What does a Nanjing and Suzhou trip look like?
Nanjing has the scale: a Ming city wall, a Ming imperial tomb on Purple Mountain, and the Republican-era sites. Suzhou has the detail: scholar gardens, canal quarters and a museum designed by I.M. Pei. The route runs Nanjing first (Days 1 to 3), then the train (Day 4), then Suzhou (Days 5 to 7).
Other pairings are covered on separate pages:
- A trip that starts in Shanghai is our Shanghai Suzhou Private Tour. Shanghai can also be added to this trip when you enquire.
- A trip with West Lake is our Hangzhou Suzhou Private Tour.
Which option fits you: Independent or Private Guided?
The main difference is how much of the trip comes with a guide and car. For the full comparison, read Independent vs Private Guided.
- Independent suits active couples, solo travellers and experienced visitors. You take the high-speed train between central stations and travel with the LocalKey app and 7×24 backup. A guide is not included unless you add one. A local guide for the main sights, a car and driver and airport pickup are optional add-ons, and the afternoons stay free.
- Private Guided suits families with children, older travellers and anyone who would rather skip the station. You have an English-speaking private guide and a private car throughout, including a door-to-door transfer from Nanjing to Suzhou. See also our China family tours.
| Independent | Private Guided | |
|---|---|---|
| Nanjing to Suzhou | High-speed train between central stations (first class when available) | Private car, door to door |
| Guide | Only on days you add one | Private English-speaking guide throughout |
| Getting around | Add a car when you want one | Private car throughout |
| Luggage | You handle your own bags | Handled door to door |
| Daily pace | Mornings planned, afternoons free | Relaxed, with unhurried starts |
| Best for | Active couples and experienced travellers | Families, older travellers, anyone wanting full support |
What does a 7 day route look like?
This is a six- to seven-day sample. Your own proposal is adjusted to your arrival times, how far you like to walk and what you want to see.
Day 1: Arrive in Nanjing
You arrive at Nanjing Lukou International Airport or Nanjing South Railway Station and go to your hotel in central Nanjing. With Private Guided, your guide and driver meet you. With Independent, you make your own way or add airport pickup. In the late afternoon, take an easy walk by the Qinhuai canals and the quieter stone bridges. Dinner is planned around your food preferences.
See our Nanjing travel guide for more on the city.
Day 2: Purple Mountain
Spend the morning on Purple Mountain at the Ming Xiaoling Tomb and the Sacred Way, at an easy pace. In the afternoon, visit the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum for the Republican-era contrast. The evening is free near your hotel.
Day 3: City wall and Republican history
Walk a stretch of the Ming city wall above Xuanwu Lake in the morning. In the afternoon, visit the grounds of the Presidential Palace, which show the move from Qing to Republic. Late afternoon is open for the old southern quarter.
Day 4: Nanjing to Suzhou
- Independent: you go to Nanjing South Station and board a high-speed train. It is a short ride across the Yangtze delta plain (confirm timing on 12306). You can add a car and driver for the transfers at both ends.
- Private Guided: your driver picks you up at your Nanjing hotel and drives you to Suzhou, handling your luggage. You skip the station completely.
Arrive in Suzhou by early afternoon and settle into your hotel, such as a restored courtyard house near the historic canals. In the late afternoon, take a quiet walk along Pingjiang Road, beside the 800-year-old canal network. White-walled houses face narrow streets on one side and water on the other.
See our Suzhou travel guide.
Day 5: Gardens and silk
Visit the Humble Administrator's Garden or the Lingering Garden near opening time, and learn how scholar gardens frame their views. In the afternoon, go to the Master of the Nets Garden. You can add a silk workshop or museum if you want to see the craft. Dinner is near the canal footbridges.
Day 6: Canals
Take a private boat on the quieter waterways in the morning, then visit the Canglang Pavilion, where corridors and lattice windows pull the nearby canal into the view. In the afternoon, choose the quiet lanes near the Kunqu Opera Museum, or Tiger Hill for a half-day with a pagoda. With Independent the late afternoon is free. With Private Guided your guide and car stay with you.
Day 7: Museum and departure
Spend the morning at the Suzhou Museum, designed by I.M. Pei, for its courtyard architecture and a short look at the collection. After lunch, you go to the train, or to Shanghai Hongqiao or Pudong airport for your flight. With Private Guided, a private transfer takes you there. With Independent, you can add one. Shanghai can also be added as a city stay when you enquire.
What is included, and what is not?
| Independent | Private Guided | |
|---|---|---|
| Hotels | Chosen with you, in historic central districts | Hotel grade set in your proposal, usually higher |
| Nanjing to Suzhou | High-speed train, which we book (car transfers optional) | Private car and driver, door to door |
| Getting around | Walking and taxis, with a car and driver as an optional add-on | Private car and driver on every day |
| Guide | None unless you add one | Private English-speaking guide throughout |
| Luggage | You handle your own bags | Handled door to door |
| Dining | Neighbourhood recommendations and table bookings on request | Dining fully planned, including private rooms and dietary needs |
| Support | LocalKey app with your day-by-day plan, pre-trip planning and 24-hour help on WeChat or WhatsApp | The same, with a dedicated specialist |
We do not publish set prices on this page, because the cost depends on your dates, room types, seasonal train fares and group size. See our guide to private China tour cost for what affects the price.
How do you enquire?
Send your dates, group size and whether you lean towards Independent or Private Guided through our contact page. A specialist replies on WeChat or WhatsApp, builds a private proposal, then books hotels, guides, train or car and major tickets as agreed. You can reach the team on the same channel throughout the trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a group Jiangnan day-trip package?
No. LocalKey does not sell fixed group bus tours or standard regional packages. Every trip on this route is private, built around your dates, with guides and transfers set by Independent or Private Guided.
Should we choose Independent or Private Guided for this route?
Independent suits active couples and independent travellers who want efficient high-speed train transfers, with a guide for the main sights if they add one and free afternoons. Private Guided suits families, travellers with heavy luggage, and anyone who prefers door-to-door car transfers and a guide throughout.
How does this tour differ from the Shanghai–Suzhou or Hangzhou–Suzhou itineraries?
Our Shanghai Suzhou Private Tour uses Shanghai as the arrival city, with shorter trips into Suzhou's canals. The Hangzhou Suzhou Private Tour pairs the lake scenery of Hangzhou with Suzhou's scholar gardens. This Nanjing–Suzhou route is about the contrast between Nanjing's imperial history and Suzhou's canal life, and it can start in Nanjing without a Shanghai arrival.
Can we add Shanghai to this itinerary?
Yes. Many travellers add two or three days in Shanghai at the start or end. Tell your specialist when you enquire, and we will adjust the transfers and flight connections.
