Zhujiajiao and Yu Garden

Can you see Zhujiajiao and Yu Garden in one day?

Yes. They are about an hour apart by car, and both tours here do it in 8 to 9 hours. By metro it is a long day, but a cheap one.

Two clocks shape the day. Yu Garden lets its last visitors in at 16:00. In Zhujiajiao, the paid gardens and museums open 08:30 to 17:00, according to China Highlights, and the town is quietest on a weekday morning around 08:30 to 09:00, or after 15:00.

An honest word first. China Highlights advises skipping Zhujiajiao if you only have one or two days in Shanghai, and recommends it from four days up. With one day, Yu Garden, the Bund and the old city will fill it. With three or more, the water town is a good change of pace.

Private tour, join-in bus or DIY: how do they compare?

The private day costs most and gives the water town the most time; the bus is the cheapest way with tickets and lunch; DIY is cheapest of all and slowest.

Figures from the two listings, checked in October 2026; DIY prices from China Highlights (2026).

What does the private Zhujiajiao and Yu Garden tour include?

A private guide and vehicle, hotel pickup, lunch, and tickets for Zhujiajiao, Yu Garden and the Shanghai Tower. From $246 per person at the lowest group tier.

The tour is run by Amazing Shanghai Trip. Pick City Departure for a downtown hotel or Outskirts Departure for an airport, cruise port or outer hotel; a city-hotel group can be dropped at the airport for $25 extra per vehicle. Vegetarian and halal lunches are on request, children from 4 pay the adult price, and on Mondays the Jade Buddha Temple replaces Yu Garden. The price is per person and tiered, so a couple pays more per head than the from-price.

The order is flexible. The listing starts in Zhujiajiao, while guests describe starting at Yu Garden or the tower. "We started the day at the Shanghai Tower before all the crowds arrived, then to the Bund and gardens, and off to the water village," wrote one. Another: "Kalvin tailored the tour to suit my 79 year old mother’s walking abilities and interests. The water city was stunning and relaxed."

How does the Zhujiajiao join-in bus tour work?

Meet in the morning at the Renaissance Shanghai Yu Garden Hotel, look for the "Mubus" sign, and spend about 9 hours on a shared bus with an English-speaking guide. It needs 5 people to run.

Take Line 10 or 14 to Yuyuan Garden, leave by Exit 3 and cross the street to the hotel at 159 Henan South Road. The day runs Yu Garden (60 minutes), the City God Temple area (60), Zhujiajiao (60) with Kezhi Garden, and a drive past the Bund. Lunch and the garden tickets are included; boat rides and tips are not. If fewer than 5 people book, the operator can cancel a day ahead at no cost to you. There is an optional tea shop, and the listing caps the bus at 40.

It suits fit adults. "Few tips for others, this is a physically arduous tour and some seemed unprepared. It was likely upwards of 25k steps," a guest warned; the listing advises against it for back problems and pregnancy, and it is not wheelchair friendly. Low-rated reviews add two cautions: one guest booked it believing it was 7 hours and had to leave early for a flight (the listing now says 9), and another reports a late lunch after 14:00 and a drop-off away from the start point. Another guest called it "Value for money. Substantial lunch and beverages included. Optional tea shop and boat ride. No pressure tour, how it should be done."

The cheapest day with both: Yu Garden (Tuesday to Sunday), the City God Temple and Zhujiajiao by shared bus, with lunch. Boat rides extra.

★ 4.6 · 9 hours · from $67

Explore the join-in bus tour → Tour details

How do you get to Zhujiajiao by metro?

Line 17 from Hongqiao Railway Station to Zhujiajiao station, then a short local bus or a 2 km walk to the old town. From Yu Garden, ride Line 10 to Hongqiao Railway Station first.

Line 17 starts at Hongqiao Railway Station; take a train towards Xicen and get off at Zhujiajiao. The old town is still about 2 km away. Wikivoyage gives the route: walk north one block on Zhuxi Road, turn east onto Xiangningbang Road, then walk about 1 km or take Zhujiajiao Bus No. 2 two stops (1 RMB) to the south side of the old town. China Highlights mentions a local scenic shuttle from the station too. The metro fare from People's Square is 9 RMB.

Other options: Wikivoyage lists an express bus from Pu'an Road near People's Square of about an hour, and a taxi at roughly 150 to 200 RMB. With three or four people, a Didi each way costs little more than the metro and saves an hour.

Which order: Yu Garden first or Zhujiajiao first?

On your own, do Yu Garden at 09:00 and Zhujiajiao in the afternoon. The tours choose by traffic and crowds.

Yu Garden is at its quietest when it opens, and its last entry is 16:00, so it belongs in the morning. Out in Zhujiajiao, China Highlights finds the lanes quieter after 15:00, with the paid sights open until 17:00. That gives a DIY day like this: the garden from 09:00 to about 10:30, the metro west, lunch in Zhujiajiao, then canals until dusk.

The join-in bus starts at Yu Garden. The private day is built around you, and guests report the guide timing stops to avoid queues: "Snow perfectly timed all of our stops so we never had any wait time at any location which on a Saturday tour was very impressive."

What should you see in Zhujiajiao in one or two hours?

Fangsheng Bridge, North Street, Kezhi Garden and a tea stop by the canal. Step off the main street when you can.

• Fangsheng Bridge (放生桥), built in 1571, the classic view over the canal.
• North Street, about a kilometre of old shopfronts, lined with snacks and souvenirs.
• Kezhi Garden (课植园), 20 RMB, built from 1912 by Ma Wenqing over 15 years, mixing Chinese and European styles. Hexin Garden next door is 30 RMB; a joint ticket with the Helong Art Gallery is 60 RMB, and online joint tickets must be exchanged by 15:00.
• West Well Street, the residential lanes China Highlights recommends for a quieter start.
• Tai'an Bridge, with 朱家角 painted large on a wall, and the old Qing post office, where you can post a stamped card.

Sixty minutes on the bus tour covers Kezhi Garden and the bridge. The private day's two hours add a proper wander and lunch; guests describe meals with canal views.

Is the Zhujiajiao boat ride worth it?

For a family or a group, yes: the hand-rowed boats are priced per boat (200 to 300 RMB, up to 6 people, 15 to 20 minutes). For a couple, the view from Fangsheng Bridge is free.

China Highlights lists the official hand-rowed routes at 200 to 300 RMB per boat, for up to six passengers and about 15 to 20 minutes. Split six ways it is cheap; for two it is a splurge. Its advice: walk first, and add a boat only if being on the water matters to you.

On the join-in bus the boat is extra. The private listing describes exploring the town by boat and on foot, and guests mention the ride, one calling it simply "amazing". Confirm it when you book if the boat is the point of your day.

Frequently asked questions