Changzhou

Changzhou (常州 Chángzhōu) is a city of 3.6 million people (2010) in Jiangsu.

Most travellers will breeze through Changzhou on their way to Suzhou or Nanjing but those with a bit of time can spend a pleasant day exploring the city's somewhat agrestic charms.

Understand
Settlement here stretches back to at least the Spring and Autumn period (770-426 BC) when Yancheng, a city surrounded by three concentric moats was established.

Changzhou has been visited by many people over the years including Song dynasty poet Dongpo, Emperor Qianlong, and the Japanese Army on their way to destroy Nanjing.

Climate
Changzhou has four distinct seasons, with synchronized rain and heat, and abundant sunshine. Winter is the longest, followed by summer, spring again, and autumn is the shortest. The seasonal differences in climate are very obvious, with cold winters, hot summers, and mild spring and autumn.

By train
Changzhou has two railway stations that are adjacent to one another. The new station faces north and serves the high speed G-trains and some of the slightly slower D-trains that run between Shanghai and Nanjing. The older south facing station handles the long distance T and K trains and the odd D train. The two stations are connected by an underground walkway. You can also take a metro train between the two stations.



The most frequent services are high-speed G and D-trains going to or from Shanghai or Nanjing. The journey from either end takes around 1.5 hours. Services include:
 * From Nanjing – (¥80) Departing from the main station.
 * From Shanghai – (G train: ¥80 second class; ¥128 business class. D train ¥51 second class; ¥61 business class.) Departing from Shanghai central or Hongqiao station.

The slower and lower class T- and K- services from other provinces stop at Changzhou but tickets are only available for destinations outside of Jiangsu.

Tickets
The new station has touchscreen ticket machines with English menus to buy tickets G and D train. A ticket to Shanghai on the G train costs ¥80 for second class and ¥125 for business class. The D train is ¥51 for second class and ¥61 for business class

Buying tickets for the long distance T or K services have to be bought from the ticket windows in the building on the far right of the entrance. There aren't any ticket machines but most clerks can speak at least simple English or will find someone who does. For services other than the high-speed trains, it's wise to book outbound tickets a few days in advance as they fill up quickly, especially during public holidays.

By bus
The northern bus station on Xinmen Lu (almost opposite the train station) has frequent services to Wuxi, Zhangjiagang, Suzhou (¥34, 2 hr), yixing &yen;21 and Kunshan.

By plane
There are flights in and out of Changzhou to over 10 cities.

Get around
The cities main attractions are within a walkable radius of the train station, with the outlying spots on the main bus routes.

By bus
The Changzhou bus network fleet comprises speedy modern buses and a bunch lumbering rattlers. The BRT bus network, operating in lieu of a subway, features frequent services of large shiny buses that rapidly traverse mainly inner city routes stopping at enclosed BRT stations located in the centre of the main thoroughfares and at the curbside on smaller roads. All BRT bus numbers are prefixed with a B, followed by the route number. Service frequency is almost excessive, to the point where it's not uncommon to see two or three same numbered buses following each other caterpillar style with only a few passengers on each.

The services start and terminate near the train station. Fares for all buses are ¥1, regardless of distance.


 * B11 - Runs down Heping Lu and past the main shopping district.
 * 2 - Starts at bus terminus attached to the new northern train and long distance bus station and rattles down almost the entire length of Heping Lu and around the university town in the south.
 * B1 - Stops in front of the Yancheng complex.

A double-decker tourist bus numbered Y1 can be seen about town but locals are somewhat secretive about its routes and timetable.

By metro
As of 2019, Changzhou has one metro line, with more under construction.

By taxi
Metered taxis charge ¥9 for the first 4 km and then ¥2.9 for every additional kilometre.

Eat
Sesame Bing – A local speciality is a small round cake of flaky pastry studded with sesame seeds. Fillings between the crunchy layers of pasty have two flavours – salty and sweet. The salty has a thin layer of preserved vegetable while the sweet has a globular core of sugar syrup. Patience is key to eating the sugary one, especially if bought hot off the stove, as a too hasty bite will send a wave of tongue-scaldingly hot liquid squirting out onto both your mouth and fingers.



Drink
Some people bemoan the lack of bar scene here, compared with Wuxi or Shanghai. Nonetheless there are a couple of decent joints to drown your sorrows in.



Sleep
Most of the accommodation in Changzhou is geared toward business travellers, so upmarket international style hotels are abundant but decent budget options are limited.

Go next

 * Suzhou
 * Nanjing