Comparison · China
Hangzhou vs Shanghai: Which Should You Choose?
Lakeside Hangzhou with tea and ancient history, or Shanghai, China's largest city of night views and food? Airports, budget, weather and sights compared.
Published
The short answer
Hangzhou is a city for slow walks around a lake, tea and the history of an old capital. The capital of Zhejiang province and once the seat of the Southern Song, it has three UNESCO World Heritage sites: West Lake, the Grand Canal and the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City.
Shanghai is China's largest city, where the European-style Bund faces the skyscrapers of Lujiazui across the Huangpu River. Even a short trip packs in night views, old lanes and great food.
Best for: Hangzhou suits lakeside walks, Longjing tea, Hangzhou dishes such as Dongpo pork, and museums. Shanghai suits city night views and observation decks, lane walks and food such as xiaolongbao.
From the airport to the city
At Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (HGH), the airport station is served by Metro Lines 1, 7 and 19. The station opens at 05:50 and closes at 00:27, and you may not be able to enter the gates in the last 5 minutes before the final train. If you arrive late at night, take a late-night airport bus. Tickets are sold under your real name, so you need your passport.
From Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG), the maglev takes you to Longyang Road station, where you change to the metro. Metro Line 2 is the cheapest way, though depending on the time you may need to change trains on the way. Shanghai also has Hongqiao Airport (SHA), so check which airport and terminal is on your ticket first.
In both cities, take taxis from the official rank and pay what the meter shows. In Hangzhou, don't bargain, and ask for a receipt.
- Hangzhou Metro Lines 1, 7 and 19: distance-based fare (check official info for times and fares)
- Hangzhou late-night airport buses: to Wulinmen about 60 min, CNY 20; Hangzhou East Railway Station line about 80 min, CNY 28
- Hangzhou taxi: CNY 13 for the first 3 km, CNY 2.5 per km from 3 to 10 km, CNY 3.75 per km beyond 10 km
- Shanghai maglev: about 8 min to Longyang Road (about 40 min to downtown with the change), about 40-50 CNY
- Shanghai Metro Line 2: about 60-75 min to downtown, about 7-8 CNY
- Shanghai taxi: about 45-70 min to downtown, about 150-250 CNY
How many days, and what budget
Plan on 3 to 4 days for either city. In Hangzhou that means a day around West Lake and a day on the Grand Canal; in Shanghai, the Bund, Yu Garden and Lujiazui plus Zhujiajiao or the Shanghai Museum.
In Shanghai, plan on a daily budget of about 400 CNY (hostel, local food, metro), about 800-1,200 CNY (city hotel, restaurants, observation deck) and about 2,000 CNY+ (upscale riverside hotel, set-course dinners, taxis).
In Hangzhou, the metro and West Lake loop buses keep transport costs low, Yu Qian's Former Residence is free, and accommodation is most of the budget, so compare prices for your dates on booking sites. That makes a like-for-like daily comparison of the two cities hard.
Weather by month, side by side
For both cities, spring (April-May) and autumn (October-November) are the best times. The figures below are 1991–2020 normals for Hangzhou station and Shanghai Baoshan station (source: China Meteorological Administration submission · WMO normals collection, NOAA NCEI): average high, average low and monthly rainfall.
In October-November both cities get little rain and are mild, good for walking. June is rainy in both cities. In Hangzhou, June is the wettest month of the year. In Shanghai, August (about 210 mm) is the wettest month of the year.
July is hot in both cities. Typhoons are possible in Shanghai in July and August, so check official forecasts before you go. January's average low is about 2°C in both. National Day week (around October 1) and Chinese New Year are extremely crowded in Shanghai.
