Quick answer
Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport is HGH (杭州萧山国际机场), roughly 27 km east of central Hangzhou. For most daytime arrivals, walk from arrivals into the Ground Transportation Center / Traffic Center and take Hangzhou Metro Line 1, Line 7 or Line 19—all three open at the airport station. Official taxi pickup is outside Gate 14 on T3 Arrival, or in the connecting corridor between Terminal 4 and the Traffic Center F1. Online ride-hailing uses dedicated pickup areas in the elevator halls on B2 of the Transportation Center (English page lists 3rd and 4th; Chinese page also lists 2nd—follow live signs). Confirm live last-train times before you skip the taxi queue. We do not claim overseas Visa/Mastercard metro tap-and-go for Hangzhou (unlike some Chengdu coverage)—plan Alipay/WeChat Hangzhou Metro ride QR, ticket machines or a carefully verified UnionPay option instead.
If this happens, do this
| Situation | What to do next |
|---|---|
| You want the metro into the city | Follow Metro / 地铁 signs into the Traffic Center for Lines 1 / 7 / 19—not a bus-only curb. |
| You need West Lake / Hubin corridor | Line 1 toward Xianghu covers that corridor in plain terms; finish last mile on foot or short taxi if your hotel is off-station. |
| You need Hangzhou East / faster spines | Line 19 is the useful spine toward that side of the network—check the platform screen for the live terminus. |
| You land after the last metro | Use the official taxi queue (T3 Gate 14 / T4–Traffic Center F1 corridor) or ride-hailing on B2; do not enter the metro gate within 5 minutes of the last published departure. |
| International / HK–Macao–Taiwan arrival | Often T4—confirm live terminal screens. T4 international & regional arrivals has a payment service center (Alipay/WeChat with foreign cards, ATM, FX). |
| Your booking says “Hangzhou Airport” only | Check the code: HGH = Xiaoshan. Save the hotel’s Chinese name and full address before you leave arrivals. |
See also the China Airport to City Guide.
Confirm you are at HGH (Hangzhou Xiaoshan)
HGH is Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (杭州萧山国际机场), about 27 km east of central Hangzhou (general planning distance from Hangzhou tourism / city materials—not a door-to-door travel time).
Before you leave arrivals:
- Confirm the airport code HGH on your boarding pass or bag tag.
- Note your terminal on live screens. International / Hong Kong–Macao–Taiwan flights commonly use T4; domestic commonly use T3—always confirm on the day rather than relying on memory.
- Follow signs to the Ground Transportation Center / Traffic Center for metro, taxis and ride-hailing. Build walking time from arrivals into last-train planning.
- Save your hotel’s Chinese name, full address and phone number.
Compare the main options
| Option | Useful when | Check before choosing |
|---|---|---|
| Metro Lines 1 / 7 / 19 (Traffic Center) | Daytime, manageable luggage, hotel near a metro corridor | Station opening window Opening Time 05:50 / Closing Time 00:27; do not enter the gate within 5 minutes of the last departure; direction and last train differ by line |
| Official taxi (T3 Gate 14 / T4 corridor) | Late arrival, heavy bags, door-to-door, Lingyin / tea hills last mile | Signed official queue; meter on; Chinese hotel address; tolls may apply |
| Ride-hailing (B2 elevator halls) | App and payment already work | In-app pin at Transportation Center B2 elevator halls; follow live signs (English vs Chinese hall numbering can differ) |
| Ticket machine / customer service fallback | Wallet QR or card options fail | Keep modest cash or a second payment method |
Metro Lines 1, 7 and 19 from Xiaoshan Airport
Official Hangzhou airport English metro pages state that Lines 1, 7 and 19 open at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport. The metro entrance is in the Ground Transportation Center / Traffic Center—walk from arrivals before you treat published last trains as your personal cutoff.
Published station window on the airport English metro page (recheck on the day via station boards, Hangzhou Metro or hotline 96600):
- Station Opening Time 05:50 / Closing Time 00:27
- Do not enter the gate within 5 minutes of the last departure
Direction notes (plain terms)
| Line | Published first–last (airport English page) | Useful toward (planning language) |
|---|---|---|
| Line 1 to Xianghu | First 06:00 / last 22:30 | Xianghu corridor; West Lake Hubin / Longxiangqiao–area hotels often sit along or near the Line 1 corridor—confirm your station on a map |
| Line 7 to Jiangdong’er Road | 06:06–23:14 | Eastern / riverside side of the network |
| Line 7 to Wushan Square | 06:16–22:49 | Old town / Qianjiang side in plain terms |
| Line 19 to Tiaoxi | 06:03–23:14 | One published Line 19 direction |
| Line 19 to Yongsheng Road | 06:20–00:09 | Other published Line 19 direction; often useful toward Hangzhou East / faster spines—check the live terminus |
We do not invent exact minute travel times or yuan fares to West Lake here. Typical Hangzhou Metro distance fares apply—check the ticket machine or app on the day. Lingyin Temple and tea-hill hotels usually need a taxi or ride-hail last mile after metro.
How to pay for Hangzhou Metro
Hangzhou does not have the same confirmed overseas Visa / Mastercard network-wide tap-and-go announcement that Chengdu Metro publicized. Do not assume a foreign Visa or Mastercard will open the gate.
