Suzhou Travel Tips

Suzhou Travel FAQs and Tips introduce post offices, useful numbers, hospitals, banks for foreign exchange, best time to visit Suzhou, what to wear, how to get to Suzhou, shopping, food, where to stay in Suzhou, etc. When plan your trip to Suzhou, view our answers to questions about Suzhou travel to get better understanding of Suzhou.

Useful Numbers in Suzhou

  • Police: 110
  • Fire: 119
  • Area Code: 020
  • Telephone Number Inquiry: 114
  • Municipal First-Aid Center: 120
  • Passenger Complaints: 0512-68292655
  • Tourist Complaint: 0512-65223377
  • Flight Inquire: 0512-65104881
  • Bus Inquiries: 0512-65252755
  • Bus Station Inquiries: 1601088
  • Train Station Inquiries: 1601234; 0512-67535067; 0512-67532831
  • Suzhou City Consumers Association: 0512-68150315
  • Suzhou Tourism Bureau: 65213140

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Best Time to Visit Suzhou

Spring(March-May) is the golden season for visiting Suzhou, and it is also the season with the most beautiful sceneries in Suzhou. Suzhou in the blue sky and clear water is blooming enthusiastically. Spring, when you come to Suzhou, you can experience the unique charm of Suzhou. The flowing water in Suzhou is bright and charming. At the turn of spring and summer, there is more rain, and typhoons in late summer and early autumn. Suzhou is most suitable for having an outing in spring. In summer, you can taste the fresh food. The maple red season in autumn is best for outing; in winter, you can go to Hanshan Temple to hear the bells of New Year's Eve, and experience the meaning "In the suburban city of Suzhou,the doleful and silent Hanshan Temple lies, and, at midnight, passing over from the temple to my passenger boat, are the bongs".

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What to Wear in Suzhou

Spring(March-May)

In spring, the temperature is not high. Therefore, tourists still need to dress warmly due to the low temperature in the morning and at night. Light clothes is very convenient. Tourists shall bring hoodie, leather jacket, wool sweater, thin sweater, sweatpants, cap. What's more, thin long dress and T-shirt are also advised.

Summer(June-August)

Summer means wearing the clothes that make you cool. These clothes, such as short skirts, short-sleeve T-shirts, thin long dresses, and casual wear are highly recommended. Thin jeans, sportswear and hoodies are for rainy days or evenings.

Autumn(September-November)

Autumn in Suzhou is the best season to visit. Usually, long sleeve blouses, long dresses, hoodies, jeans, and sneakers are suitable for going out on a sunny day. Tourists should also take an overcoat for the evening or when it rains.

Winter(December - February of the next year)

Winter in Suzhou is very cold. Hence, tourists shall wear down jackets, sweaters, warm coats, scarves, hats, masks, and warm pants when going out. They should be aware of the noticeable temperature gap between day and night and add clothes accordingly.

Banks in Suzhou

With the development of mobile payment(Wechat Payment and Alipay Payment), mobile payment is available in most places of Suzhou. However, the cash is still important. People also prepare some cards in their wallets. There are a lot of banks in Suzhou for you to exchange money. Hence, do not worry finding a bank in Suzhou.

  • Bank of China(Suzhou Branch)(中国银行(苏州分行))
    Add: No. 128 Wangdun Road, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou City(苏州市苏州工业园区旺墩路128号)
    Tel: (0512)65113558
  • China Merchants Bank(Chengxi Sub-branch)(招商银行(城西支行))
    Add: No. 436 Changjiang Road, Huqiu District, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province(江苏省苏州市虎丘区长江路436号)
    Tel: (0512)69869960
  • China Construction Bank(中国建设银行)
    Add: No. 780 Huayuan Road, Xiangcheng District, Suzhou City(苏州市相城区华元路780号)
    Tel: (0512)65493844
  • Agricultural Bank of China(Kunshan Sub-branch)(中国农业银行(昆山市支行))
    Add: No. 98 Renmin Road, Yushan Town, Kunshan City, Suhzou City(苏州市昆山市玉山镇人民路98号)
    Tel: (0512)57551548

Expresses and Post Offices in Suzhou

  • SF Express(顺丰速运)
    Add: No. 163 Fengyang Road, Yangchenghu Town(阳澄湖镇凤阳路163号)
    Tel: 95338
  • Deppon Express(德邦快递)
    Add: No. 99 Qingfeng East Road, Kunshan City, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province(江苏省苏州市昆山市庆丰东路99号)
    Tel: 95353
  • Suzhou Post Office(Industrial Park Branch)(苏州邮政局(工业园区分局))
    Add: Floor 1 Xinghai Building, Wangdun Road, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province(江苏省苏州市苏州工业园区旺墩路星海大厦1楼)
    Tel: (0512)65098132
  • China Post Office(Huaqiao Sub-branch)(中国邮政(花桥邮政支局))
    Add: No. 367 Huaxi Road, Huaqiao Town, Kunshan City(昆山市花桥镇花溪路367号)
    Tel: (0512)57691010

