Caravan Travel Service

Nanjing means “southern capital”, Beijing “northern capital”. Nanjing was the capital of several dynasties and has various relics including Ming tombs that are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It was the capital of the Republic of China from their 1911 revolution until the defeat by the communists in 1949.

By plane
There are no flights from Nanjing airport to Shanghai. There is train service. However, there are flights to most other major cities in China, including Hong Kong, and some international flights.

The airport is best reached either by taxi or airport bus. The airport is in Lukou and taking a taxi from downtown will cost ?100 or more (there’s a ?20 toll about 3 km from the airport). Drive time is around 30 minutes. There are very nice coaches which will take you to about four different locations in Nanjing; fare is ?25.

There is a bus four times a day from Shanghai Pudong Airport, with a stop at the other airport, to Nanjing Zhongyangmen (and back). From there, take the metro or a taxi to your destination. It costs ?136 from Shanghai and ?136 or ?152 from Nanjing. It takes about five hours, during the night only four.

That bus is a long run; many people prefer to take a train to Shanghai then bus, taxi or maglev train to the airport. As a compromise, one might take the train to Suzhou and the direct bus from there to the airport.

By train
There are numerous daily departures to Shanghai, about four hours away on slow trains and a bit over two on the new fast ones. See High-speed rail in China. Both types of train also stop at Wuxi and Suzhou; some continue on to Hangzhou. In general, the fast trains are worth the extra cost; they offer much better equipment, comparable with a business class flight. The train cars are great as well, and much more spacious than those of an airplane. Generally, the Chinese train system might appear a bit “weird” for European passengers, but it’s comfortable and just as reliable, and is recommended for most trips over a bus trip.

By road
There is a modern highway system between Shanghai and Nanjing, which will allow you to travel quite quickly from city to city. Keep in mind of traffic in morning and evening. If you’re just one person,

By boat
Nanjing is situated on the Yangtse river. Scheduled passager liner service is available along the Yantse river between Shanghai down stream and Wuhan (Hubei province) upstream, although, the river is mostly used for transport of goods, not for persons. Better to use the railway.

Where to go

1.Purple Mountain , (From Nanjing take bus 9 or Y1). is East of the lake, Northeast of city center. It contains the tomb of the first Ming Dynasty emperor and his consorts, the mausoleum of Dr. Sun Yat-sen (leader of the 1911 revolution), the tomb of Sun Quan from the Three Kingdoms period and other impressive stuff. You could spend a day or more just exploring this. Admission varies but is around ?100. The park has a shuttle “train” you can ride and is included in the price of certain tickets. There is also a cable car going up the hill, and if you have the right shoes, feel free to walk down from the hill. Prices are fairly acceptable, for one-ride ?25, for up-and-down ?45. edit

2.Presidential Palace. is a great way to spend a day exploring the headquarters of past emperors and later, the Nationalist government. The Palace includes the offices of many top governemental officials, including Chang Kai-shek and Sun Yat-sen, as well as the residence of Sun Yat-sen. It is one the few places in mainland China where the flag of the Repulic of China still flies. The informational placards are printed in four languages. 40RMB. edit

3.Nanjing Museum, (right on the main street of Nanjing). offers you a lot of different culture scenes, including the sailing of Zheng He (the eunuch admiral of the Ming Dynasty who explored at least to Africa, perhaps further) and real-silk-making. It’s a great place to spend either a hot or rainy day.

What to Buy

Xinjiekou is Nanjing’s fashion district, the cosmopolitan, fast-paced heart of the city bathed in neon. It’s the closest thing Nanjing has to Tokyo or Times Square. All the major retail is centered on this area…which despite it’s complexity is only a couple of square blocks in size. There are giant department stores, a Wall-Mart, Watsons, Suning, and “Fashion Lady”–a bewildering, subterranean world of clothing boutiques and vendors that can best be described as a video game come to life. On the outskirts of Xinjiekou is Deji Plaza and some higher-end establishments selling everything from single-malt scotch to MINIs. Deji Plaza (8floors) has numerous retailers like Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Ermengildo Zegna, Gucci, COACH, Hilfiger, Vasque, Crocs, etc. while there may be some haggling in Fashion Lady don’t expect any in Deji Plaza.

The area around the Confucius Temple in the South of the city has a lot of shopping, especially clothing and tourist items. It is a maze of tiny individual shops, fun to explore even if you are not buying. Haggling over prices is the name of the game here. If you are skilled in the art of bargaining you can easily get an asking price of ?380 reduced to 80 without breaking a sweat. The streets outside the Temple area provide more shopping opportunities, as does the underground mall. The entrance to this mall is sandwiched between two shops but the neon lights provide a clue. This is a shopping experience you will want to return to again and again.While you are there take a stroll through the temple, and over the historic bridge which offers great photo opportunities. If it’s a cup of tea that interests you check out the little gold roofed floating tea houses on the canal.

Especially recommended for Germans or generally people liking good bread and sandwich is the German Bread Store next to Nanjing Normal University. It is just behind the construction site in front of the main entrance of the university (and the McDonalds). You can get a large sandwich (enough for lunch) and a drink for 20 Yuan, and also various original german bread. Not cheap, but great if you’re missing some original taste. Just be prepared to meet some other guys speaking various european languages. Most probably the only place in Nanjing were foreigners are a majority at all times.

The secondary street (Qingdao Lu) running northbound from the KFC before the intersection of Shaghai Lu and Guangzhou Lu has an excellent Hui “miantiao fanguanr” (noodle restaurant). Its Hui, so mutton and beef are the order of the day (don’t stroll in with a ham sandwich like an unwitting friend of mine!); a massive bowl of–perfectly hot and greasy–soup will only cost 6 kuai. Superb. Just beyond, closer to Nanjing University, is a series of good “jiaozi” vendors who are quite cheap as well. This area is right off of Nanjing U’s campus so there are plenty of cheap eats to be had.

Gold & Silver is a great find for foreigners looking for yummy Chinese food. It is located across from Nanjing University Xi Yuen foreign students dormitory. The manager is a very friendly guy who has worked with foreigners for over 20 years. The walls are covered with pictures of international visitors throughout the years. Stay away from the fried foods, but the soups and other dishes are pretty good. It may seem a bit pricey compared with other local small places but it is well worth it. Dishes range from 10–30RMB.

Nanjing Danfeng International Hotel,
59-1 Yushi Street, North Floor 6 , tel 025-83226770. Easily the best budget option in Nanjing. Private rooms are spotlessly clean, and excellent size for the money. Although their listing on numerous websites says it is “wireless”, each room is equipped with wired Internet connections (you can borrow an Ethernet cable from the reception desk). Those without can share the communal computer for free. Don’t share a private room with anyone you don’t want to see naked, as the bathroom/toilet is housed inside a strange transparent glass enclosure. Small dorm rooms (3 people/room) from about ¥50, larger single & double rooms from about ¥160.