Practical order for visitors:
- Alipay or WeChat Pay Hangzhou Metro ride QR — If your visitor wallet already works with a linked foreign card, open the Hangzhou metro ride code and scan at the gate. Use the same phone/account to exit. See How to use Alipay in China.
- Ticket machines / customer service counter — Reliable fallback if QR fails.
- UnionPay flash / IC options — UnionPay cards or phones have historically supported contactless metro payment on some Chinese networks; treat this as UnionPay-specific, verify on the machine or with staff, and keep a backup. Do not confuse this with Visa/Mastercard network tap.
See also Take the subway in China and Metro QR codes in China.
Official taxi
Per Hangzhou airport English taxi pages:
| Terminal | Official pickup |
|---|---|
| T3 | Outside Gate 14 on Arrival of Terminal 3 |
| T4 | Connecting corridor between Terminal 4 and the Traffic Center F1 |
Trips are meter payment in the official queue. Airport English pages publish complaint line 0571-85463212 and service line 0571-96299.
We do not publish a fixed yuan price to West Lake. Distance, traffic, time of day and expressway tolls vary. Third-party trip planners often show a rough CNY 100–160 band toward central lake-area hotels—treat that only as a planning range, not an airport quote. Join the signed queue. Ask for the meter. Show a Chinese hotel address. Ignore anyone inside arrivals offering an unofficial car.
Online ride-hailing
Per Hangzhou airport English online-car pages, dedicated pickups are in the 3rd and 4th elevator halls on B2 of the Transportation Center. The Chinese page also lists the 2nd elevator hall on B2. Be honest about the discrepancy: follow live airport signs and your in-app pin rather than memorizing a hall number from one language page.
How to reach B2 (airport pages):
- T3: Exit Gate 14 Arrival, follow signs down to B2 via the C2 transport core.
- T4: From Transportation Center 2F, take escalators or elevators down to B2.
If you use DiDi, see How to use DiDi in China.
T4 payment help for international arrivals
Hangzhou municipal payment-center coverage (gov page dated 2025-04-16) notes a payment service center at the T4 International & Regional Arrivals exit: Alipay / WeChat support with foreign cards, ATMs and foreign exchange. The same materials describe FX in international/regional arrivals about 06:30–23:00, with 24-hour ATMs (Bank of China / ICBC mentioned). Use this if you need wallet top-up or cash before metro or taxi.
Before leaving arrivals
- Confirm HGH, then follow Traffic Center signs for metro / taxi / ride-hail.
- Save the hotel’s Chinese name, full address and phone.
- Decide metro (Lines 1 / 7 / 19), taxi (T3 Gate 14 / T4 corridor) or ride-hailing (B2) before you leave the secure area when possible.
- For metro: check the platform screen for direction and last train; do not enter within 5 minutes of the last departure.
- Keep a payment backup (wallet ride QR, ticket machine, modest cash)—do not rely on Visa/Mastercard metro tap in Hangzhou.
- If you land very late, see Late-night arrival at a China airport and What to do in the first 2 hours after landing.
Related Guides on Get Around CN
- China Airport to City Guide
- Chengdu Tianfu Airport to the City
- Shenzhen Bao'an Airport to the City
- Late-night arrival at a China airport
- Take the subway in China
- Metro QR codes in China
- Save your hotel address in Chinese
- How to use DiDi in China
- How to use Alipay in China
FAQ
Is HGH the same as a downtown Hangzhou heliport or train station?
No. HGH is Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (杭州萧山国际机场), east of the city. Always check the three-letter code on your ticket.
Which metro lines serve the airport?
Official airport English metro pages: Lines 1, 7 and 19 open at the airport station in the Traffic Center.
What are the published first and last trains?
From the airport English metro page (recheck live): Line 1 to Xianghu 06:00–22:30; Line 7 to Jiangdong’er Road 06:06–23:14 / to Wushan Square 06:16–22:49; Line 19 to Tiaoxi 06:03–23:14 / to Yongsheng Road 06:20–00:09. Station opening window 05:50–00:27; do not enter within 5 minutes of the last departure. Hotline 96600.
Can I tap a foreign Visa or Mastercard on Hangzhou Metro?
Do not assume yes. Unlike Chengdu’s published overseas network tap program, we have no matching official Hangzhou announcement to cite here. Prefer Alipay/WeChat Hangzhou Metro ride QR, ticket machines, or a verified UnionPay option—with a backup.
Where is the official taxi queue?
T3: outside Gate 14 on Arrival. T4: connecting corridor between Terminal 4 and Traffic Center F1. Meter payment; complaint 0571-85463212; service 0571-96299.
Where do ride-hailing cars pick up?
Transportation Center B2 elevator halls. English page: 3rd and 4th; Chinese page also lists 2nd. Follow live signs and the in-app pin.
How much is a taxi to West Lake?
No fixed airport quote here. Meter + possible tolls; traffic and time of day vary. Third-party planners often show roughly CNY 100–160 as a planning band only—not an official fare.
Disclaimer
App interfaces, payment rules, station practices, hotel policies and local procedures may change. Treat this guide as a source-checked practical guide, then verify important details with the official service, your hotel, transport staff or your card issuer before relying on it in an urgent situation.
Sources and review
Sources reviewed on 2026-11-01. These sources support the service or policy facts; the practical fallback steps are editorial guidance. This is not a recorded field test.