Route guide · High-speed rail
Shanghai to Nanjing by High-Speed Train (2026)
301 km across the Yangtze delta, about 1h, 346+ trains a day — one of the world’s busiest one-hour corridors, and an easy hop to a former imperial capital.
China for Travelers EditorialUpdated Published Rail data refreshed monthly
- 2nd class
- ¥55 – ¥171
- what everyone buys
- Frequency
- 346/day
- 00:19 – 23:51
- Train types
- G
- G = fastest
- Day trip
- Easy
- overnight rewards it
Arrive at Nanjing South 南京南站 — nearly every G-train does; only a few use the older Nanjing Railway Station, so check your ticket.
The route at a glance
Shanghai Hongqiao to Nanjing South is part of the original Beijing–Shanghai high-speed line and one of the busiest one-hour corridors in the world, with around 346 departures a day each way. The fastest non-stop G-train does the 301 km in 1h; stopping services take a little longer (1h – 1h 45m typical). There is no reason to fly — the train is faster door-to-door and runs constantly. Arriving into Shanghai first? See the Shanghai Hongqiao station guide.
The one thing to check: which station
Almost everything on this corridor uses Nanjing South, but it is worth knowing the difference before you book:
Nanjing South 南京南站use this
One of Asia’s largest stations, on Metro Lines 1, 3, S1 and S3. The metro fans out to the centre, the Confucius Temple and the airport. Nearly every G-train arrives here.
Nanjing Railway Station 南京站a few trains
The older station on the city’s north side by Xuanwu Lake (Metro Lines 1 & 3). Only a handful of services use it — convenient only if your hotel is up there.
At the Shanghai end, services leave from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station (上海虹桥站, Metro Lines 2 & 10, attached to Hongqiao Airport); a few use the central Shanghai Railway Station. Match the stations on your ticket to where you are staying at each end.
Classes and price
For a one-hour ride the class barely matters, but for completeness:
| Class | Price | Worth it? |
|---|---|---|
| Second classmost buy | ¥55 – ¥171 | 3+2 seating, power at every seat — what almost everyone buys. |
| First class | ¥238 – ¥274 | 2+2 seating; a small upgrade for an hour, rarely necessary. |
| Business class | ¥459 – ¥497 | Overkill for 60 minutes, but available on most departures. |
What's waiting in Nanjing
Nanjing was a national capital for six dynasties and again under the Republic, and it wears that history openly. The headline sights cluster in two areas: Purple Mountain (Zijin Shan) in the east, with the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum and the Ming-dynasty Xiaoling tomb; and the old centre around the Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao) and the Qinhuai River, ringed by the vast Ming city wall. The Nanjing Massacre Memorial in the west is sobering and worth the time.
At one hour from Shanghai it works as a long day trip, but an overnight lets you see Purple Mountain and the old town without rushing. From Nanjing the quick onward hop is Nanjing → Hangzhou.
How to book with a foreign passport
12306 English app — the official China Railway channel: face-value fares, no booking fee. The trade-off is hassle — passport registration must be approved before you can buy (often slow), and customer service is Chinese-first and limited if a booking goes wrong.
Trip.com ↗ — the same China Railway seats, booked in English with a foreign Visa or Mastercard, no verification wait and 24/7 multilingual support. It sells at the same 12306 face fare with no booking fee, and new-customer promotions can bring a first trip below face price. As China’s largest OTA you can also add hotels, attraction tickets and tours to the same trip. See the booking walkthrough.
Real-name rule — the name and passport number on the ticket must match what you present; e-tickets are scanned at the gate, no paper pickup needed.
Book on Trip.comNASDAQ: TCOM
The international arm of Ctrip — one of the few platforms selling real China Railway tickets in English, to a foreign passport and card. (Is it legit? — 12306 vs Trip.com )
Booking through our Trip.com links costs you nothing extra and helps fund our independent research — we earn a small commission. How we’re funded.
Arrived at Nanjing South — getting into the city
Nanjing South Railway Station (南京南站) is south of the centre, but the metro reaches everywhere fast — Lines 1, 3, S1 and S3 all start here. Line 3 runs direct to the Confucius Temple; Line 1 to the downtown core at Xinjiekou. For a car, follow the 出租车/P2 signs from the concourse down to the P2 car park B1 (zone B) for the DiDi / 网约车 pickup — allow ~15–20 minutes in holiday peaks. Times below are for the areas foreign visitors most often stay.
| City area | Metro / Bus | Taxi / DiDi |
|---|---|---|
| Xinjiekou 新街口 (city centre) | Metro Line 1 → Xinjiekou, direct. ~25 min, ¥3. | ¥30–40, ~30 min (10.9 km) |
| Confucius Temple 夫子庙 (old town) | Metro Line 3 → Fuzimiao (夫子庙), direct. ~22 min, ¥3. | ¥22–30, ~21 min (7.5 km) |
| Xuanwu Lake / Gulou 玄武湖 (city north) | Metro Line 1 → Xuanwumen (玄武门). ~38 min, ¥4. | ¥40–55, ~32 min (16.2 km) |
Transit times and driving distances via Amap (高德地图) routing, checked 2026-06-14. Nanjing metro flagfall ¥2, distance-based; Line 3 runs direct from Nanjing South to the Confucius Temple. The P2 B1 DiDi pickup note is from current traveller reports.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get from Shanghai to Nanjing?
The fastest G-train covers Shanghai Hongqiao to Nanjing South in about 1 hour. Most run 1h–1h30m depending on stops. With a train every few minutes, it is one of the easiest day trips in China.
How far is Shanghai from Nanjing?
About 301 km (187 miles) — a one-hour hop across the Yangtze delta on one of the busiest high-speed corridors in the world.
How do I get from Shanghai to Nanjing?
By high-speed train. G-trains run Shanghai Hongqiao to Nanjing South about 346 times a day, taking ~1 hour, from ¥55 in second class. There is no reason to fly; book on the official 12306 app or on Trip.com, or simply take the next departure.
How much is a Shanghai to Nanjing train ticket?
Second class starts around ¥55 on the slower stopping services and runs higher on the fastest non-stop G-trains. First class and business class are available on most departures. No need to book far ahead outside major holidays.
Do I need to book Shanghai to Nanjing trains in advance?
Usually no. With ~346 trains a day each way you can essentially turn up and take the next departure, except during Chinese public holidays (Spring Festival, Oct 1 Golden Week, May Day) when even this dense corridor fills up.
Which stations do Shanghai–Nanjing trains use?
Most high-speed services run Shanghai Hongqiao (上海虹桥站) to Nanjing South (南京南站), both on the metro. A few trains use the older central Shanghai Railway Station and Nanjing Railway Station — check the stations on your ticket.
Can I do Nanjing as a day trip from Shanghai?
Yes — at one hour each way it is a comfortable day trip, though Nanjing rewards an overnight if you want to see the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, the Ming city wall and the Confucius Temple area without rushing.
Verification scope
Route data — distance, journey time, fare bands and daily frequencies — is sampled from China’s national rail system and refreshed monthly. Nanjing metro lines and taxi distances are from Amap (高德地图) routing, checked 2026-06-14.
Traveller detail: the Nanjing South arrival notes (the P2 B1 zone-B DiDi pickup) are from current traveller reports.
Confirm before booking: nearly all G-trains use Nanjing South (南京南), but a few use the older Nanjing Railway Station — check the stations printed on your ticket.
Plan the rest of your trip
Nanjing pairs naturally with Shanghai and the wider Yangtze-delta triangle.