Nanjing to Shanghai by train
Shanghai lies 270 km (168 mi) east of Nanjing, in the same time zone. What the numbers say about getting there.
By rail the journey is about 1 h 25 min at the speeds typical of China rail, over roughly 330 km (205 mi) of track; the operator’s timetable is the number that counts.
| Nanjing | Shanghai | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | China | China |
| Population | 9.3 million | 24.9 million |
| Elevation | 22 m (72 ft) | 12 m (39 ft) |
| Time now | UTC+8 (Asia/Shanghai) | UTC+8 (Asia/Shanghai) |
| Stations on record | Nanjing railway station, Nanjing South railway station, Changfujie station | none listed |
| Postal codes | 210000 | 200000 |
Where to book trains from Nanjing to Shanghai
We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.
Staying in Shanghai
Our booking partner lists 1,740+ places to stay in Shanghai (statistics below are from the first 1,000). Of the 962 with a star rating, the largest group is 3-star (335), and 201 are five-star. Across 338 properties with at least 50 reviews, the average guest score is 8.6 out of 10. Guests have left 177,257 reviews in total.
Book a hotel in Shanghai
Live rooms and prices from our booking partner, booked and paid for here. Free cancellation is marked where it applies.
Common questions
How far is Shanghai from Nanjing?
270 km (168 mi) in a straight line, east of Nanjing; by road roughly 330 km (205 mi).
How long does it take to get from Nanjing to Shanghai by train?
About 1 h 25 min, estimated from distance and typical speeds. Timetables and traffic decide the real figure.
Is there a time difference between Nanjing and Shanghai?
No, both are on Asia/Shanghai at the moment.
Where can I stay in Shanghai?
Our booking partner lists 1,740+ places to stay in Shanghai, bookable on this site.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.