Suzhou Railway Station « China Travel Tips

Suzhou Railway Station

Plan your Suzhou tour? For most visitors, getting to Suzhou by train is most comfortable and convenient. You may take D or G trains directly from Hangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, Wuxi, Nanjing, Zhengzhou and Jinan. Suzhou Railway Station was originally built in 1906 and put into operation in 1908. It has gone through many repairs and renovations in the past 100 years. The latest renovation started in 2007 and put into use on July 1, 2010.

Now Suzhou Railway Station is one of the largest stations in Eastern China after Shanghai and Hangzhou. It is located north of the city moat of Suzhou city. (Add: 27, Suzhan Road, 215031 and Tel: 0512-95105105). It has 7 platforms and 16 pairs of railway tracks. Its main building has five storeys – two storeys above and three storeys underground.

The 2nd Floor: Departure Hall ( waiting hall for most of the trains)
The 1st Floor: Train Platforms and Tracks (also waiting hall for some small number of trains)
B1: Arrival Hall
B2 and B3: for metro lines

Arrival at Suzhou Railway Station
When you arrive at Suzhou Railway Station, you will take an escalator down from your platform to the B1 and have your train ticket checked before you find yourself in the arrival hall on B1.

Arrival at Suzhou Railway Station

Arrive at Suzhou Railway Station

For public transport, you have two ways to get to the downtown Suzhou from the train station – by bus or taxi.

If you are goging to take a Suzhou taxi from the station, you don’t need to take an escalator up to the ground. You just exit from the arrival and turn right, you find a taxi sign. The taxi stand is located in the northeast corner on B1. The taxi stand is located in the northeast corner on B1

The taxi stand is located in the northeast corner on B1

Outside the arrival hall on B1, there is a big KFC (24 hours). If you’d like to use the local public buses to travel around Suzhou or get to your hotel in Suzhou, you take an escalator from outside your arrival hall (B1) up to the north square bus station ( on your right hand).

take an escalator from outside your arrival hall (B1) up to the north square bus station

The north square bus station of Suzhou Railway Station: Downtown Suzhou ( Bus 1, 38,), Suzhou North Bus Station (Bus Fast 2 and 6), Lingering Garden and Tiger Hill ( Tourist Bus 1), Suzhou Museum and Humble Administrator’s Garden ( Bus 202).

The north square bus station of Suzhou Railway Station.

The north square bus station of Suzhou Railway Station

If you are goging to take a long-distance bus to Tongli or Zhouzhuang, you take an escalator on your left side from outside the arrival hall up to the Suzhou Railway Station North Square Long-distance Bus Station on the ground.

Suzhou Railway Station North Square Long-distance Bus Station on the ground.

The main entrance to the Suzhou Railway Station

Departure from Suzhou Railway Station

If you take a taxi to Suzhou Railway Station for departure, your taxi will take you on to the 2nd floor of Suzhou Train Station. If you take a public bus to Suzhou Railway Station, your bus stop is usually a little far from the train station building.

You have to walk to the first floor of the station and then take an escalator up to the 2nd floor, the waiting hall for departure. For most departing trains, you have to have your train tickets checked on the 2nd floor ( B1 – B13); for small number of trains, your ticket check will be on the first floor (A1 and A2). So please checke the changing timetable flashing out from the TV screens.

The 2nd floor for departure hall ( for most of the trains)

The 2nd floor for departure hall

The 1st floor for departure ( for small number of trains )

The 1st floor for departue ( small number of trains )

The waiting hall on the 2nd floor . After having your train ticket checked, you will walk down on steps or take an escalator down to the platform where your train is waiting or coming.

The platform where your train is waiting or coming

Train Ticket Booking

On the first floor there are both train ticket offices and self-service ticket offices. You may also book your train tickets at Lianhe Ticket Center at 1606 Renmin Road or at a ticket office along Guanqian Street across from the Temple of Mystery.

Tip: Hassle-free Suzhou Guided Tours

If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours, here are some options for Suzhou Guided Tours: