Hangzhou Metro Guide for Foreigners 2026: Pay, Lines

This guide is written by an editorial team based in Chongqing — the editor has lived in mainland China since 2018 (8 years on the ground) and uses the Alipay QR-code metro system regularly, but is not a Hangzhou resident and has not been on the ground in Hangzhou in 2026. The QR-payment mechanism described below is the same nationwide system the editor has verified first-hand on the Beijing and Shanghai metros in 2025-2026; line and station detail is aggregated from 2024-2026 r/travelchina, r/chinalife and r/Hangzhou threads, Trip.com listings, and 2026-05-22 Amap (高德地图) routing. This is Path-2 editorial-aggregated coverage for Hangzhou-specific detail — corrections from Hangzhou residents are welcomed (see about page).

Buying tickets — pay with your phone

The Hangzhou Metro (杭州地铁) opened in 2012 and is now a large, modern network of around a dozen lines plus airport and intercity links — but a foreign visitor never needs a paper ticket. The standard 2026 method:

Set up Alipay before you fly — install it, add a foreign Visa or Mastercard, and complete passport verification. Doing this at home (it can take a day or two to verify) means you land ready to ride. See the Alipay setup guide.
Open the transit ride-code. In Alipay, find the transit / 乘车码 (ride-code) feature and select Hangzhou Metro. It generates a QR code on screen.
Scan in and out. Hold the QR to the reader at the gate when you enter, and again when you exit — the system charges the correct distance-based fare automatically to your linked card.

WeChat Pay has the same ride-code feature if you prefer it. The cash backup is a physical Hangzhou transit card, sold and topped up at station service counters and machines. Tapping a foreign contactless bank card directly on the gate is not reliable in 2026 — Chinese metros do not run on open-loop EMV the way London or Singapore do, so do not plan around it. Use the Alipay QR.

Fares are distance-based: roughly ¥2 minimum, up to about ¥9-12 for the longest cross-city rides. Most central tourist trips — between the HSR station, downtown, West Lake and the old town — cost ¥2-5. There is no need to calculate the fare yourself; the gate does it when you scan out.

The lines that matter for visitors

Hangzhou's network has around a dozen lines — far more than any visitor needs. These are the ones that connect the sights and the gateways.

Line 1 — the line every visitor uses

Line 1, the original 2012 spine, is the single most useful line for a tourist. It runs from Xianghu (湘湖) in the southwest across the city to the northeast, and on its central stretch it strings together almost everything a first-time visitor needs:

Hangzhou East Railway Station (火车东站) — the main high-speed-rail hub, where most visitors arrive.
Wulin Square (武林广场) — the downtown shopping and dining core.
Fengqi Road (凤起路) — a short walk in toward the lake.
Longxiangqiao (龙翔桥) — the West Lake lakefront station, the closest stop to the northeast shore, Hubin and the Broken Bridge.
Ding'anlu (定安路) — the stop for Hefang Street (河坊街), the old-town pedestrian quarter.
Chengzhan (城站) — for Hangzhou Station (杭州站), the older central railway station.

So Line 1 alone links the main HSR station, downtown, the lake and the old town — for many short Hangzhou trips it is the only line you will touch. One thing to watch: Line 1 splits into branches at its outer ends, so a train you board may not run all the way to the terminus you expect. Check the destination on the train's front and side displays and on the platform indicator before you board.

Line 19 — the express airport line

Line 19 is the fast airport connector. It runs from Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (HGH) to Hangzhou East Railway Station in about 25 minutes, then continues to Hangzhou West Railway Station. From Hangzhou East you transfer to Line 1 or Line 4 for downtown and West Lake. Line 19 is the line to look for on the airport metro signage — see the Xiaoshan Airport guide for the full arrivals walk-through.

