Changshu

Changshu (常熟) is a city in Jiangsu province, China. Administratively, it is a county-level city within the prefecture-level city Suzhou.

Changshu

Get in

By plane

The nearest airport is Wuxi Sunan Shuofang International Airport in Wuxi. There are direct bus services from that airport to Changshu.

The nearest major airports are in Shanghai, an approximately two-hour drive from Changshu (~150 km). There are no direct bus services to Changshu from those airports but you can get a train to Changshu from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station, which is just next to Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport.

By bus

If coming from Suzhou, take a coach bus from the bus station on the west side of the train station. The bus ticket costs ¥16, and the ride should last a little more than an hour. The bus will take you either to Changshu's North Bus Station (北站) or its South Bus Station (南站). Changshu's main bus station is the south station, which connects to more destinations and closes much later than the north station. The south station is ideal for first-time city visitors because it's in the heart of Changshu's famed garment district. Both stations are about a ten-minute taxi ride to downtown. To head downtown tell the driver to take you to Fangta Jie (方塔街) or Yushan Hill Park (Yushan Gong Yuan/虞山公园).

By train

• 1 Changshu Railway Station (常熟站), 98 Qinchuan Avenue (琴川大道98号) (bus nos. 12, 106, 135, 136, 137, 226, 235 and tourist bus 5).  

Get around

Metered taxis start at ¥10.

See

• 1 Shang Lake Scenic Area (尚湖风景区), Wai Xi San Huan Road, Yushan Town (虞山镇外西三环路) (Bus routes 116 and 117), ☏ +86 512 52225000. Mar-May 08:10-16:40, Jun-Aug 08:10-16:10, Sep-Nov 08:10-16:40, Dec-Feb 08:10-16:10. A lake advertised as similar to the West Lake in Hangzhou, but with far fewer tourists. And for a good reason. It is not similar, but a nice getaway if you are into a new Chinese park located "on" a lake (including a small tivoli) without many visitors. ¥60. (updated Jul 2019)
• 2 Yu Mountain National Forest Park (虞山国家森林公园) (the park has several entry points, the closest to the city centre being the South Entrance; to get to the South Entrance, take bus nos. 5, 8, 9, 110, 113, 114 or 116 to Yanzi's Tomb (言子墓); after entering the park, take bus no. 118 or 128 to get up the hill), ☏ +86 512 52225000. 08:00-16:00. See the "Great Wall" halfway up. There are nice views of the city and Shang Lake. An old temple may be found at the top. ¥35. (updated Jul 2019)
• City - channels and old houses in some part of town
• 3 Shajiabang Scenic Area (沙家浜风景区), Shajiabang Town (沙家浜镇) (Bus routes 5, 342), ☏ +86 512 52500000. ¥100 (high season), ¥80 (low season). 

Do

Recommended as one of the 7 best day-trips from Shanghai (Shanghai Time Out, spring 2011. However, do not go just for the scenic areas, unless you have already done everything recommended by guidebooks).

Possible daytrip itinerary from Shanghai for tourist areas (as suggested by Time Out magazine)

• Start at Shanghu Scenic Area (¥60 entrance fee), to boat in bamboo boats through Crane Reservate and bamboo waterforest
• Go to Kingrace Hotel (73 Ximen Dajie, Near Shuyuan Lu), grab lunch and head up the 263 m mountain
• Take bus, taxi or own-driver up the mountain (walk uninteresting), about 2/3 way pay ¥15 entrance fee (with or without car) and continue drive all way up. Enjoy the tree-covered mountain top with great views of the city and Shanghu Lake. Stop halfway up, to walk on a "Great Wall" with OK views of the city and Shanghu Scenic Area.
• Walk down through tea plantages or take your car back. No taxi available on mountain.

Getting there and away:

• From Shanghai: Grab bus from Shanghai South Long Distance Bus Station, every 30 min. Same back.

Eat

BK Bar on Tai Shan Being Lu has excellent Tex-Mex food and a wealth of local information.

• Hey Benny's (in the new auchan shopping area, near maancat coffee on the first floor), ☏ +86 186 2502 1937, 2916164413@qq.com. 17:00-00:00 and 11:00-00:00 on weekends. American restaurant with wood smoked meats, great burgers, televisions for sports and small patio. Great place to have a drink as well. Show the taxi : 新欧尚漫猫咖啡. Walk around the corner and you will see a bright Hey Benny's sign. (updated May 2019)

Drink

All clubs below are found downtown (Fangta Jie & Yushan Beilu intersection). They're all a short walking distance from each other except for Baidu (aka Boiling 100 Degrees) which is a 20-minute walk or a 5-minute taxi ride from any other club on this list.

• Casamia - Expat restaurant and bar near OK88 and several other bars and clubs. Street: Yushan Beilu.
• Huang Jia Yi Hao 蝗家一号 - The nightclub front entrance directly faces Yushan Hill. It plays mostly Western/American music.
• Baidu (aka Boiling 100 Degrees) - Nightclub playing mostly Chinese music. It has a small pulsing dance floor. Baidu's about a mile north of OK88 and Casamia off the same street, Yushan Beilu.
• 0576 - Nightclub playing a mix of Chinese music and Western remixes. It's off the main road in town, Fangta Jie, just south of Parkson's Department Store/Starbucks and just west of the town square. It's a short walk south of OK88.
• Freeman's Club - It is on the corner across the street from the KFC off the town square as well as across the street and several paces from 0576 nightclub. There's usually a ¥10 cover. During weekends it's more of a dance club and on weeknights it's usually just a bar. Unlike the dance floor/"stages" at all the other clubs on this list, the dance floor at this club is not elevated like a stage. Therefore, the whole club can't see you dancing from every corner of the club.

Sleep

• Crowne Plaza Changsu, No. 1 Kai Yuan Avenue, ☏ +86 512-5272 9999. Opened 2006, somewhat separated from the center of the city. Rates tend to be in the range of ¥400-700, and the rooms are comparable to 4-star hotels in the United States. ¥400-700. 
• 1 Merryland Traders Hotel (formerly Four Points by Sheraton), ☏ +86 512 5298 8888. 4/5-star hotel, closer to downtown. Rates are generally in the range of ¥400-700. 
• 2 Hyatt Regency Kunshun Lake Hotel (常熟昆承湖凯悦酒店), No. 1, Southeast Avenue, High-tech Industrial Development Zone, ☏ +86 512-52051234. This is a luxury hotel that opened in 2023. It has a total of 289 modernly decorated rooms and suites, ranging in size from 40 to 160 square meters. Free WIFI is provided in the room. The hotel has an indoor heated swimming pool on the 35th floor, and a 24-hour fitness center. ¥699 or more. (updated Dec 2023)

Connect

Changshu Expats Association - Expat forum

Go next

• Suzhou 苏州 - About 1 hour by car
• Shanghai 上海 - About 1.5-2 hours by car, or grab a bus to/from Shanghai South Long Distance Bus Station, every 30 min, approx. 90 min ride.
• Nanjing 南京 - About 3 hours by car
• Hangzhou 杭州 - About 3.5 hours by car