The opening of the Shanghai-Suzhou-Huzhou High-speed Railway
has made it easier for tourists to travel to Huzhou.
The stories of ancient towns are unfolding in the spring sun.
Let’s take a high-speed rail train
to travel through Jiangnan’s ancient towns as fast as the wind,
in search of a millennium-old tranquility and appeal.
Today, I’ll recommend to you
some tourist sites near two stations along
the Shanghai-Suzhou-Huzhou High-speed Railway.

Huzhou Nanxun Railway Station
The Huzhou Nanxun Railway Station, located in Nanxun Town, Nanxun District, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, is a major station of the Shanghai-Suzhou-Huzhou High-speed Railway. Following an adjustment to the train diagram in Q1 2025, the Nanxun station runs 59 pairs of scheduled trains every day, covering such provincial-level administrative areas as Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui and Shanghai. This important transportation hub in the Yangtze River Delta gives passengers easy access to many cities, including Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Nanjing, Hefei, Wuxi, Huangshan and Yiwu.

Ancient Towns Nearby

1. The Nanxun Ancient Town in Huzhou, Zhejiang Province is the only millennium-old water town among the six major Jiangnan waterfront towns listed as a World Cultural Heritage site. Dating back more than 760 years, the town is famed for its “Chinese and Western mix of architectural aesthetics” and the Nanxun culture and reputed as the “beating heart of ancient towns in Jiangnan.” The complex of 100 ancient residential buildings here stretches along the canal, presenting a nice mix of traditional white walls and black roof tiles and Western-style carved windows. The Former Residence of Zhang Shiming features the contrasting beauty of a European-style ballroom and a Chinese courtyard, showcasing the luxury of a business tycoon in the late Qing Dynasty. The lotus pond in the Little Lotus Manor or Xiaolianzhuang and the 160,000 volumes of ancient books at the Jiaye Library epitomize the poetic beauty and cultural depth of the Jiangnan region.

• Transportation Options at Huzhou Nanxun Railway Station:
  (1) Travel by taxi or online ride-hailing.
  (2) Travel by dedicated shuttle bus.
  (3) Take Bus Line 170.

2. Wuzhen in Tongxiang County, Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province is one of the six major Jiangnan water towns. The town’s culture dates back more than 7,000 years, and administrative establishment back 1,300 years. The cross-shaped water system divides the town into four grids in the cardinal directions. The east grid retains original residential buildings, the Former Residence of Mao Dun and other historic remains. The west grid is known for its exquisite nightscape and vacation experience. A boating tour of brightly lit water lanes here is especially poetic.
* Transportation Options at Huzhou Nanxun Railway Station:
(1) About 25 minutes’ ride by taxi or online ride-hailing.
(2) Take Bus Line K186 and transfer to Line 145.
Access to HSR stations in other cities
Station of departure     Minimum travel time
Shanghai Hongqiao     43 min
Shanghai Songjiang     25 min
Shanghai South     43 min
Hangzhou West     32 min
Xuancheng     46 min
Nanjing South     89 min
Hefei South     118 min
Huangshan North     109 min
The Huzhou Nanxun Railway Station is also directly accessible to Hengdian, Fuzhou, Qiandaohu, Xiamen North, Zhengzhou, Wuhan, Xi’an, Beijing, Taiyuan and Nanchang, among other cities or locations.

Suzhou South Railway Station
The Suzhou South Railway Station, located in Lili Town, Fenhu High-Tech Zone, Wujiang District, Suzhou, is a shared hub at the intersection of the Shanghai-Suzhou-Huzhou High-speed Railway and the Nantong-Ningbo High-speed Railway. Following an adjustment to the train diagram in Q1 2025, the Suzhou South station runs 134 scheduled trains every day, covering more than 10 provincial-level administrative areas, including Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi and Hubei. This station allows passengers to reach such cities as Nanjing, Hangzhou, Huzhou, Wenzhou, Xuancheng, Huangshan, Wuhu, Fuzhou, Wuhan and Nanchang.

