This route suits you if the mountain is the reason for the trip and the cities are the warm-up. Shanghai first, Hangzhou for the lake, then Huangshan with enough slack to wait for a clear sky.
A week like this can feel rushed on paper. It stays calm when you accept one long transfer day and give the mountain two nights.
Route at a glance
- Day 1: arrive in Shanghai, easy evening walk.
- Day 2: Shanghai old streets, the Bund and the French Concession.
- Day 3: high-speed train to Hangzhou, West Lake at dusk.
- Day 4: Hangzhou morning, then rail towards Huangshan.
- Day 5: Huangshan, the main mountain day.
- Day 6: a slow mountain morning, then back to Shanghai.
- Day 7: free morning, flight home.
Day by day
Day 1: Land in Shanghai
Arrive, check in and keep the evening small. A short walk and a proper meal are enough after a flight.
Malaysia and mainland China share one time zone, so nobody is fighting jet lag[1]. Use the evening to set up Alipay or Weixin Pay while you have wifi.
Day 2: The city in one gentle loop
Spend the morning in the old quarter around Yu Garden, then ride to the French Concession for lunch and a slow walk under the plane trees. Both are easy on foot.
Save the Bund for after dark, when the skyline lights up. Our Bund walk guide shows the day and night version.
Day 3: Rail to Hangzhou
Take a morning high-speed train. The fastest trains from Shanghai Hongqiao to Hangzhou East take about 45 minutes, though the station pair matters[2].
Most areas around West Lake are free to enter and have been since the walls came down[3]. Walk part of the shore at sunset and have an early night. The West Lake guide explains boat, walk or bike.
Day 4: Hangzhou, then onward
Keep the morning light, perhaps a tea-village visit or a quiet temple. Then take the afternoon train towards Huangshan and plan this as a travel day, not a sightseeing day.
Check the exact Hangzhou to Huangshan trains on 12306 or with your agent, because station names and times change. Arrive at the station early, as bags are X-rayed at the entrance[4].
Day 5: Huangshan
This is the day you came for. Huangshan has three cable cars, with one-way fares of roughly 65 to 90 yuan depending on the car and season[5].
The three main peaks stand at Lotus Peak 1,864 m, Bright Peak 1,860 m and Celestial Peak 1,829 m[6]. That is modest altitude, but the steps are long. Take a rain jacket in every month.
Day 6: Slow morning, then Shanghai
If the sky was cloudy yesterday, use this morning for a second try, because it is your built-in spare. Otherwise sleep in, eat well and leave for the train.
The return to Shanghai takes most of the afternoon. Sleep near a station or near the airport if your flight is early the next day.
Day 7: Fly home
Keep the morning free. A late night in Shanghai followed by an early flight is the most common way to ruin a good week.
Getting between the stops
Book rail on 12306 or through an agent. Foreigners with ordinary passports can verify their details and buy online[7], and you will need the passport to board[8].
Tickets usually open about 15 days before departure[9], so the two mountain-side legs are the ones to book first on the day they open.
Where to stay
- Shanghai: near a metro line, close to the Bund or the French Concession.
- Hangzhou: near West Lake, so the dusk walk is easy.
- Huangshan: summit area for sunrise, the foot of the mountain for comfort, or Tunxi for trains. See Tunxi, Tangkou or summit hotels.
How to adapt it
Seniors and children can skip the summit stay and ride cable cars up and down. Muslim travellers should ask the hotel or agency about meals at Huangshan before booking, and carry snacks for the mountain day.
Photographers who want sunrise should read our Huangshan sunrise route and keep both mountain mornings clear. If you only have five days, the Shanghai and Hangzhou 5D4N is the calmer cut.
What to book ahead
Book the Huangshan rail legs, the mountain hotel and a return train with a buffer. Prices move with the season, so use the budget planner with today’s quotes, and test the whole week in the pace checker.
Browse the itineraries topic page to compare with other routes.