The high-speed train from Shanghai to Hangzhou takes 45 minutes, according to Wikipedia, on a line that opened on 26 October 2010. West Lake, a freshwater lake of 6.39 km², has been a UNESCO cultural landscape since 2011.
How long is the train?
Wikipedia says the Shanghai–Hangzhou high-speed railway cut the journey from 78 to 45 minutes. The line opened on 26 October 2010 and is built for 350 km/h.
The page gives the line length as 202 km in the lead and 169 km in the station table, and does not reconcile the two. We therefore quote the time and not the distance. Trains leave from Hongqiao railway station, which opened on 1 July 2010.
What is West Lake?
West Lake is in Xihu District, Hangzhou. Wikipedia gives its surface area as 6.39 km², about 3.2 km north to south and 2.8 km east to west. It has four causeways, three artificial islands and Gushan, the only natural island.
UNESCO inscribed the West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou in 2011 under reference 1334. Hangzhou also has two other World Heritage sites: the Grand Canal and the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City.
| Feature | Fact | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Bai Causeway | Built 822 | Wikipedia: West Lake |
| Su Causeway | Built 1089 | Wikipedia: West Lake |
| Song capital moved to Hangzhou | 1129 | Wikipedia: West Lake |
| UNESCO inscription | 2011, reference 1334 | Wikipedia: West Lake |
How we plan the day
A guide and driver meet you in Hangzhou. We suggest the lake, Lingyin Temple and the Longjing tea hills, with the high-speed train out in the morning and back in the evening. The day works with a private car all the way, or by train with a car at each end.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the train from Shanghai to Hangzhou take?
45 minutes, according to Wikipedia. The line opened on 26 October 2010 and shortened the trip from 78 minutes.
Is Hangzhou a good day trip from Shanghai?
It works as a day trip because of the 45-minute train. A night in Hangzhou gives you the lake at a slower pace, and we can add one.
Is West Lake UNESCO-listed?
Yes, since 2011, as the West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou.
How big is West Lake?
6.39 km², about 3.2 km by 2.8 km.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked on 9 November 2026 against these sources, from official pages where they exist and from the Wikipedia articles named in the list. Hours, prices and access change; we confirm them again before every trip.
