Suzhou
Suzhou is a canal city in southeastern Jiangsu, next to Shanghai, known for its classical gardens and stone bridges.
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Suzhou is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Jiangsu province, in China's Yangtze River Delta, next to Shanghai. People call it the Venice of the East for its canals and stone bridges. Most visitors come for the classical gardens. The city has more than 60 of them, most built as private gardens by scholar-officials during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and a group of them is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Pingjiang Road, about 1.5 km long, follows the Pingjiang River past old houses and teahouses. Shantang Street runs about 3.8 km along a canal lined with whitewashed buildings and red lanterns. Boat tours run on the city's waterways, and the water towns of Zhouzhuang and Tongli are day trips in the wider prefecture. Spring and autumn are the easiest seasons to walk: summers are hot and humid, and winters are cool and damp, with occasional snow.
Suzhou in five
- Choose two or three gardens, not nineUNESCO lists nine gardens among more than 50 that survive in Suzhou. Pair a large water garden with a small courtyard garden and a third of a different character, rather than racing through all nine.Which Suzhou gardens to visit
- Plan around the garden bureau's hoursThe city garden bureau lists 07:30 to 17:30 from March to October and 07:30 to 17:00 from November to February for the main city gardens, with last entry 30 minutes earlier. Check the garden's own notice before you go.Garden bureau hours
- Check which Suzhou station your ticket usesThe city government lists four railway stations: Suzhou, Suzhou North, Suzhou Yuanqu and Suzhou Xinqu. Pick your hotel or garden route after you see the station on your 12306 ticket.Shanghai to Suzhou day trip
- Add an evening garden sessionThe garden bureau lists a night garden at the Master-of-Nets Garden, generally open from March to November, and an evening program at the Humble Administrator's Garden from Tuesday to Sunday. Times follow the official notice.
- Pair Suzhou with Hangzhou or NanjingThe city government puts Suzhou about 80 minutes by train from Nanjing. Hangzhou is the other usual neighbor, and both fit a Yangtze Delta loop that starts or ends in Shanghai.Nanjing
Need to know
- Getting there
- High-speed rail from Shanghai, Nanjing and Beijing; four rail stations
- Getting around
- Metro, buses, taxis and public bicycles, per the city government
- Best base
- The old town near the Humble Administrator's Garden
- Time needed
- 1 day from Shanghai; 2 days for gardens, canals and Tiger Hill
- Garden hours
- 07:30 to 17:30 Mar–Oct, 07:30 to 17:00 Nov–Feb, per the garden bureau
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Days with storms
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh9°Low3°Cold, dampJanuaryPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 9°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 67 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, damp
- FebruaryPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh11°Low3°CoolFebruaryPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 62 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool
- MarchPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh16°Low8°Early blossomMarchPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 86 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Early blossom
- AprilPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh22°Low13°Spring, mildAprilPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 101 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring, mild
- MayPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh26°Low18°WarmMayPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 26°
- Low
- 18°
- Precipitation
- 138 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm
- JuneRain15 rainy daysHigh29°Low22°Plum rainJuneRain
Mixed
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 22°
- Precipitation
- 254 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Plum rain
- JulyRain17 rainy daysHigh32°Low26°Hot, humidJulyRain
Poor
- High
- 32°
- Low
- 26°
- Precipitation
- 245 mm
- Rainy days
- 17
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, humid
- AugustRain14 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh33°Low26°Hot, humidAugustRain
Poor
- High
- 33°
- Low
- 26°
- Precipitation
- 160 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 1
Hot, humid
- SeptemberRain13 rainy daysHigh29°Low22°Warm, clearSeptemberRain
Mixed
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 22°
- Precipitation
- 183 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, clear
- OctoberPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh23°Low16°Clear, mildOctoberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 23°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 65 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Clear, mild
- NovemberPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh18°Low11°CoolNovemberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 67 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool
- DecemberPartly cloudy6 rainy daysHigh11°Low4°Cold, dampDecemberPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 40 mm
- Rainy days
- 6
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, damp
Average daily high and low in Suzhou, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Suzhou
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
15
- Feels like
- 13°
- Humidity
- 58%
- Wind
- 8 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 47%
Suzhou
04:40 AM
Tuesday, November 3
- Today20°12°47%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 20°, Low 12°. Chance of rain 47%.
- Wed19°16°100%Wednesday: Rain. High 19°, Low 16°. Chance of rain 100%.
- Thu20°13°8%Thursday: Cloudy. High 20°, Low 13°. Chance of rain 8%.
- Fri22°11°0%Friday: Partly cloudy. High 22°, Low 11°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Sat19°13°80%Saturday: Drizzle. High 19°, Low 13°. Chance of rain 80%.
- Sun14°13°82%Sunday: Rain. High 14°, Low 13°. Chance of rain 82%.
Updated 01:56 AM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 6.661 CNY
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Day trips by train
- Shanghaishort high-speed rail rideThe usual base for a Suzhou day trip; the return is easy if you leave the gardens by late afternoon.Read the guide
- Hangzhouhigh-speed rail via the Yangtze Delta networkWest Lake and tea hills; a natural next stop for a delta loop.Read the guide
- Nanjingabout 80 minutes by train, per the city governmentMing city wall and the Qinhuai quarter, at the other end of the delta loop.Read the guide
Before you go to Suzhou
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Rules for Suzhou, checked
- The garden bureau lists 07:30 to 17:30 (March to October) and 07:30 to 17:00 (November to February); holiday weeks run to 18:00. Check each notice.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
Suzhou FAQ
How many of the Suzhou gardens should I visit?
Two or three. UNESCO names nine as the finest examples among more than 50 surviving gardens, but similar courtyards, rockeries and ponds repeat, and each garden takes an hour or more. Mix one large and one small garden.
Is Suzhou worth a day trip from Shanghai?
Yes, if you pick gardens before you arrive. The city government describes the rail link as short, and one day covers two gardens and a canal walk. Stay a night only if you want the evening garden sessions.
What time do the Suzhou gardens open and close?
The garden bureau lists 07:30 to 17:30 from March to October and 07:30 to 17:00 from November to February for the main city gardens, with last entry 30 minutes earlier. Holiday weeks can run to 18:00, so check each garden's notice.
Which station should I use for Suzhou?
Use the station on your ticket: Suzhou, Suzhou North, Suzhou Yuanqu and Suzhou Xinqu are all listed by the city government. Suzhou station is in Gusu district, which holds the old town; North, Yuanqu and Xinqu sit in other districts, so match your hotel to the station.
Can I combine Suzhou with Hangzhou?
Yes, as separate stops on a delta loop with Shanghai. Give each its own day, because the lake in Hangzhou and the gardens in Suzhou both reward a slow pace and early starts.