Nanjing Lukou Airport: where to stay, areas and recommended hotels

Lukou is about 35 km south of central Nanjing, served by a single fast link, metro line S1, which reaches Nanjing South station in 35 minutes: beyond that threshold it's always worth weighing whether to stay near the terminal or head all the way to Gulou, in the city's historic heart. For anyone with a dawn flight or a layover of a few hours, the handiest option is the Pullman, linked to the terminal by a covered pedestrian corridor. Anyone staying more than one night gains in atmosphere by aiming for the Gulou district, a stone's throw from Lake Xuanwu, while having to accept nearly an hour's travel overall from the airport.

At the airport

A covered pedestrian corridor from the Pullman to the terminal, about a 5-minute walk; the S1 metro station is in the same complex and reaches Nanjing South in 35 minutes (7 yuan), or the hotel shuttle takes about 30 minutes.

Best for: Layovers of a few hours and dawn departures, when you want to reach check-in without a bus or taxi.

Pros

Check-in is reached on foot along a covered corridor, without depending on traffic on the ring road
The S1 metro station is in the same complex as the terminal, handy even for early departures

Cons

All around just the airport area, isolated from the rest of Nanjing
The old town still requires 50-60 minutes between metro and change

Recommended hotels in this area

Pullman Nanjing Lukou Airport: Linked to the terminal by a covered pedestrian corridor of about 5 minutes; the S1 metro station is in the same complex, along with a paid shuttle to Nanjing South.
Novotel Nanjing Airport: An 8-11 minute drive from the terminal, with a free shuttle on booking running from 7:30 to 21:30; a property opened in 2024.

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Gulou and the old town

City centre · Metro S1 to Nanjing South (35 minutes), then change onto Line 1 for Gulou (another 20-25 minutes); a direct taxi cuts the trip to about 45-50 minutes outside peak hours.

Best for: Anyone who wants Lake Xuanwu, the Confucius Temple and the university life of downtown, accepting nearly an hour's travel from the airport.

Pros

The Confucius Temple, Lake Xuanwu and Nanjing University are reachable on foot or within a few minutes by metro
Many more options for dinner and evening life than the airport area

Cons

No direct link to the airport: a change between S1 and Line 1 is always needed, or a long taxi ride
A central, university area, so busier and noisier than Lukou

Recommended hotels in this area

InterContinental Nanjing by IHG: On Zhong Yang Road, in Gulou district, connected to a shopping mall and a 12-minute walk from the Jiming Temple metro; a pool and four in-house restaurants.

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