Lines 2, 3, 4, 7 — the rest

A handful of other lines are occasionally useful:

Line 2 and Line 4 serve Qianjiang New City — the modern riverfront district with the “moon” convention towers and the riverside light show — and both reach Hangzhou East.
Line 3 runs out to Hangzhou West Railway Station and the northwest of the city.
Line 7 is a second, slower way to the airport — the all-stations option versus the Line 19 express.

One gap to know about: the metro does not have a station at West Lake's western hills or at Lingyin Temple. Longxiangqiao is the closest lake station; from there you walk the lakeshore or take a bus to the temple and the tea villages.

Which line for which sight

Where you are going	Station	Line
West Lake (northeast lakefront)	Longxiangqiao 龙翔桥	Line 1
Hefang Street old town	Ding'anlu 定安路	Line 1
Hangzhou East Railway Station (HSR)	火车东站 Huochezhandong	Line 1 / 4 / 19
Hangzhou Station 杭州站 (Chengzhan)	Chengzhan 城站	Line 1
Downtown — shopping & food	Wulin Square 武林广场	Line 1
Xiaoshan Airport (HGH)	Xiaoshan Airport 萧山机场	Line 19 (express) / Line 7
Hangzhou West Railway Station	West Railway Station 杭州西站	Line 3 / 19
Qianjiang New City riverfront	Citizen Center 市民中心	Line 2 / 4

Station-to-sight mapping from Amap (高德地图) routing, 2026-05-22. Longxiangqiao is the closest metro station to West Lake's northeast shore — there is no station at the lake's western hills or at Lingyin Temple, so plan to walk or bus the last stretch.

Reading the signage and the gates

English support on the Hangzhou Metro is good. Station names appear in Chinese and English on maps, platform signage and in-car displays; announcements are made in Mandarin and English; and ticket machines have an English mode. A first-time visitor can navigate the whole network comfortably in English.

The flow at the gate is the same every time: open the Alipay ride-code, hold the QR flat to the scanner panel on the gate, the barrier opens, walk through. Repeat at your destination to exit. If the gate rejects the code, it is almost always because the screen dimmed or the app timed out — re-open the ride-code and try again. Keep your phone charged; the QR is your ticket.

Practical tips

Security. Every station entrance has an airport-style X-ray bag scanner — standard across mainland China. Put bags through; it adds a minute or two at busy stations. The metro is not real-name — no passport needed to ride, the gate reads your fare QR.
The Line 1 branch split. The single most common first-timer mistake. Line 1 forks at its outer ends — always check the train's destination sign so you board a train going the way you want.
Peak hours. Roughly 7:30-9:30am and 5:30-7:30pm are genuinely crowded, especially on Line 1 around Wulin Square and the HSR station. Sightsee around them where you can.
The last walk to West Lake and Lingyin. The metro gets you to Longxiangqiao on the lake's northeast edge; the rest of the lake, the western hills and Lingyin Temple are a lakeshore walk or a bus ride. Build that into your timing.
Last trains. Service runs roughly 6:00am to about 23:00; last-train times vary by line. If you are out late around the lake, check your line's last train or plan a DiDi.

The airport and HSR-station connections

The metro ties Hangzhou's two main gateways straight into the city:

From Xiaoshan Airport (HGH): Line 19 express to Hangzhou East in about 25 minutes, then Line 1 or Line 4 onward. Line 7 is the slower all-stations alternative. Full detail in the Xiaoshan Airport guide.
From Hangzhou East Railway Station: Line 1, Line 4 and Line 19 all serve the station — Line 1 runs direct to downtown, West Lake and the old town. See the Hangzhou East Railway Station guide.

Because Line 1 connects Hangzhou East, Wulin Square, Longxiangqiao and Ding'anlu in one ride, a hotel near any Line 1 central station puts the whole sightseeing core within an easy metro trip — a useful filter when choosing where to base yourself.

Browse central Hangzhou hotels near West Lake on Trip.com →

Frequently asked questions

How do I pay for the Hangzhou Metro as a foreigner?

