# Zhujiajiao Water Town, Shanghai > Zhujiajiao is an old canal town in Shanghai’s Qingpu district: 36 stone bridges and the five-arch Fangsheng Bridge, begun in 1571. Walking the lanes is free at any hour; a three-sight ticket is ¥60 and boats start at ¥40, daily 8:30–17:00. Allow about 1.5 hours each way by metro from the Bund and 3 hours there. Web page: https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/zhujiajiao - City: [Shanghai](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai), China - YesGo score: 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 3 h - Opening hours: Streets open 24 hours; paid sights and boats daily 8:30–17:00, collect booked tickets by 15:00 - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry to the town: Free — streets and bridges open around the clock - Joint ticket: ¥60: Kezhi Garden, Hexin Garden, Helong Art Museum - Concessions: Free up to 1.3 m or age 6; half price ages 6–18, students and 60+ - Paid sights: Daily 8:30–17:00; swap your booking for a paper ticket by 15:00 - Rowing boat: ¥200 or ¥300 per boat (max 6), 15 or 20 minutes; +¥100 to return to your pier - Shuttle boat from the metro: ¥40 per person, old Line 17 pier to Fangsheng Bridge - Metro: Line 17 from Hongqiao Railway Station to Zhujiajiao, about 37 min - Metro fare: ¥6 from Hongqiao, about ¥9 from People’s Square - Closed: Open daily; sights and boats shut during typhoon warnings - Coordinates: 31.11164, 121.05176 - Facts checked: 04.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1571** — Fangsheng Bridge begun; today’s bridge is the 1812 rebuild (source: English and Chinese Wikipedia: Fangsheng Bridge, 朱家角镇) - **36** — old stone bridges in town (source: English Wikipedia: Zhujiajiao; Wikivoyage) - **¥60** — joint ticket for the three paid sights (source: Zhujiajiao official website) - **≈ 70 m** — Fangsheng Bridge, five arches — Shanghai’s largest stone bridge (source: English Wikipedia: Fangsheng Bridge; Wikivoyage) - **≈ 1,700 years** — of settlement on the site (source: English Wikipedia: Zhujiajiao; Wikivoyage) - **1912** — merchant Ma Wenqing starts Kezhi Garden — about 15 years in the making (source: Shanghai Information Office (shio.gov.cn); Wikivoyage) - **≈ 45 km** — in a straight line from the Bund (source: calculated from Wikipedia and Wikidata coordinates) - **37 min** — on Line 17 from Hongqiao Railway Station (source: English Wikipedia: Line 17 (Shanghai Metro)) - **1991** — named one of Shanghai’s four historic and cultural towns (source: Zhujiajiao official website) - **1987** — Fangsheng Bridge listed as a Shanghai heritage site (source: English and Chinese Wikipedia) ## Is Zhujiajiao worth visiting? Yes, if you have a spare half day and want canals, stone bridges and teahouses without booking a train. Zhujiajiao sits in **Qingpu district**, still inside Shanghai municipality, about 45 km west of the Bund in a straight line — the city metro runs all the way. Walking in is free; you only pay for boats and, if you want them, three small paid sights. Be realistic about what you get. This is a polished, commercial town: weekends pack North Street and Fangsheng Bridge, and many shops sell the same souvenirs. Come on a weekday morning, though, and the back canals are quiet. If you want an untouched village, look elsewhere; if you want the easiest water town from Shanghai, this is it. > **Check where your Line 17 train terminates** Some Line 17 trains run only to **Dianshanhu Avenue** (淀山湖大道), one stop short of Zhujiajiao. Board a train for **Xicen** (西岑) or Oriental Land — the destination shows on the platform screen and inside the car. Got off too early? Just wait for the next through train on the same platform. ## How to get to Zhujiajiao from Shanghai 1. From the Bund, walk along pedestrian Nanjing Road to **East Nanjing Road** station — about 10 minutes. Lines 2 and 10 both run from here to **Hongqiao Railway Station**. 2. **Line 2** westbound is the easy one: 11 stops, roughly 35–40 minutes. At Hongqiao Railway Station it shares platforms with Line 17, so the change takes a couple of minutes. Line 10 also goes there but takes longer. 