Taxi as Bottleneck of Hangzhou

This is so true! I used to dread finding myself out on the street at 4 pm in Hangzhou, waiting to get home...the best thing is just to give up and find a coffee shop, if you can.

I know how frustrating it can be trying to find a taxi and can't find one available. In Shanghai, this kind of situation happens almost everyday during rush hours, Mondays and Fridays particularly. Rainy days during rush hours are the worst. Three times, we finally found a taxi, got in the back seat only to have someone opening the front door, got into the passenger seat. One time, I told the guy to get off because my friend and I got into the taxi first, he absolutely woudn't get out. The driver should have said something to the intruder, but the the cowardy driver said nothing. Ironically, the driver and the intruders were all Shanghainese.

The problems of the rich...

Just take the metro, or is that below people like you already?

The issue last for almost 5+ years in Hangzhou, and the situation is getting worse.

partly due to this reason, people bought more cars, and traffic is worse again, and no taxi again....

Compared to Shanghai, The traffic management is largely behind of SH. but it looks nobody care, especially the rich man and govement guys.

Yes, you are right. One of our customer from UK reckon HZ is the city with the most difficulty to get a taxi. I heard that the Gov is going to add another 2000 taxi to solve the problem. Maybe they can purchase those Touran based taxi for Expo from Shanghai. I really like them.

except the public transportion at busy time, everything in Hangzhou is so beautiful !!!

I was there last weekends and choose take bus to the visit the scenery which was good.

Tip: When you get off the train in Hangzhou, take the escalators up to the Departure level (2nd floor). Taxis dump their departing passengers there and you can jump in the taxi up there instead of waiting in the long underground level taxi line.

@mwinter: Hangzhou has no metro/subway yet.

One thing they should do is to change the shift system. Why do all the drivers need to shift at the same time?

just look for a cosy cofeeshop and let 5 pm arrive...

Hi JianShuo,

I began reading your blog last week as I'm flying to Shanghai this Sun & I must say it's really informative.

I would like to take the highspeed train to Hangzhou from Shanghai to visit the west lake.It would be a day trip so I would return to Shanghai in late afternoon.

Which is the easiest way to get to west lake fr the station?

Any other things I should look out for?

Thanks!

Not only Hangzhou, many cities are the same, especially in rainy day, I suggest the GOV should read this blog and take action, to make improvment.

You live on the high level of this society, I come from north-west of China, 2000km away from Shanghai, I go home every Chinese new year, takes at least 27hrs, sometimes 40hrs (because the train stops on the way due to give way for the D train), sometimes no seat...I dont know how to express the situation, WATERTIGHT, no gap, you can not move, can not sleep, some people every tired, they just sleep under the seat, only one window can open in one carriage, very hot, the train not only take us back to home, but also Shanghai's air...

Everyday CCTV says China now is leading the technology of train in the world, but in fact, they spend so much for the rich people and developed area.

The GOV should do more.