Grand Canal

Grand Canal

China's legendary man-made waterway, the Grand Canal, runs from Beijing in the north to Hangzhou in the south stretching 1,747 kilometers. At 10 times the length of the Suez Canal and 20 times that of the Panama Canal, it is another wonder made by the ancient Chinese.

Interconnecting five rivers, the Haihe, Yellow River, Huaihe River, Yangtze River and the Qaintang River, the canal served as a significant means of transportation for centuries. It facilitated the transport of food and goods from the south to the north and boosted commercial development in the country. The section from Suzhou to Hangzhou is still in active use today, with vendors rowing their boats directly to households and shops in local townships.

Boat trips along the canal offer tourists a nice view of China's typical waterside villages, arched stone bridges and ancient riverside  buildings along the countryside.

Hi, I'm Lynn Ye
I updated this article on November 7, 2012
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Q: Alison Asked on 2011-04-25 Reply
Hi, I will be staying at Four Points, Binjiang. Could you please direct me to the Grand Canal? How can i get there with public transport? Please provide the prices as well. Thank you
You could go to the Qiaonan stop(桥南站） near your hotel and take the bus of b3 (b支3) and get off at North Times Square stop (时代广场北口站)， walking 10m to a nearby stop and catch 566 bus to Sanbao/Sanpu Stop (三堡站), and then you could walk Northeast to Jinghang Grand Canal (京杭大运河). Good luck! Delia Xie Replied on 2011-04-26