3. Take **Line 17** towards **Xicen** and get off at **Zhujiajiao** — about 37 minutes. Skip trains for Dianshanhu Avenue. 4. Leave by **Exit 1**. The edge of the old town is about 1.3 km on foot (Zhuxi Road, Xiangningbang Road, Xinfeng Road) — 15–20 minutes, plus another 10 to Fangsheng Bridge. 5. Rather not walk? **Bus 1510**, the Zhujiajiao tourist line, runs from Exit 1 to the visitor centre by Kezhi Garden every 15–30 minutes in the daytime. Or take the ¥40 shuttle boat from the old pier by the metro to Fangsheng Bridge. 6. Return the same way. Door to door from the Bund, plan on about 1.5 hours each way. A taxi or DiDi is quicker for small groups, but the fare is much higher than the metro. ## Zhujiajiao tickets and entrance fee There is no entrance fee: the streets, bridges and canal paths are open to everyone, day and night. Ignore anyone near the entrance who says you need a ticket for the town — tickets are sold only at the visitor centre and through the official channels. The **joint ticket is ¥60** and covers Kezhi Garden, Hexin Garden and the Helong Art Museum, one entry each on the day you buy. Book with your name and phone number by 8:00 on the day, then swap it for a paper ticket at the visitor centre (555 Kezhiyuan Road) before 15:00. Children up to 1.3 m or aged 6 and under go free; ages 6–18, students and visitors 60+ pay half. Unofficial single prices: Kezhi Garden ¥20, Hexin Garden ¥30, the museum ¥20. Paying: foreign Visa and Mastercard cards can be linked to Alipay or WeChat Pay, which work almost everywhere here; carry some cash yuan in small notes as a backup. Metro gates in Shanghai take contactless foreign cards and UnionPay. ## Zhujiajiao boat ride: prices and routes Hand-rowed boats are priced **per boat, up to six people**: ¥200 for a route of about 15 minutes, ¥300 for about 20 minutes, plus ¥100 if you want to end at the pier you started from. Piers are on North Street, at Kezhi Garden and by the Town God Temple, and every route passes under Fangsheng Bridge. Ticket sales run 8:30–17:00, and the fare includes insurance. For one or two people, the **electric shuttle boat** is better value at ¥40 per person, running between the old Line 17 pier and Fangsheng Bridge. Buy only at the official ticket booths so you know what the fare covers before you step aboard. ## What to see in Zhujiajiao - **Fangsheng Bridge** — the five-arch stone bridge over the Caogang canal. Photograph it from the bank rather than the crowded top, in the morning or late afternoon. - **North Street** (Bei Dajie) — around a kilometre of old shopfronts, snacks and teahouses; the busiest strip in town. - **Kezhi Garden** — merchant Ma Wenqing’s estate, with ponds, rockeries, a gallery of inscribed stone tablets and a five-storey tower, the tallest building in the old town. The name means “reading and ploughing”. In the joint ticket. - **Qing Dynasty Post Office** (大清邮局), 35 Xihu Street — a post office from China’s last imperial dynasty, a listed district monument. - **Tongtianhe pharmacy** — an old traditional Chinese medicine shop on the town’s list of featured sights. - **Town God Temple** and **Yuanjin Buddhist Temple** on Caohe Street — small temples by the water. - **A boat on the canals** — 15–20 minutes under the bridges, the simplest way to see the town from the water. ## How long to spend and when to go Two to three hours covers the bridge, North Street, Kezhi Garden and a boat. With the journey from central Shanghai that makes a **half-day trip**; add a slow lunch by the water and it fills most of a day. The paid sights run 8:30–17:00, so go in the morning. Weekday mornings are calmest. Weekends and the national holiday weeks (early May, first week of October) are crowded around the bridge. Summer is hot and humid, wet stone steps get slippery, and winter afternoons get dark early. Typhoon season runs roughly July to October. When a storm warning is issued, the town closes its paid sights and stops the boats, sometimes for several days. Check zhujiajiao.com or the official WeChat account (乐游朱家角) before setting off. ## What to eat Try **zongzi** (sticky