How to Travel to Huangshan from Shanghai
If you are planning a Shanghai tour or if you will be on a business trip in Shanghai and have a couple of free days, traveling from Shanghai to Huangshan would be a good choice. During the trip, you will admire the ancient architectural structures and modern buildings in Shanghai and enjoy the stunning natural beauty of Huangshan. Reading this article, you will discover how to travel from Shanghai to Huangshan.
The Best Way to Travel from Shanghai to Huangshan
For international travelers, the best way to travel from Shanghai to Huangshan is to take a high-speed train. The fastest train between these two cities only takes 2½ hours.
Currently, it is very convenient to book your train tickets via apps or China Railway's official website. If you prefer, just ask us for help. Most train stations in China have English signs but if you have any problems in the train station, feel free to ask the station's staff for help as some of them can speak English.
Travel from Shanghai to Huangshan by Train
Huangshan and Shanghai are now connected by rail lines. Traveling from Shanghai to Huangshan by high-speed train is very convenient and cost-efficient. The journey duration is from 2½ to 3½ hours. The ticket price ranges from 170 to 620 CNY based on different seats on different trains (D or G trains).
There are more than 10 pairs of high-speed trains running between Shanghai and Huangshan now, with an operating time of 08:00 to 19:00.
Shanghai Railway Station
Take high-speed Trains in Shanghai
Shanghai has two train stations that operate high-speed trains to Huangshan. One is Shanghai Railway Station, which is in the city center. The other one is Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station, which is 22 kilometers (14 miles) from the downtown area. Most trains run to/from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station while only one or two trains run to/from Shanghai Railway Station.
If you are staying downtown and prefer to take a train from Shanghai Railway Station, you can take metro lines 1, 3, and 4 to get there.
If you would like to take a train from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station, you can take metro lines 2, 10, and 17 to get there. If you prefer not to take public transport, taking a taxi costs about 70 CNY and it takes about 30 minutes to get there. If the language difference could be a barrier, it is recommended that you contact us for a worry-free tour.
Take high-speed Trains in Huangshan
There are two train stations in Huangshan but only Huangshan North Railway Station operates high-speed trains. The other one, Huangshan Railway Station only operates normal-speed trains. For more detailed information about Huangshan North Railway Station, please click here.
Travel from Shanghai to Huangshan by Bus
Shanghai is about 450 kilometers (280 miles) away from Huangshan. It takes about 6 hours to reach Huangshan by bus and the cost is about 150 CNY. Compared with taking a high-speed train, we do not recommend international travelers take a bus to get from Shanghai to Huangshan.
The journey duration by bus is much longer than by train (6 hours as opposed to 2½ hours). In addition, there are very few English signs at the bus stations and most of the staff cannot understand English or any other foreign language. If you cannot speak Mandarin, it is hard to buy tickets and board the bus.
Take Buses in Shanghai
If you can speak Mandarin, or if you travel with a Chinese-speaking companion, traveling to Huangshan by bus is okay.
The Yellow Mountains Scenery
Two main bus terminals operate long-distance buses to Huangshan and Shanghai. The first one is Shanghai Long-Distance Bus Terminal (上海长途汽车客运总站, shàng haĭ cháng tú qì chē kè yùn zŏng zhàn), which is near Shanghai Railway Station. You can take metro lines 1, 3, and 4 to get there.
The other bus terminal is Shanghai South Long-Distance Bus Station (长途客运南站, cháng tú kè yùn nán zhàn), which is near Shanghai South Railway Station. You can take metro lines 1 and 3 to get there.
Take Buses in Huangshan
There are two main bus terminals in Huangshan. Huangshan Bus Station (黄山市汽车客运总站, huáng shān shì qì chē kè yùn zŏng zhàn) is in Tunxi District (downtown) while Xinguoxian Huangshan Scenic Area Bus Station (新国线黄山风景区汽车站, xīn guó xiàn huáng shān fēng jĭng qū qì chē zhàn) is in Tangkou Town (at the foot of the Yellow Mountains).
To save time when transferring from the downtown area to the Yellow Mountains, it is suggested that you take a bus ride to Xinguoxian Huangshan Scenic Area Bus Station so that you can go straight up the mountains.
Note: Shanghai South Long-Distance Bus Station offers buses to Huangshan Bus Station and Xinguoxian Huangshan Scenic Area Bus Station while Shanghai Long-Distance Bus Terminal only offers buses to Huangshan Bus Station.
The Yellow Mountain
Plan a 3 Days trip to Huangshan from Shanghai
Day 1
Take a High-speed train from Shanghai to Huangshan in the morning. Arrange a half-day visit to Tunxi Old Street and Hongcun Ancient Village. Have a great time walking down Tunxi Street, there are many interesting things to see like handicrafts, brushes, and various souvenirs.
Have lunch near Tunxi Old Street, and take 1 2/1 hours on the roadway to Hongcun Ancient Village in the afternoon. Enjoy its picturesque scenery, learn about local rural life, folk culture and admire the unique architecture.
Accommodation Tips: if plan to go to Huangshan Mountain the next day, you can stay both at Huangshan Downtown or Hongcun village (mostly guesthouse and boutique hotel), Huangshan downtown to Huangshan Scenic Spots (1 1/2 hours), Hongcun Village to Huangshan Scenic Spots (1 hour).
Day 2
Start the tour in the early morning to Huangshan Scenic Spot (Yellow Mountain). Got from the eastern side by cable car and then moved to the top ascending. end of the day in the evening on the western side of the mountain. The hiking experience is definitely worth it. Stay overnight in the mountaintop hotel.
Notes: Meals are buffet on the mountain top restaurant, price is higher than in Huangshan city. But acceptable.
Day 3
Wake up early at 4 am to see the sunrise from the horizon, Pre-sunrise it is totally dark and often very cold so you would probably want to select a sunrise location that is near your hotel.
Get down by cable car, and transfer to Huangshan North Railway Station, catch your onward train to Shanghai.
Travel in Huangshan with Us
If you are planning on visiting Huangshan from Shanghai, feel free to contact us and tell us your requirements. We can tailor-make a tour package based on your unique preferences.