Discovering Tongli, The Bruges Of China – 12 Hours In Suzhou

Shanghai is an exciting city full of little streets to get lost in a wonderful way during weekends. But if you need some extra greenery, a break from the concrete jungle then Suzhou is an ideal getaway, even for a day.

So I challenged myself to explore a few highlights in Suzhou in 12 hours (getting from and to Shanghai included). And it’s perfectly possible due to the epic trains system in China.

Did I tell you how stoked I am about the bullet trains in China? After a few trips to Japan I thought this amazing form of transportation could only be found in the land of the rising sun. But China is bullet train paradise as well. For 40 yuan (6 USD) you can book a train to Suzhou which is only half an hour away. It’s so cheap, fast, comfortable and on time! You can buy a ticket in the big stations like Shanghai railway station, just remember to bring your passport as a foreigner.

Majestic bamboo trees in Tiger Hill

Part one of the mission was a success, I booked my own ticket with a minimum amount of translation apps and I made the 245 km/h journey to Suzhou station. Time to find a hill that looks like a crouching tiger!

I left the station and looked for Bus 1. There are 2 buses with number one, I think one is a slow one and the other one stops everywhere. Just show the driver “虎丘” and he will make you clear if you are on the right bus 😉 It’s just 2 yuan so take coins, no change. If I remember well it was about 15 minutes on the bus that dropped us around the corner of the ticket office. The entrance fee for Tiger Hill is between 60 and 80 yuan depending on the season.

There are quite some historical sights but actually I enjoyed strolling through the greenery. A pagoda and a few tea houses scattered in a majestic bamboo forest. It’s a totally different world just 30 minutes from Shanghai! You can easily spend 3 hours exploring Tiger Hill at your own pace. Then just take bus 1 or 2 back to the train station (again it doesn’t hurt to show your train ticket to double check with the driver you are on the right bus).

Is Bruges the Tongli of Belgium?

Time to discover Tongli, the Bruges of China! Or maybe the Chinese call Brugge the Tongli of Belgium? Comparisons aside, Tongli is a cute historical water town. Canals, little cafes and shops, photo shoot opportunities around every corner!

Some Chinese girls even asked me to pose for a wefie. But more interesting are the dress up shops you can see everywhere. Beautiful traditional outfits and  trained photographers who know all the angles for the perfect shots. The girls do a crazy amount of poses in a few minutes. I am sure the results of this traditional cosplay will get many “likes” on weibo, wechat and other social media channels in China. There is so much to discover here, just roam around and enjoy!

To reach this water town I took metro line 4 from Suzhou Train station to Tongli, it takes 30 or 40 minutes (can’t remember) and costs 7 yuan. The ticket vending machines have a “English” button, it’s the only non Chinese word on the screen so you should be able to spot it. From the Tongli metro station you can take bus 725 for 2 yuan. It’s always a good idea to show the driver the Chinese name “同里” and he will tell you when you are there 🙂 The entrance fee for Tongli is 100 yuan.

Where to next?

So that’s a wrap, 12 hour in Suzhou!
Where should I go next? Leave me a comment!