Hospitals in Suzhou

  • No. 1 Hospital Affiliated to Suzhou University(苏州大学附属第一医院)
    Add: No. 188 Shizi Street, Gusu District, Suzhou City(苏州市姑苏区十梓街188号)
    Tel: (0512)65223637
  • Suzhou Shili Hospital(苏州市立医院)
    Add: No. 26 Daoqian Street, Gusu District, Suzhou City(苏州市姑苏区道前街26号)
    Tel: (0512)69009090; (0512)62362233
  • Suzhou Wuzhong People's Hospital(苏州市吴中人民医院)
    Add: No. 61 Wubei Road, Wuzhong District, Suzhou City(苏州市吴中区东吴北路61号)
    Tel: (0512)33333600
  • Kunshan Huaqiao People's Hospital(昆山市花桥人民医院)
    Add: No. 1 Jincheng Road, Huaqiao Town, Kunshan City, Suzhou City(苏州市昆山市花桥镇金城路1号)
    Tel: (0512)57693954; (0512)50358875

Other Important Tips for Visiting Suzhou

144-Hour Visa-Free Transit

 What makes Suzhou more tourists friendly is that Suzhou applies to 144 Hours Transit Visa Free, which means you can enjoy a visa-free tour in Suzhou up to 6 days! Sanctioned by the State Council,Shanghai Municipality, Jiangsu Province and Zhejiang Province, Beijing Municipality, Tianjin Municipality and Hebei Province, and certain ports in Liaoning Province are to adopt the 144-hour visa-exemption transit policy available to nationals from 53 countries since Jan. 30, 2016.

How to Get to Suzhou

Suzhou, is an important economic city in South Eastern China in Jiangsu Province. Suzhou doesn’t have its own airport, so the easiest way to reach this city by air is via the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport or Pudong International Airport and then take the train direct to Suzhou. Sunan Shuofang International Airport is the closest airport to Suzhou. It is very convenient to get to Suzhou by train or long-distance bus from nearby cities, such as Nanjing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, etc.

Suzhou Food

People praise Suzhou, describing it as “Heaven on Earth”. It’s a place with beautiful landscapes and prominent historical figures. Suzhou not only has enchanting scenery, but also delicious food. Suzhou dishes are generally on the sweet side and there are many varieties. As one of the eight famous culinary art forms in China, “Jiangsu cuisine” is derived from local time-honored culinary skills and obtains its unique sweet flavor from a strict selection of local and seasonal ingredients. You should come to Suzhou even just to experience the amazingly rich variety of the Suzhou cuisine.

The attractions of Suzhou exist not just in its scenic and artistic landscaping and architecture. Suzhou is also a paradise for gourmets, with its long history and thousands of years of culinary experience and culture. The characteristics of Suzhou cuisine lie in its delicate preparations, emphasis on ingredients quality and its uniqueness in their dishes look and taste. Suzhou food delicacies tend towards the sweet side while retaining the ingredients’ natural flavor.

Must-eat Dishes and Snacks in Suzhou

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Suzhou Shopping

Shopping in Suzhou is not only to enjoy the beautiful things, but also to experience the folk customs. The intelligence Suzhou people produce the delicate goods. As early as in Ming and Qing Dynasties, the goods will be sold extraordinary well so long as they have a “Su” character on it. The local products, such as Su Embroidery, Suzhou Fans, Taohuawu Woodblock New Year Prints, Suzhou Silk, Song Brocade, etc. are the good presents to your friends and relatives and worthy of your money.
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Where to Stay in Suzhou

Suzhou is a place of great beauty, with lakes, rivers, ponds, world-famous gardens, and a string of scenic hills along the eastern shore of the lake. It also lies at the center of some of the richest agricultural land in China. Having said that, the city still retains enough pockets of charm to warrant two to three days’ exploration on foot. And the gardens, Suzhou’s main attraction, are a symphonic combination of rocks, water, trees and pavilions that reflects the Chinese appreciation of balance and harmony. What's more, there are all kinds of hotels in Suzhou, and you can always find the one that is most suitable for you.

Matters need attention

  • Although the hotel's bed sheet is replaced every day, it is best to prepare a set of comfortable pajamas.
  • Prepare some disposable toilet seats.
  • Try not to take a bath.
  • Before using the water glass, use the boiling water to disinfect.
  • It is best not to wear plastic slippers provided by the hotel.
  • Wash your hands after using the remote control.

Keep Reading

Things to Do in Suzhou

When come to Suzhou, confused what to see, do and experience in Suzhou? Known as the "City of Gardens", "Silk of Land", Suzhou has several kinds of attractions listed below to show you all the highlights. The top attractions in Suzhou are the must-see for visitors.

Matters need attention

  • Take care of your luggage and important things, such as passport and visa.
  • Check out the weather report before your travel. Do not go sightseeing in bad weather.
  • Respect and follow local custom and avoid conflicts.

Suzhou Tour Planning

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Jiangshu Travel Tips by Region