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Layover in Hangzhou

By Sadie Li
Product Development Designer

There is a saying in China that ‘up above there is heaven while down below there are Suzhou and Hangzhou’. The dreamy West Lake with the blessing of the nearby historical sites tempts not only Chinese but also foreign visitors into sojourn. Hangzhou is the transportation hub in southeastern China. You can easily travel to Suzhou and Shanghai in less than 2 hours. Some of the antique water towns are also within a comfortable driving distance. You will not feel bored when having a layover in Hangzhou.

1. Apply for a 144-Hour Transit Visa Exemption

Hangzhou city belongs to the Yangtze River Delta area in China which implements the 144-Hour Transit Visa Exemption policy. The actual duration of your stay is calculated from 00:00 of the next day after entry. There are a total of 8 permitted ports in the Yangtze River Delta for entry and exit: Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Shanghai Railway Station, Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal, Shanghai WuSongKou International Cruise Terminal, Nanjing Lukou International Airport, Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, and Ningbo Lishe International Airport. The eligible passengers are allowed to stay in Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang Provinces for up to 144 hours. For instance, if you are landing at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport you can travel to Suzhou and Shanghai. You can choose one of the five permitted ports in Shanghai as your exit port.

The 4 steps for applying for the 144-hour transit visa exemption:

1. Get the required documents ready and inform the carrier at check-in.
2. Fill in an arrival card on your arrival.
3. Hand the arrival card to the "144 hour visa exemption desk".
4. Get the stamp of “Temporary Entry Permit” in your passport.

The applicants who are from the following 53 countries need to be prepared with a valid passport (at least for 3 months), your onward ticket (air, ship, train) to a third country or region with the date and seat confirmed, and a valid visa to the third country or region if required. Without a Chinese visa or 144-hour transit visa exemption, passengers can not leave Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport during transit.

Continents	Countries
Europe under Schengen Visa Agreement	Austria, Belgium, Czech, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland
Other Portion of Europe	Russia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Belarus and Monaco
America	the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Chile
Oceania	Australia,New Zealand
Asia	South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar

2. Popular Facilities and Services at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport

This airport consists of three terminals. Terminal 1 and 3 service domestic flights and are located in the same building, called Domestic Terminal B. Terminal 2 operates international flights, named International Ternimal A.

Luggage Storage

Location: behind check-in area F, domestic departures hall, floor 2, Terminal 3.
Business hours: 06:20 - 23:30
Phone number: (+86) 571 83837005
Price for reference: 1-4 hours: RMB 5; 4-12 hours: RMB 15; 12-24 hours: RMB 25.

Wi-Fi

Passengers can enjoy free Wi-Fi access in all public spaces of Terminal 1, Terminal 2, and Terminal 3. Please choose SSID HGH free Wi-Fi in your Wi-Fi setup of your device. After connecting, you can visit any webpage and follow the registration instructions.You will then be able to use the free Wi-Fi for 4 hours.

Currency Exchange

Location 1: near boarding Gate A02, international departures hall, floor 2, Terminal 2 (Hours: 08:00-23:00).
Location 2: opposite gate 2, international arrivals hall, floor 1, Terminal 2 (Hours: 08:00-23:00).
Phone number: (+86) 571 83837005
Hotlines: (+86) 571-87663395 (Terminal A); (+86) 571-86660580 (Terminal B).

3. Hotel and Hourly Lounge

Hotel:

1. Zhejiang Travel Hotel: Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport: only 800 meters away from the terminal building; free shuttle bus service available between the hotel and the terminal (only by 5 minutes) for 24h every day.
Tel.: (+86) 5718661 0999.

2. Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport Hotel (the Airport Hotel): only 3 minutes' drive from the terminal; free shuttle bus service available between the hotel and the terminal for 24h every day.
Tel.: (+86) 5718666 5688.

Hourly Lounge (Take a nap)

Location: near Gate 6 and KFC, domestic arrivals hall, floor 1, Terminal 1.
Facility: The 10 sleeping pods and 28 business lounges are equipped with power outlets, reading light, and public washroom, air conditioning, free wi-fi.
Price: RMB 60 per 4 hours, plus RMB 10 per one hour, RMB 120 per one night (22:00-08:00 + 1day).

4. Transportation

Airport Bus

Location: Gate 8 of arrival hall in Terminal 1
Phone number: (+86) 571 96299.

1. Wulinmen Line to Wulinmen Aviation Ticketing Office (downtown): 07:30 – the last flight arrival (from Airport); 04:30 – 21:00 (to Airport); RMB 20.

2. Chengzhan Line to Chengzhan Station (Hangzhou Railway Station): 07:30 – 20:30 (from Airport); 05:00 – 21:00 (to Airport); RMB 20.