Use a QR ride-code in Alipay or WeChat Pay, funded by a foreign Visa or Mastercard linked to Alipay International. In Alipay, open the transit / 乘车码 (ride-code) feature, pick Hangzhou Metro, and scan the QR at the gate on the way in and the way out. Set Alipay up before you fly. The cash backup is a physical Hangzhou transit card, sold and topped up at station service counters. Tapping a foreign contactless bank card directly on the gate is not reliable in 2026 — use the Alipay QR.

How much does the Hangzhou Metro cost?

Fares are distance-based — roughly ¥2 minimum, rising to about ¥9-12 for the longest cross-city rides. Most central tourist trips cost ¥2-5. There is no flat fare and no need to work out the price in advance: with an Alipay QR the system charges the correct distance fare automatically when you scan out.

Which Hangzhou Metro line is most useful for tourists?

Line 1 — the original spine, and the line every visitor uses. It links Hangzhou East Railway Station (the main HSR hub), Wulin Square downtown, Longxiangqiao right on the West Lake lakefront, and Ding'anlu for the Hefang Street old town, plus Chengzhan for Hangzhou Station. Line 1 alone connects the HSR station, downtown, the lake and the old town. One thing to watch: Line 1 splits into branches — check the train's destination sign on the platform.

Does the Hangzhou Metro go to West Lake?

Almost. The closest station to West Lake is Longxiangqiao (龙翔桥) on Line 1, which puts you a short walk from the northeast lakefront near Hubin and the Broken Bridge. There is no metro station at the lake's western hills or at Lingyin Temple — from Longxiangqiao you walk the lake or take a bus to the temple. For the old town, Ding'anlu (定安路) on Line 1 is the stop for Hefang Street.

How do I get from Xiaoshan Airport to the city by metro?

Take Line 19, the express airport line. It runs from Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport to Hangzhou East Railway Station in about 25 minutes, then continues to Hangzhou West Railway Station. From Hangzhou East you transfer to Line 1 or Line 4 for downtown and West Lake. Line 7 also serves the airport but is the slower, all-stations option.

Is there English on the Hangzhou Metro?

Yes — English support is good. Station names appear in both Chinese and English on maps, platform signage and in-car displays; announcements are made in Mandarin and English; and the ticket machines have an English mode. A first-time visitor can navigate the network comfortably in English — the main thing to learn is the Line 1 branch split.

Is there a security check to enter the Hangzhou Metro?

Yes — every station entrance has an airport-style X-ray bag scanner, standard across mainland Chinese metros. Put bags through the scanner; large liquids may be checked. It adds a minute or two at busy stations. Unlike high-speed rail, the metro is not real-name — the gates read your fare QR, not your passport, so no ID is needed to ride.

What are the Hangzhou Metro operating hours?

Roughly 6:00am to about 23:00, with last-train times varying slightly by line and station — generally a little later from the central interchanges, earlier from the outer ends and on some lines. If you are out late around West Lake, check the last-train time for your specific line, or plan on a DiDi. The metro does not run overnight.

Related Hangzhou guides

Hangzhou city guide — the full hub: things to do, getting in and out, getting around, what to eat, and practical essentials.
Alipay setup for foreigners — the payment app you need for the metro; set it up before you fly.
Hangzhou East Railway Station guide and Xiaoshan Airport guide — Line 1 serves the HSR hub, Line 19 the airport.
West Lake guide and Where to stay in Hangzhou — the marquee sight and how to base yourself on a Line 1 station.

Sources: editorial team based in Chongqing (8-year mainland-China resident, regular Alipay-QR metro user, NOT a Hangzhou resident — the QR-payment mechanism is verified first-hand on the Beijing and Shanghai metros 2025-2026, not the Hangzhou metro), editor's about page, Amap (高德地图) routing queried 2026-05-22, and aggregated r/travelchina, r/chinalife and r/Hangzhou threads 2024-2026. Fares, line branches and operating hours change — check current details before you ride.