- April: Hangzhou high 22°C, low 13°C, rain 117 mm / Shanghai high 20°C, low 12°C, rain 77 mm
- May: Hangzhou high 27°C, low 18°C, rain 127 mm / Shanghai high 25°C, low 18°C, rain 90 mm
- June: Hangzhou high 29°C, low 22°C, rain 258 mm / Shanghai high 28°C, low 22°C, rain 197 mm
- July: Hangzhou high 34°C, low 26°C, rain 168 mm / Shanghai high 32°C, low 26°C, rain 147 mm
- October: Hangzhou high 24°C, low 16°C, rain 74 mm / Shanghai high 23°C, low 17°C, rain 71 mm
- November: Hangzhou high 18°C, low 10°C, rain 75 mm / Shanghai high 18°C, low 11°C, rain 58 mm
What you do there
Hangzhou centres on West Lake, 15 km around. Buses 51 and 52 circle the lake clockwise and anticlockwise, handy for hopping on and off, and Su Causeway, Leifeng Pagoda and the West Lake Museum line the shore. Other highlights are the China National Tea Museum among the tea gardens near Longjing village, a Grand Canal cruise from Wulinmen Wharf with Gongchen Bridge lit up at night, and Qinghefang, a historic street that has been a commercial centre since the Southern Song.
Shanghai's highlights are the Bund after dark, the Lujiazui observation decks, Yu Garden, the lane-house maze of Tianzifang, the plane-tree streets of the Former French Concession, the Shanghai Museum and the former site of the Korean Provisional Government. A Huangpu River ferry crosses between the Bund side and Lujiazui in a few minutes. Zhujiajiao, an old canal town with stone bridges, is about an hour by metro from downtown.
The food differs too. Hangzhou has Dongpo pork and West Lake fish in vinegar gravy; Shanghai has xiaolongbao, shengjianbao and hairy crab, in season in autumn (roughly September to November). Hairy crab is expensive and priced by size, so always check before ordering.
How to choose, or combine both
For lake scenery, history and tea culture at an easy pace, pick Hangzhou; for night views, big-city energy and a wide range of food, pick Shanghai. Shanghai's metro is dense with English signs, while in Hangzhou you get around by metro and West Lake loop buses.
If you want to visit both, check official railway and transport information for options and times. Plan around 3 to 4 days for each city.
Chinese visa rules, including visa-free entry, change often. Check the latest rules with the Chinese embassy before you travel.
- Mobile payment is the norm. Link an overseas card to Alipay and WeChat Pay and finish verification before you go
- In 2026 Hangzhou was chosen as a pilot city for digital services for inbound visitors (arrival help at the airport, instant SIM and eSIM activation and more)
- Some museums and historic sites need advance booking under your passport name, and you must show your passport on entry
- Shanghai has security checks at every metro station and major sight. Do not carry lighters or knives
- On the Hangzhou metro you must exit within 240 minutes of entering
- On the Bund and Nanjing Road, do not follow friendly strangers to tea houses or art shows
Plan your Hangzhou trip
We never take payment — compare, then book on the official partner site.
Plan your Shanghai trip
We never take payment — compare, then book on the official partner site.
FAQ
Hangzhou or Shanghai for a first visit?
For a short burst of night views, food and old lanes, Shanghai; for unhurried lakeside walks, tea culture and history, Hangzhou. Plan on 3 to 4 days for either city.
When is the best time to go?
April-May and October-November are best for both. On 1991–2020 normals, October-November bring little rain in both cities, about 58-75 mm a month. National Day week (around October 1) is extremely crowded in Shanghai.
How do I get into Hangzhou if I land late at night?
The airport metro station closes at 00:27. After that, take a late-night airport bus (to Wulinmen about 60 min, CNY 20; Hangzhou East Railway Station line about 80 min, CNY 28), and bring your passport for the real-name ticket.
Which one is cheaper?
A side-by-side comparison is hard. Shanghai starts at about 400 CNY per day, while in Hangzhou accommodation is most of the budget, so compare prices for your dates on booking sites.
Related reading
ⓘ Photo credits
- Leifeng Pagoda and West Lake · Windmemories / CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lujiazui observation decks · Balon Greyjoy / CC0
- Su Causeway from Beishan Road · 江上清风1961 / CC BY 3.0