3. Hangzhou East Railway Station Line to Hangzhou East Railway Station: 07:30 – 01:20 + 1 day (from Airport); 05:30 – 21:00 (to Airport); RMB 20.

4. Yuhang/Hangzhou Sci-Tech City (Haichuang Park) Line to Yuhang Bus Station/Hangzhou Sci-Tech City (Haichuang Park): 08:40 – 20:40 (from Airport); 06:20 – 18:40 (to Airport); RMB 30 – 35.

Book a Private Car or Take a Taxi

Passengers can book a private car via a travel agent, either with an English-speaking driver or a private English-speaking tour guide as per the request. It is safer and more comfatable for the ones who are in Hangzhou for the first time.

Passengers can also choose to take a taxi at Gate 8 of the arrival hall in Terminal:

1: Gate 4 of the arrival hall in Terminal.
2: Outside the arrival hall of Terminal.
3: Accessing from Gate 10 or 12. It costs around RMB 100 and needs a 50 minute drive to downtown area. Please take care of your carry-on luggage and pay the price on the meter. Ask for a receipt for the fare before getting off.

5. Hangzhou Airport to the Major Attractions

Tourist Attractions	How to get there	Recommended visiting time
West Lake (Leifeng Pagoda, the Broken Bridge, Su Causeway, Three Pools Mirroring the Moon)	33 km Take airport bus Wulinmen Line to Wulinmen Aviation Ticketing Office, transfer bus No. 26 to Qiantangmenwai Station (around 2 hours)	4 hours
Lingyin Temple and Feilai Peak	38 km Take airport bus Binjiang Line to Jiangling Road Subway Station, transfer Metro Line 1 to Longxiangqiao Station, get on bus No. 7 to Lingying Station (around 2 hours 15 minutes)	2 hours
Xixi National Wetland Park	50 km Take airport bus Wulinmen Line to Wulinmen Aviation Ticketing Office, transfer bus No. 290 to Wensanxilu xi (west) Station (around 3 hours)	2 hours
Liuhe Pagoda	35 km Take airport bus Binjiang Line to Jiangling Road Subway Station, transfer Metro Line 1 – Line 4 to Shuichengqiao Station, get on bus No. 308 to Zhijianglu Liuhe Ta (pagoda) Station (around 2 hours)	1 hour
Qinghefang Street	30 km Take airport bus Binjiang Line to Jiangling Road Subway Station, transfer bus No. 327 to Baixueyan Guju (former residence) Station (around 2 hours)	1 hour
The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal	34 km Take airport bus Binjiang Line to Jiangling Road Subway Station, transfer Metro Line 1 to Xihu Wenhua Guangchang (West Lake Cultural Square) (Exit C) (around 1 hour 45 minutes)	2 hours
Meijiawu Tea Plantation	45 km Take airport bus Wulinmen Line to Wulinmen Aviation Ticketing Office, transfer bus No. 28 / 92 / 318 to Songmuchang Station, get on bus No. 103 to Meijiawu Station (2 hours 45 minutes)	4 hours
Wuzhen Water Town	83 km Take airport bus Wuzhen Line to Wuzhen Bus Station, transfer bus Tongxiang 340 / K340 to Wuzhen old middle school (around 3 hours)	One day

6. What to do during a Hangzhou Layover?

(1) If you have a layover less than 6 hours

To get on your international plane on time, you need to reserve time for boarding procedure for at least 3 hours. 2 hours will be spent on the road so it is better for you to just stay at the airport and explore airport facilities and shops.

(2) If you have a 6 hour layover

The West Lake is worth a glance in a one hour visit. It is a blend of natural beauty and historical relics, which has influenced many poets and painters in Chinese history. Leifeng Pagoda, the Broken Bridge, Su Causeway, and Three Pools Mirroring the Moon are among the famous ten scenes of West Lake.

(3) If you have a 9 hour layover

You can do a 4-hour trip visiting the city highlights. West Lake, Linyin Temple, Feilai Peak, and Longjing Tea Plantations are the priority selection for your first time to Hangzhou.

(4) If you have a 12 hour layover

With a 7-hour trip in the city, Liuhe Pagoda and Hefang Street can be added to the visiting list. Or you can spend the whole time on the nearest water town: Wuzhen.

(5) If you have a more than one-day layover

You can extend your travel to the surrounding destinations, like the elegant and exquisite gardens in Suzhou. Many examples of colonial architecture in modern China have been left over in Shanghai, where there are more choices of international flights.

7. The Recommended Hangzhou Layover Tour Packages

Half Day Tour of Grand Canal World Culture Heritage (4 hours)
City Tour of Paradise on Earth (2 days)
Water Town and City Tour in Hangzhou (3 days)
Hangzhou Educational Tour (4 days)

Please feel free to contact us to customize your personal tours according to your duration of layover.

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