How to Get Around in Nanjing

The city is around 306 km west of Shanghai, on the Yangtze River. Between Shanghai and Nanjing, a bullet train system connects the two cities. Bullet trains may be the ideal option to go to Nanjing due its ease, speed, and lower ticket pricing. Long-distance buses, regular trains, and an airport are all available. Let's take a closer look at how you can get around this beautiful city!

Coach/Bus

Nanjing is well linked to other cities in Jiangsu. Sleeper buses to distant cities are the "bed buses" with berths rather than seats. Tourists will either love it or hate it. The beds are small. Long-distance buses with seats are becoming increasingly frequent, although "bed buses" remain the norm. Several bed-buses lack restrooms and therefore have several stops.

Bicycle

At the District Service Centres in Xuanwu and Gulou, you may get a card that allows you to borrow the orange bicycles in this city. Bring your passport and be prepared to pay a deposit fee of ¥300 (If you have inadequate Chinese language abilities, take a picture of the bicycle before you go over to the office). A simple swipe of the card will allow you to rent an orange bike. The first 2 hours are free, the third hour is one dollar, and then it's three dollars per hour from there on out. Unfortunately, to get your deposit returned, you need to return this card to the City Service Hall or South City Service Centre, which are both located on the outside of the city. Just make sure to book your accommodation close to the city centre in order to get around easily. For instance, you may want to start your accommodation search with serviced apartments in Nanjing the likes of Somerset Youth Olympic Nanjing, which is centrally located.

Public Transport

Bus routes are shown on a number of local maps. Regular buses cost only ¥1, whereas tourist buses cost around ¥2. There are several tourist bus lines that stop at several of the attractions, including:

- Bus Y1 runs to the Sun Yatsen Mausoleum from Nanjing Train Station, passing the Presidential Palace as well as Ming Palace Ruins on the way.

- Bus Y2 begins in the south near the Martyrs' Cemetery and ends in Zijin Shan (Purple Mountain).

- Bus Y3 passes through the Nanjing Train Station on its way to the Ming Xiaoling Tomb as well as Linggu Temple, which are both located in the city.

Two convenient tour buses may also take you to the most popular locations in the area. It is possible to purchase tickets 24 hours in advance. There is also a 3rd route that operates from Xinjiekou between 7 pm to 9 pm on weekdays. If you would want to use a stored-value transportation card, you may do so for a deposit of $30 and a minimal top-up charge of $50. The card may be used on public transportation, including the metro, buses, and taxis.

Metros

Nanjing Metro is served with a highly efficient and fast developing metro system that passes through the heart of the city and extends out to the outskirts. Line No 1 connects both train stations and goes from north to south in the same direction. Line 10 links Andemen to Yushan Lu, whereas the S1 Line joins the airport to Nanjing South Railway Station. The S8 Line is located to the north of the Chang Jiang. Tickets cost between ¥2 to ¥5, and trains normally operate from 6 am to 10 pm or 11 pm.

Taxi

Taxi flagfall is at ¥11, with an additional ¥2 for each kilometre travelled after that. The cost of most rides in the city ranges from ¥11-22. Outside of rush hour, it is easier to hail a cab.