Cheap Flights to Nanking / Nanjing Airport

Discover Nanking / Nanjing

A city with a rich and impressive heritage, Nanjing charms tourists with several historic attractions. Its name, translating to 'Southern Capital', lies on the lower stretches of the Yangtze River. Those going here can fly into Nanjing Lukou International Airport, the main port of entry serving the capital of Jiangsu province and the Yangtze River Delta. It is situated 35 kilometres south of the city centre, connected by expressways.

As a hub for China Eastern Airlines and a focus city for Shenzhen Airlines and a number of other local carriers, the airport handles over 15 million passengers every year. It is also the main base for China Postal Airlines, handling cargo services and express mail to all major cities in China. Two runways can be found here, which both stretch around 11,811 feet long, allowing it to manage flights from different parts of the country, as well as a number of cities in Asia.

What to see & do

With the city's brief glory as China’s capital in its résumé, tourists going to Nanjing will be in for a historic treat. One can start with the Línggǔ Temple Scenic Area, a large complex containing the Beamless Hall, one of the most significant buildings in the city. It was built entirely out of brick and stone without any beam supports in 1381. The structure also has a vaulted ceiling and a large stone platform where Buddhist statues once sat. Other structures can be found here, such as the graceful Pine Wind Pavilion and the colourful Línggǔ Pagoda, a nine-storey, 60-metre high octagonal structure finished in 1933.

One can then turn to the Míng Xiàolíng Tomb, where Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding member of the Ming Dynasty lies buried. A scenic area surrounds the tomb, with the Plum Blossom Hill near the entrance. A tree-lined pathway winding around the pavilions can also be seen here. There are also picnic grounds and scenic Zǐxiá Lake, which is an ideal place for strolling. Visitors will also find a magnificent mausoleum, where the first section is lined with stone statues of lions, camels, elephants, and horses.

From here, tourists can turn to the Sun Yatsen Mausoleum, which has a tomb lying on top of an enormous stone stairway of 392 steps. It is a stately marble gateway with a roof of blue-glazed tiles with the blue and white of the mausoleum symbolising the Kuomintang flag. Visitors can then move to Nánjīng Museum with its massive and lavish expansion in 2013 which makes a contrast with its traditional temple-style hall. One will find here several displays such as Jiāngsū landscape painting, ancient calligraphy, and sculpture. A splendid collection of gold and copper Tibetan Buddha statues can also be found here, as well as some ornate clocks, ceramics, and Qing-dynasty decorations.

How to get around within Nanjing

An efficient metro system cutting through Nanjing’s city centre allows travellers to get around the city. Lines 1, 2, and 10 take passengers throughout the city, with four other lines under construction. Tourist bus routes also ply the routes to the popular sights of the city, with bus 13 transporting travellers to the city centre from Nanjing Train Station or from Zhongyang Gate. Other bus routes can also be found passing by Nanjing Train Station, making it a convenient area to move around from. Other options for transportation include taxis, which can be easy to flag down anywhere in the city.

How to get there

Various airlines fly to and from Nanjing Lukou International Airport. Some of them include domestic Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Express Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Beijing Capital Airlines, Chengdu Airlines, and many more. International airlines, on the other hand, include Dragonair, Korean Air, Lufthansa, Maldivian, Scoot, and Vietnam Airlines.