Ancient Towns Nearby
1. The Zhouzhuang Ancient Town, built along waters, has a #-shaped skeleton of waterways. Stone bridges across the rivers connect residential buildings with white walls and black roof tiles along the banks. Standing along the rivers are many buildings of the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, with a combined floor area of hundreds of thousands of square meters. Among these buildings are luxury mansions of local businessmen, such as the Shen Wansan's Former Residence, a seven-jin-and-five-gatehouse luxury mansion, as well as the residences of men of letters, such as the Zhang’s House with its unique layout of “lobby in front of the hall by the riverside.”

• Transportation Options at Suzhou South Railway Station:
  (1) Travel by taxi or online ride-hailing.
  (2) Take the shuttle bus of Zhouzhuang Ancient Town.
  (3) Take Bus Line 795 and transfer to Line 792 before taking a walk.
  2. The Lili Ancient Town, historically known as “Lihua Village,” was established as a town in the Song Dynasty and flourished in the Ming and Qing dynasties. It was included in the sixth list of Famous Chinese Historical and Cultural Towns in 2014. The town has a T-shaped market river, across which are ancient bridges. The river is flanked by historical buildings of the Ming and Qing dynasties, covering about 140,000 square meters, including Ming and Qing halls and courtyards, ancestral temples of officials and dignitaries’ families, and gardens of retired scholars. These buildings give visitors a better idea of the cultural legacies of this Jiangnan ancient town.
• Transportation Options at Suzhou South Railway Station:
  (1) Travel by taxi or online ride-hailing.
  (2) Take Bus Line 795 and transfer to Line 793 before taking a walk.
  Special Offers: HSR passengers can redeem a joint ticket of Lili Ancient Town for free at the Guest Service Center by presenting an HSR ticket that proves their arrival at an HSR station (Suzhou South or Shengze) in Wujiang within seven days.

3. The Tongli Ancient Town is known for its unique landscape of “bridges, rivers and houses.” The town is separated by 15 rivulets, shaped like the Chinese character 川, into seven isles, which are connected by 49 ancient bridges. All houses are close to waterways and boat-accessible. It is an ancient waterfront town typical of Jiangnan charm. The town boasts diverse cultural and natural landscapes, many private guesthouses and inns, and a rich food culture featuring a variety of traditional watertown dishes and specialty snacks.

• Transportation Options at Suzhou South Railway Station:
  (1) Travel by taxi or online ride-hailing.
  (2) Take a dedicated bus line from Suzhou South Railway Station to Tongli Bus Terminal.

4. The Luzhi Ancient Town boasts such tourist sites as Baosheng Temple, Ye Shengtao Memorial, Shen’s Residence, Xiao’s House, Wang Tao Memorial, Watertown Costume Museum, Historical Relics Museum and Wansheng Rice Shop. The town is known for its many rivers, bridges, alleyways, ancient houses and historical figures. It is an ideal place for idle walks at weekends.
* Transportation Options at Suzhou South Railway Station:
(1) Travel by taxi or online ride-hailing.
(2) Take Bus Line 795 and transfer to Line 791 before taking a walk.

5. The Luxu Ancient Town retains the original Jiangnan flavor. The town is home to a wide range of historical remains worthy of attention and research, including the Ningjian Hall (or Exhibition Hall of Luxu Poets of the Southern Society), Xia Yingxiang’s Former Residence and Tang Jiuru’s Former Residence.

* Transportation Options at Suzhou South Railway Station:
(1) Travel by taxi or online ride-hailing.
(2) Take Bus Line 795 and transfer to Line 791 before taking a walk.
Access to HSR stations in other cities
Shanghai Hongqiao     26 min
Shanghai South     26 min
Hangzhou West     43 min
Xuancheng     63 min
Nanjing South     88 min
Nanjing     142 min
Hefei South     113 min
Huangshan North     125 min
The Suzhou South Railway Station is also directly accessible to Yangzhou, Nantong, Huzhou, Yiwu, Hengdian, Wenzhou, Wuhu, Fuzhou, Wuhan and Nanchang, among other cities.