NKG / Airport to city
Nanjing Lukou Airport
to central Nanjing
Take the airport metro toward Nanjing South, then choose the onward line for your hotel. For a direct arrival with luggage or after useful rail services finish, use a taxi or an arranged car.
Compare your options
- 3 options
- Night arrivals
- Official sources
01 / Choose your journey
Which transfer suits you?
Comparison point: Xinjiekou. Nanjing South station is an interchange, not the same destination as Xinjiekou. The metro comparison includes an onward connection; a taxi or private car should be quoted for your actual hotel. No live fare or door-to-door time is shown here.
- Airport metro + city connection
- Cost
- Distance-based fareSelect Xinjiekou or the actual final station
- Journey
- Connection dependentAllow walking at Nanjing South and the final station
- Metered taxi
- Cost
- Metered totalConfirm any tolls or extras; the hotel address determines the journey
- Journey
- Traffic dependentAllow the taxi queue as well as the road journey
- Prebooked private car
- Cost
- Provider quoteConfirm the total vehicle price for your address
- Journey
- Traffic dependentMeeting time and the road journey vary
Reference fares and journey estimates from the official sources below, checked 11 November 2026. These are not live quotes. All times are local to Shanghai.
02 / The details
Your transfer options
01 / Daytime travel to a metro-side hotel
Airport metro + city connection
The S1 airport line connects to Nanjing South. Since September 29, 2026, Line 6 and S1 operate through services, so a change at Nanjing South is not required for every destination. For Xinjiekou, however, change there to Line 1.
Xinjiekou via Nanjing South and Line 1
- From arrivals, follow Metro / 地铁 signs to Lukou International Airport station.
- Choose the train toward Nanjing South and confirm its destination on the platform.
- For Xinjiekou, follow Line 1 interchange signs at Nanjing South; for another hotel, use the current network map to select the best stop.
When it runs: Check the current airport departure and the last useful onward train. S1 timings changed with Line 6’s opening; older standalone S1 schedules may be out of date.
Do not follow older instructions that say everyone must leave the airport train at Nanjing South. Equally, staying on the through Line 6 service does not take you directly to Xinjiekou.
Sources: Line 6 and S1 through operation · Xinjiekou station lines · Nanjing South interchange
02 / A direct ride to the hotel entrance
Metered taxi
Use the airport’s designated taxi boarding point if you want a regular metered taxi. The city’s transport authority specifically warns against accepting an unofficial approach and being taken to a car in the parking area.
Your Nanjing hotel
- Follow the terminal’s Taxi / 出租车 signs to the designated queue.
- Show the full Chinese hotel address and confirm that the vehicle is the metered taxi you intend to take.
- Keep the receipt and vehicle details after the journey.
When it runs: After a late arrival, ask airport staff for the current taxi queue and waiting time rather than relying on an unverified fixed journey estimate.
A ride-hail car should be ordered through its platform, not presented as a metered taxi by someone approaching you in arrivals.
Sources: Airport taxi and ride-hail guidance
03 / A confirmed meeting point and vehicle size
Prebooked private car
Arrange a car with your hotel or chosen provider if you need a specific vehicle, help with luggage or a child seat. Specify T1 or T2 and ask whether the meeting point is inside arrivals or at a designated car park.
The booked hotel or apartment entrance
- Send the full Chinese address of your Nanjing hotel, passenger count and luggage details.
- Get the meeting point, driver contact and included waiting time in writing.
- Check whether parking, tolls, child seats and late-night charges are included.
When it runs: Confirm the actual landing time, flight number and delay policy with the provider before paying.
The pickup location is set by your booking. There is no verified private-car price or live availability on this page.
03 / After baggage claim
Find your pickup point
Follow Metro signs for the airport line
Use Lukou International Airport station for the S1/Line 6 corridor. Check the destination display and plan the onward city connection before buying your ticket.
Sources: Line 6 and S1 through operation
Use the designated taxi point
Nanjing’s transport authority directs passengers who want a metered taxi to the dedicated taxi boarding area. Follow signs and staff directions rather than an individual offering to lead you to a vehicle.
Sources: Airport taxi and ride-hail guidance
Booked vehicles use their own meeting instructions
For a private or app-booked car, save the confirmation, driver contact and plate number. The correct pickup point depends on the terminal and booking, so do not assume it is the public taxi queue.
04 / Arriving late
Plan your late-night arrival
Use current airport-line information
The September 2026 Line 6 opening changed the connected operating pattern and S1’s last trains. Check the airport station display and your onward connection after collecting bags.
Sources: Line 6 and S1 through operation
Confirm a road journey before leaving arrivals
If the useful rail connection has finished, use the signed taxi point or your confirmed driver. Ask the hotel for its Chinese address and a contact number that will be answered at your arrival time.
Sources: Airport taxi and ride-hail guidance
Do not treat daytime coach details as an overnight promise
Airport coach routes and departures can change. If you are considering a bus late at night, verify the actual departure, city stop and remaining trip to the hotel at the airport counter.
05 / Ready to go
Tickets, payment and your address
Confirm the full metro ticket
Choose your final station when buying a ticket and ask staff whether your chosen ticket or payment method covers the planned interchange. Keep some renminbi available if a phone or foreign-card payment fails.
Keep a clear record for car journeys
For a metered taxi, retain the receipt. For a ride-hail car, place the trip through the platform so the vehicle and price basis are recorded; the transport authority advises against off-platform pickups.
Sources: Airport taxi and ride-hail guidance
Use the hotel’s Chinese address
Send the exact branch and street address, not only an English chain name. Xinjiekou, Nanjing South station and the airport hotels are distinct destinations with different road costs.
06 / Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to change at Nanjing South after leaving Lukou Airport?
It depends on your destination. Line 6 began through operation with S1 on September 29, 2026, so some trips continue without changing. For Xinjiekou, change at Nanjing South to Line 1.
Does the airport metro take me straight to Xinjiekou?
No. The route described here uses the airport line to Nanjing South and then Line 1 to Xinjiekou. Allow time for the interchange and the walk to your hotel.
How much is a taxi from Lukou Airport to my hotel?
This guide does not claim a fixed fare. Your exact hotel, traffic and applicable extras determine the total. Use the designated metered-taxi queue, or obtain a written quote for a prebooked car.
What should I do if I arrive after the last useful train?
Use the signed taxi boarding point or a confirmed private pickup. Check current bus information at the airport if you want a coach; do not assume an old timetable guarantees an overnight departure.
07 / Check the details
Sources and updates
Reviewed . Fares and operating windows are published reference information, not a live feed. Recommendations reflect the tradeoffs described above; check the official operator before traveling.
- Nanjing government · Line 6 and S1 through operation
September 29, 2026 opening, through service at Nanjing South and changes to S1 operating times.
- Nanjing Metro · Xinjiekou station lines
The metro operator confirms Xinjiekou is served by Lines 1 and 2.
- Nanjing Metro · Nanjing South interchange
The metro operator confirms Nanjing South is an interchange for Line 1 and S1, among other lines.