rice in bamboo leaves, with pork, beans or salted egg yolk), **zha rou** (braised pork tied with string), soy-braised pork trotters, river shrimp and fish, lotus root and green soybeans. Fish and shrimp are often priced by weight: ask the price and the total before anything is cooked. Shops a lane away from Fangsheng Bridge sell the same snacks with less pressure. ## Zhujiajiao vs Suzhou vs Xitang | | Zhujiajiao | Suzhou | Xitang | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Where | Qingpu district, Shanghai | Jiangsu province | Jiashan county, Zhejiang province | | Getting there | Metro: Lines 2 and 17 | High-speed train 25–40 min + metro | High-speed train to Jiashan South + bus or taxi | | Entry | Free; three sights ¥60 | City free; gardens ¥30–80 with booking | Paid scenic area, ≈ ¥95–100 (unofficial) | | Highlights | Canals, Fangsheng Bridge, Kezhi Garden | UNESCO classical gardens, Pingjiang Road | Covered canal-side galleries, about 1 km | | Time needed | Half a day | Full day | Full day or overnight | Pick Zhujiajiao when time is short and you don’t want a train. Pick [Suzhou](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/suzhou) for the gardens — a full day with passport bookings. [Xitang](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/xitang) is further and paid, but its long covered walkways are the most atmospheric. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Alipay or WeChat Pay set up with a working card - [ ] Some cash yuan in small notes - [ ] Joint ticket booked by 8:00 on the day, if you want the garden and museum - [ ] Line 17 train for Xicen, not Dianshanhu Avenue - [ ] No typhoon warning for today - [ ] Comfortable shoes for stone steps - [ ] Time of the last train back ## Water around Shanghai: compare Shanghai sights and day trips where water is the point. - [The Bund](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/the-bund) — YesGo score 59/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free - [Lujiazui](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/lujiazui) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free - [Bund Sightseeing Tunnel](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/bund-sightseeing-tunnel) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · ≈ ¥50 one way, ¥70 return - [Huangpu River cruise](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/huangpu-river-cruise) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ ¥120–150; ferry ¥2 - [Suzhou](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/suzhou) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Train ≈ ¥30–45, garden ¥70–80 - [Zhujiajiao](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/zhujiajiao) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free entry; three sights ¥60 - [Xitang](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/xitang) — YesGo score 16/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · ≈ ¥95 by day, free in the evening ## Canals in the morning, the Bund at night Morning on the canals at Zhujiajiao, Line 2 back to People’s Square after lunch, then Nanjing Road and Pudong’s lights from the Bund. 1. [Zhujiajiao](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/zhujiajiao) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free entry; three sights ¥60 2. [People's Square](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/shanghai-peoples-square) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free 3. [Nanjing Road](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/nanjing-road) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free 4. [The Bund](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/the-bund) — YesGo score 59/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free > **Beat the tour groups** Leave central Shanghai around 7:30 and you’ll be on Fangsheng Bridge by 9:00, before most groups arrive. Kezhi Garden and the boats open at 8:30. By lunchtime the town fills up — a good moment to head back. ## Good to know Zhujiajiao’s Town God Temple is a small local shrine, not the famous [City God