East China · 8–10 hours: the airport is about 40–50 minutes out
Nanjing layover guide
Ming history, city walls, one hour from Shanghai by rail
Nora Li· Transit visas, city trips and shopping
Last updated
Times, fares, and routes are indicative. Confirm with the operator before you travel.
Why Nanjing works for a layover
Nanjing was China’s capital for six dynasties and again in the twentieth century, and it carries that weight visibly, imperial tombs in forested hills, a surviving Ming city wall, and one of the country’s best museums. It is also close enough to Shanghai by high-speed rail to pair with a longer stopover.
The route
Take Metro S1 to Nanjing South and continue into the city. Start at the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum and Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, both set in the wooded Purple Mountain area. Then walk a stretch of the Nanjing City Wall, and finish in the Confucius Temple district for snacks and canal-side streets.
Food to try
Salted duck (Nanjing’s signature), duck blood vermicelli soup, tangbao soup dumplings, and sesame pastries.
Timing notes
Lukou Airport is about 40–50 minutes out via Metro S1, and Purple Mountain deserves a couple of hours. This is a comfortable 10-hour layover rather than a quick one, with under 8 hours, focus on the City Wall and Confucius Temple area instead.
Pairing with Shanghai
Nanjing is roughly an hour from Shanghai by high-speed rail, so a 24-hour Shanghai stopover can absorb a Nanjing day trip, see China high-speed rail for tourists and the Shanghai itinerary.