• Accommodation
• Recommeded Itinerary
• Travel Tips

• Wuzhen Water Town
• Xitang Water Town
• Zhouzhuang Water Town
• Luzhi Water Town

Tongli Transportation

From Shanghai or Suzhou to Tongli (see below for the Shanghai-Suzhou-Tongli route)

Shuttle Buses:

From Zhouzhuang to Tongli

There are two methods to get from Zhouzhuang to Tongli: by bus or by boat.

By Bus:
At the western end of Zhouzhuang, there are small buses going to Tongli which involve a journey of about ½ hour. You can also take a minibus from Zhouzhuang to Tongli, which will cost you 40 Yuan per person per direction. The journey takes about 20 minutes. You can also rent a moped (small motorcycle), which will set you back between 15-25 Yuan, depending on the model of moped (the older the cheaper).

By Boat:
The price for renting a boat w/boatman is 30 Yuan per person per direction.

NB! To avoid eventual disappointments, always ask the boatman to show you his boat before you make your decision/ arrive at a price.

Shanghai-Suzhou-Tongli

You can take a bus or a train from Shanghai to Suzhou, then take the Suzhou-Tongli Shuttle Bus listed above. The Shanghai-Suzhou options are:

Shanghai-Suzhou By Bus:
Departures every 15 minutes; journey length: 2 hours. Note that there are air conditioned (A/C) buses from Shanghai Hongqiao Airport (SHA) to Suzhou at the following times:

SHA-Suzhou By A/C Bus:
Departures every hour on the hour, 10 AM-4 PM, then at 5:30 PM, and finally at 7:00 PM; journey length: 100 minutes.

Shanghai-Suzhou By train:
Departures every 20 minutes; journey length: 1 hour by regular train; 30 minutes by express train.

FYI: Mileage statistics of highway distances from neighboring cities to Tongli

Shanghai-Tongli: 105 km
Hangzhou-Tongli: 148 km
Huzhou-Tongli: 83 km
Jiaxing-Tongli: 55 km
Nanjing-Tongli: 248 km
Zhenjiang-Tongli: 214 km
Changzhou-Tongli: 130 km
Wuxi-Tongli: 68 km
Changshu-Tongli: 65 km
Zhangjiagang-Tongli: 110 km
Kunshan-Tongli: 48 km
Taicang-Tongli: 66 km
Wujiang-Tongli: 6 km

In addition to its charming water scenes, Tongli is home to Tuisi Garden, aka the Retreat and Reflection Garden (Retreat Garden, for short). » more

Tongli has a gentle, slightly humid climate, with lots of river branches that contain various edible fishes and aquatic plants. » more

There are direct buses from Shanghai and Suzhou to Tongli. At Zhouzhuang, there are small buses going to Tongli which involve a journey of about ½ hour. » more

Chuanxin Alley, archaic yet elegant, is worthy of special mention, its bluestone pathways providing a hint of the city's ancient cultural flavor. » more

Although Tongli is small, its streets are relatively wide, with dwellings and business establishments alternating with noteworthy cultural and historical sites. » more

You can rent a gondola (long boat) w/boatman for a quiet tour on the river– the price is 60 Yuan for a standard, 30 minute ride. » more