The allocation protects an actual visit and departure. Adding a water town or Zhenjiang needs its own transport and overnight decision.
HISTORY + GARDENS · 4 NIGHTSNanjing 南京 (2) → Suzhou 苏州 (2)
Why this branch: Choose one Zhongshan history day and one deliberate garden and old-city day. Two nights in each city protect a real hotel move and separate departure; stay overnight in both Jiangsu cities.
- Nanjing 南京 2 nightsUse a booked Xinjiekou-area hotel as the city base, with a full Zhongshan Scenic Area day and time for the station transfer.
- Suzhou 苏州 2 nightsStay in the old-city/garden area after identifying the arrival station on your ticket, then choose one garden and add the museum if a timed slot is available.
Entry, last leg and return: Enter at the Nanjing airport or the exact Nanjing South (南京南) or Nanjing Station (南京站) on your ticket; arrange the ride to the booked hotel. For Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum (中山陵), Metro Line 2 at Muxuyuan (苜蓿园) or Xiamafang (下马坊) still leaves a scenic shuttle or walk to the reserved entry; use the operator's dated shuttle information. Search 12306 for your actual Nanjing-area departure → Suzhou-area arrival and its date. If the ticket says Suzhou Station (苏州站), the city government's 2026 guide gives Line 2 → Pinghe Road (平河路) → Line 6 → Humble Administrator's Garden/Suzhou Museum Station (拙政园苏博站), Exit 1; finish the walk or road ride to your particular hotel and selected garden gate. Suzhou North (苏州北站) is a different arrival and needs a new last-leg plan. Leave from the station and city on your issued exit ticket, with the hotel-to-station reverse arranged; an early Shanghai flight needs a Shanghai last night or an available dated return.
When to cut it: With only two nights, choose Nanjing history or Suzhou gardens as the single base. If the mausoleum reservation fails, use an independently open Nanjing visit; if a Suzhou museum slot fails, keep the garden/old-city day. A same-day cross-city dash leaves out the four-night route's protected visits.
TAIHU SHORE · 2 NIGHTSWuxi 无锡: Yuantouzhu 鼋头渚 and Taihu 太湖
Why this branch: Choose lake scenery as the main reason for Jiangsu. Two Wuxi nights allow an arrival, one weather-aware Yuantouzhu day and a return without attaching a rushed Suzhou garden visit.
- Wuxi 无锡 2 nightsChoose a Wuxi-side hotel only after naming the actual rail station, Yuantouzhu gate and the reverse road ride.
Entry, last leg and return: Buy a dated ticket to the exact Wuxi Station (无锡站) or Wuxi East (无锡东站) printed on it; they need different hotel arrival plans. Arrange the station-to-hotel ride and a separate ride to Yuantouzhu's Chongshan Gate (充山大门). The city's 2025 guide documented bus K1 from Wuxi Station to Chongshan Gate and K87 toward Dushan Gate, but use today's operator timetable for either departure. Ask the operator for the current bus route and last return, or prebook a car for the round trip from the hotel. Keep the reverse hotel-to-booked-station ride for the onward train. Line 5 Yuantouzhu metro station is still under construction; use a road arrival.
Before you commit to this branch When to cut it: If the lake day is unsafe or the gate return fails on your date, keep an independently open Wuxi city day and the booked rail exit, or move the Yuantouzhu date. Use an arranged road return if the spring shuttle or dated bus misses the final train; Line 5 is still unfinished.
CANAL + OLD CITY · 3 NIGHTSYangzhou 扬州: Slender West Lake and the Grand Canal Museum
Why this branch: Choose canal culture, the old city and a lake garden over a fast Nanjing–Suzhou pairing. Three Yangzhou nights give the lake and China Grand Canal Museum different days and keep the station return visible.
- Yangzhou 扬州 3 nightsStay in a booked old-city base; protect separate lake/old-city and museum days, plus the ride to the booked exit station.
Entry, last leg and return: Use the exact Yangzhou East (扬州东站) or Yangzhou Station (扬州站) on the issued 12306 ticket and arrange a road ride to the old-city hotel. Slender West Lake (瘦西湖) has its own Dahongqiao Road visitor side; use the gate on the current operator ticket and return to the hotel. The China Grand Canal Museum (中国大运河博物馆) is a separate trip: its visit page names bus routes 82/57/56/9, but ask for the current bus and return or arrange a car round trip and the booked entry. Return from the hotel to the exact station on the outbound ticket, leaving enough margin for that road leg. The East Hub sightseeing line was announced for spring 2026; ask the operator for current station transfers.
Before you commit to this branch When to cut it: If Monday or a missing museum slot removes that day, swap with an open lake/old-city day or change the dates. If the lake gate or ride closes, keep the museum only with its own booked entry and return. Never sacrifice the hotel-to-station exit to fit a second site.
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