How do I get to Hangzhou?

Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (HGH) sits 27 km southeast of West Lake, on the south bank of the Qiantang River. The airport expanded for the 2023 Asian Games, adding a new terminal and third runway. Direct service covers most of East and Southeast Asia. Cathay Pacific flies daily from Hong Kong. Korean Air and Asiana connect through Incheon. ANA operates from Narita, and Singapore Airlines runs 4 weekly flights. From North America, year-round nonstops to HGH are rare. The practical routing is to fly into Shanghai Pudong (PVG) and transfer to high-speed rail. From Europe, KLM and Finnair have offered seasonal routes through Amsterdam and Helsinki, though schedules shift year to year. China Eastern and Air China provide the most consistent connecting options via Shanghai or Beijing, at $700-1,100 round-trip from the US and £600-900 from London.

For most Western visitors, the Shanghai bullet train is the real answer. Shanghai Hongqiao station shares a complex with Hongqiao Airport (SHA), and G-series trains cover the 202 km to Hangzhou East station in 59 minutes. Departures run every 10-15 minutes from 06:00 to 22:00. A second-class seat costs ¥73 ($11). First class is ¥117 ($17). If you land at Shanghai Pudong (PVG), add 90 minutes and ¥40 for the Metro Line 2 transfer to Hongqiao. That math tends to favor flying into Hongqiao directly when your airline offers it. Delta, United, and American all land at Pudong, so you'll likely face the transfer. Buy train tickets on 12306.cn or the Trip.com app up to 15 days in advance. During the Spring Festival rush in late January, Hangzhou-bound trains sell out within minutes of release.

Round-trip fares from the US West Coast to HGH run $700-1,200 in economy on one-stop routings, with the cheapest seats on China Eastern via Shanghai or Xiamen Airlines via Xiamen. East Coast departures from JFK or EWR add $100-200. From London, expect £600-900 routed through Amsterdam, Helsinki, or Beijing. Hong Kong to Hangzhou drops to $120-200 round-trip on Cathay Pacific or Spring Airlines. Seoul to Hangzhou runs $180-300 on Korean Air or T'way. March and November offer the lowest fares. The Golden Week spike (October 1-7) and the late-January/early-February Spring Festival window push prices up 40-60% and fill every train to Hangzhou East. You'll catch the smell of instant noodles and black tea from the trolley carts on packed Hangzhou-bound carriages. Hongqiao station platforms ring with departure chimes every 3 minutes. Book on 12306.cn at least 15 days ahead during holiday windows.

From Xiaoshan airport, Metro Line 1 runs to Hangzhou East Railway Station and on toward West Lake. The ride to Longxiang Bridge station takes about 50 minutes for ¥7 ($1). Airport buses cover 8 routes into the city. The Wulin Square line costs ¥20 and takes 40 minutes. A taxi to West Lake runs ¥120-150 ($18-22), and you'll sink into warm vinyl seats while the driver crosses the Qiantang River with limited English and confident lane changes. Didi, China's ride-hailing app, works at the airport but requires a Chinese phone number or Alipay registration. If you arrive past 23:00, when the Metro stops, the airport bus to Wulin Square runs until the last flight lands. The night air outside the terminal carries the damp mineral smell of the Qiantang estuary, cut with cigarette smoke drifting from the taxi queue.