About Hangzhou

Hangzhou is one of the most beautiful cities in China. It is the capital of Zhejiang Province in east China and successfully hosted the 2016 G20 summit. The city grew to prominence as the southern terminus of the Grand Canal and has been one of the most renowned and prosperous cities in China for much of the last millennium. West Lake is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is the city's best-known feature.

Traveling to Hangzhou

In most cases, a visa should be obtained from a Chinese embassy or consulate before arriving anywhere in mainland China. Many travel agencies will assist you with the application and some can submit it on your behalf. Plan on applying for a visa at least a month before your trip; if needed, there are services available to expedite the process and shorten the wait time. For further details, please refer to the "Visa" page on this conference website.

By Air

Hangzhou is served by the Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, which provides direct service to many international destinations such as Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Taiwan, Netherlands, Qatar, and the United States.

As of September 2016, United Airlines offers three direct 12-hour flights per week from San Francisco to Hangzhou (Monday, Wednesday and Friday). Direct flights from Europe are available via Amsterdam through KLM. Asian cities that have service to Hangzhou include Delhi, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Osaka, Bangkok, Seoul, and Singapore. Direct service to Hangzhou from Singapore is available on Jetstar Asia.

Visitors can also fly to Hangzhou by connecting through major airline hubs in mainland China, such as Beijing (hub of Air China, a Star Alliance member) and Guangzhou (hub of China Southern Airlines, a Sky Team member). Alternatively, if flying to Shanghai Pudong Airport, there are trains or express buses with regular service to Hangzhou.

By Train

For visitors from abroad, another option is to fly to Shanghai and then entrain via high-speed rail to Hangzhou. From Shanghai's Hongqiao Station to Hangzhou, frequent CRH trains (G or D series) travel non-stop for 50 minutes (cost is about RMB 73).

Intra-city Transportation

Most of the city's taxis in Hangzhou are turquoise-green and easily identifiable, with 'Taxi' being prominently displayed in both English and Mandarin. Drivers do not expect tips. Hangzhou taxi drivers almost always use the meter as required by law. Trips start at RMB 11 and are priced (RMB 2.5) by the kilometer, with surcharges for idling time and trips over 10km. Overall, few of the city's taxi drivers speak English. It is therefore important that you present the driver with the name of the destination (in written Mandarin), present them with a printed taxi card from your hotel (see your hotel's website for further details), or be able to point out your destination on a map.

Hangzhou Metro Line 1 is fully operational. Line 2 and Line 4 are still being extended but parts are now in use. Line 1 connects downtown Hangzhou with the suburban areas of the city. The subway opens around 6:00 a.m. daily. (Metro schedules are available online or at the stations.)

References and Recommended Reading

Travel & Tourist Information

http://wikitravel.org/en/Hangzhou

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hangzhou

Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport

http://www.hzairport.com/en/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hangzhou_Xiaoshan_International_Airport

Hangzhou Railway Station

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hangzhou_Railway_Station