Temple](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/shanghai-city-god-temple) next to the Yu Garden in central Shanghai. Dianshan Lake and Dianshanhu Avenue station are nearby but are not the water town. ## Tips - Buy boat rides only at the official pier booths — the price is per boat for up to six people. - Travelling as a pair? The ¥40-per-person shuttle boat from the metro also passes under Fangsheng Bridge. - You only need the joint ticket for Kezhi Garden and the museum; the town itself is free. - The best photo of Fangsheng Bridge is from the North Street bank, not from the bridge itself. - Leave the stroller at the hotel: every bridge is a flight of steps. - Head back before the evening rush, when Line 2 gets packed. - Got a whole day? Make it Suzhou instead. ## Questions ### How do I get to Zhujiajiao from Shanghai? Metro Line 2 to Hongqiao Railway Station, then Line 17 towards Xicen to Zhujiajiao station. From Exit 1 it’s a 15–20 minute walk or bus 1510. Allow about 1.5 hours from the Bund. ### Is there an entrance fee for Zhujiajiao? No. The town is free to walk around. You pay only for boats and, optionally, the ¥60 joint ticket for Kezhi Garden, Hexin Garden and the Helong Art Museum. ### How much is a boat ride in Zhujiajiao? Rowing boats are ¥200 (about 15 min) or ¥300 (about 20 min) per boat for up to six people. The electric shuttle boat from the metro is ¥40 per person. ### How long do you need in Zhujiajiao? Two to three hours in town plus around three hours of travel there and back — a half-day trip. ### What are Zhujiajiao’s opening hours? The streets never close. Paid sights and boats run daily 8:30–17:00; booked joint tickets must be collected by 15:00. ### Is Zhujiajiao worth it? Yes, for an easy half day of canals and bridges reachable by metro. It is touristy, so go on a weekday morning. ### Zhujiajiao or Suzhou? Zhujiajiao is a metro ride and half a day with no bookings. Suzhou is a full day by train, with passport bookings for its UNESCO gardens. ### Zhujiajiao or Xitang? Zhujiajiao is closer and free. Xitang, in Zhejiang province, needs a train plus a bus and has a paid entry; people go for its covered walkways and to stay overnight. ### Can I pay by card in Zhujiajiao? Mostly via Alipay or WeChat Pay with a linked foreign card; carry some cash. Russian-issued cards don’t work in China. ### Is Zhujiajiao good with kids? Yes — children up to 1.3 m or age 6 get free entry to the paid sights. The many stepped bridges make strollers hard work. ## How we checked Prices, concessions, hours and boat fares come from the town’s official website; free entry and boat fares match a notice from the Shanghai Consumer Council’s tourism office (which gives 8:00 for the first shuttle boat; the official site says 8:30 — we show the site). Older Wikivoyage boat prices (¥60 and ¥120 per boat) are out of date and not used. The official site doesn’t list single prices for Kezhi Garden, Hexin Garden or the museum, so those are marked unofficial. Line 17 journey time is from the English Wikipedia table; the ¥6 fare and first/last train times come from the town’s transport page, which may be dated, so they are marked as checking. Bridge length: 70.8 m in English Wikipedia, about 70 m in Wikivoyage — we say about 70. Distance from the Bund is calculated from coordinates. The English query set was built from English-language search results and suggestions. ## Sources - Zhujiajiao official website (Shanghai Zhujiajiao Ancient Town Tourism Development Co.): tickets, concessions, hours, boats, transport, closure notices - Shanghai Consumer Council, tourism office (via Shanghai Observer): free entry, boat fares - English Wikipedia: Zhujiajiao, Fangsheng Bridge, Line 2, Line 10 and Line 17 (Shanghai Metro), Xitang; Chinese Wikipedia: 朱家角镇; Wikidata Q198220 - Wikivoyage: Shanghai/Zhujiajiao - Shanghai Information Office (shio.gov.cn): Kezhi Garden - China Highlights and Wanderin China: single sight prices, food, tips (unofficial) - Xitang guides (China Highlights, Trip.com and others): entry price, route from Shanghai (unofficial) --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.