6 Best Hotels Near Hongqiao Railway Station

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Don’t book a hotel just because its name says Hongqiao. Some that do sit almost 5 km from the platforms. Check the map first. Every hotel I’d book is within a 20-minute walk of the station, and the nearest are 6 minutes away. Here’s where I’d sleep before an early train to Hangzhou or Suzhou.

Hongqiao Railway Station Hotels

Which Station Is Your Hotel Near

A listing’s name says little about which side of the hub a hotel sits.

• Rail and Terminal 2 Share a Hub: Terminal 2 and the railway station sit in one transport hub, and the metro runs through both. Tell a taxi driver the exact terminal or station. The two terminals are different stops.
• Hongqiao in the Name Is No Guarantee: Several hotels called Hongqiao sit 4 to 5 km from the station in a straight line. That distance is a taxi ride with luggage. Measure the distance to the station on a map.
• Fairs Push Up Demand Nearby: Trade fairs at the National Exhibition and Convention Center push up demand at the hotels between it and the station. Guest comments at two hotels west of the station come from fair visitors.

Getting to the Platforms With Luggage

Most of the walk happens indoors, in the hub’s corridors.

• Look for Underpasses: Underground and overhead links connect the hub to the blocks around it. A route that stays under cover beats a street crossing in rain or heat, so ask the front desk which one to take.
• Check the Station on Your Ticket: Shanghai has several railway stations, and the ticket names the one your train leaves from. Trains to Suzhou and Hangzhou leave from more than one Shanghai station. Confirm the ticket says Hongqiao before you book a hotel.

Day Trips and the City From Hongqiao

A hotel at the hub works as a base for the rail towns.

• Rail Towns Within an Hour or Two: Suzhou is 25 to 40 minutes from Hongqiao by train and Hangzhou 45 to 60 minutes. Nanjing takes about an hour to an hour and a half. Sleep at the hub the night before and the platform is a short transfer away.
• Metro Line 2 Runs Into the City: Line 2 runs direct from the hub into the city, so the hub’s own stop needs no transfer. One night at the hub suits a train connection better than a long Shanghai stay.

FAQs

1. Can you walk between Terminal 2 and Hongqiao Railway Station?

Yes, an underground walkway links them, and the walk takes 10 to 20 minutes depending on the route. Metro Lines 2 and 10 also stop at both, and the one-stop ride takes about 2 minutes. Follow the signs for the railway station from the Terminal 2 concourse. Corridors and escalators add minutes that a map leaves out.

2. How do you get from Pudong Airport to Hongqiao?

The Airport Link Line connects the two airports in 40 to 50 minutes and ends at the Terminal 2 stop. From there, walk the underground link to the railway station or ride one metro stop. A taxi or app-based taxi takes 50 to 90 minutes by road. Travellers heading straight to a Hangzhou or Suzhou train can skip central Shanghai this way.

3. How long does it take to reach central Shanghai from Hongqiao?

Most of central Shanghai is 30 to 55 minutes from the hub by metro. Line 2 reaches Nanjing East Road, the stop for the Bund, in 25 to 40 minutes. Jing’an Temple sits on the same line. A city day is a long round trip, so plan the train around it.

4. Is there food and shopping near the hotels at Hongqiao?

Malls and restaurants cluster around the hub. Paradise Walk, a shopping and dining centre, is about 450 metres from Hyatt Place Shanghai Hongqiao CBD and Hyatt House Shanghai Hongqiao CBD. Several station-side hotels, including Cordis Shanghai Hongqiao, have restaurants within a short walk of the lobby. Hongqiao Tiandi, a dining and shopping district, stretches from the exhibition centre in the west to the station in the east.

5. When are Shanghai hotels busiest and quietest?

Spring runs busiest for Shanghai hotels, with April occupancy well above the early-year average in the statistics bureau’s monthly releases. Midwinter runs quietest, with January and December below the yearly average. Trade fairs at the exhibition centre push prices up on fair dates. Check the fair calendar when you pick a weekend.

6. Which metro lines serve Hongqiao Railway Station?

Lines 2, 10 and 17 all serve the railway station. Terminal 2 has its own stop, and the exhibition centre has another. Check the station name before you board, because several stops carry the Hongqiao name. Follow the line number and the exit number on the signs when you leave the platform.

7. Is Terminal 1 close to Hongqiao Railway Station?

No, Terminal 1 has its own metro stop and sits apart from the hub. Terminal 2 is the terminal that shares the hub with the railway station. Line 10 reaches Terminal 1 in two stops. A hotel beside Terminal 2 is not beside Terminal 1. Name the terminal when you ask a hotel about transfers.