Day trips
The 15 Best Day Trips from Shanghai
Drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan for every place worth the trip.
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There are 15 good day trips from Shanghai, China, led by Wuxi, Ningbo, Nantong. The closest is Jiading, about 40 min by car, and 6 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.
Day trips from Shanghai at a glance
| Destination | Distance | Drive time | Best as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wuxi | 118 km W | 1 hr 50 min | Full-day trip |
| Ningbo | 150 km S | 2 hr 20 min | Long day or overnight |
| Nantong | 105 km NW | 1 hr 40 min | Full-day trip |
| Kunshan | 51 km W | 1 hr | Half-day trip |
| Songjiang | 31 km SW | 35 min | Half-day trip |
| Jiading | 27 km NW | 40 min | Half-day trip |
| Changshu | 83 km NW | 1 hr 20 min | Full-day trip |
| Cixi | 118 km S | 1 hr 50 min | Full-day trip |
| Zhangjiagang | 113 km NW | 1 hr 45 min | Full-day trip |
| Qingpu | 34 km W | 40 min | Half-day trip |
| Jiaxing | 85 km SW | 1 hr 20 min | Full-day trip |
| Huzhou | 136 km W | 2 hr 10 min | Full-day trip |
| Taicang | 43 km NW | 50 min | Half-day trip |
| Shangyu | 145 km SW | 2 hr 15 min | Long day or overnight |
| Chongming | 50 km NE | 1 hr | Half-day trip |
Drive times are estimates from the distance. Check live traffic before you leave.
The best day trips from Shanghai
- 1
Wuxi, China
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 50 min by car118 km west of Shanghai3 hr 40 min round tripKnown for 京杭运河泥塑展示馆.
- 2
Ningbo, China
Long day or overnightAbout 2 hr 20 min by car150 km south of Shanghai4 hr 40 min round tripKnown for 天封塔.
- 3
Nantong, China
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 40 min by car105 km north-west of Shanghai3 hr 20 min round tripKnown for 烟雨亭.
- 4
Kunshan, China
Half-day tripAbout 1 hr by car51 km west of Shanghai2 hr round tripKnown for Canal view.
- 5
Songjiang, China
Half-day tripAbout 35 min by car31 km south-west of Shanghai1 hr 10 min round tripKnown for 上海欢乐谷.
- 6
Jiading, China
Half-day tripAbout 40 min by car27 km north-west of Shanghai1 hr 20 min round tripKnown for 上海国际赛车场.
- 7
Changshu, China
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 20 min by car83 km north-west of Shanghai2 hr 40 min round tripKnown for 方塔.
- 8
Cixi, China
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 50 min by car118 km south of Shanghai3 hr 40 min round tripKnown for 上林湖青瓷文化传承园.
- 9
Zhangjiagang, China
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 45 min by car113 km north-west of Shanghai3 hr 30 min round trip - 10
Qingpu, China
Half-day tripAbout 40 min by car34 km west of Shanghai1 hr 20 min round tripKnown for 上海欢乐谷.
- 11
Jiaxing, China
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 20 min by car85 km south-west of Shanghai2 hr 40 min round tripKnown for 沈钧儒故居.
- 12
Huzhou, China
Full-day tripAbout 2 hr 10 min by car136 km west of Shanghai4 hr 20 min round trip - 13
Taicang, China
Half-day tripAbout 50 min by car43 km north-west of Shanghai1 hr 40 min round trip - 14
Shangyu, China
Long day or overnightAbout 2 hr 15 min by car145 km south-west of Shanghai4 hr 30 min round trip - 15
Chongming, China
Half-day tripAbout 1 hr by car50 km north-east of Shanghai2 hr round trip
A sample day trip: Shanghai to Wuxi
A realistic pace for Wuxi, 118 km from Shanghai. Packy AI builds this for any place on the list, with a route, opening hours and timings you can edit.
- 07:30Leave Shanghai
- 09:20Arrive in Wuxi (1 hr 50 min drive)
- 09:35京杭运河泥塑展示馆
- 11:35Lunch
- 12:50Explore the old town, markets and cafes of Wuxi
- 15:20Head back to Shanghai
- 17:10Home in Shanghai
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
- What are the best day trips from Shanghai?
- The best day trips from Shanghai are Wuxi, Ningbo, Nantong, Kunshan, Songjiang. The closest is Jiading, about 40 min away by car.
- What is the closest day trip from Shanghai?
- Jiading is the closest, 27 km north-west of Shanghai, roughly 40 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
- Where can I go within an hour of Shanghai?
- 6 places are within about an hour's drive of Shanghai: Jiading (40 min), Songjiang (35 min), Qingpu (40 min), Taicang (50 min), Chongming (1 hr), Kunshan (1 hr).
- What is the biggest city near Shanghai for a day out?
- Wuxi is the largest city in day-trip range, 118 km west of Shanghai and about 1 hr 50 min by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
- How far is too far for a day trip from Shanghai?
- Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Ningbo at 150 km, around 2 hr 20 min by car, which is better as a long day or an overnight stay.
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