West Lake boat rides at a glance
Boats on West Lake are tourist boats, not public transport. The "ferries" are island boats that take you from a pier on the shore to Xiaoyingzhou, the island of the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon, and back. Rowed boats with a boatman are hired by the hour. Small motor boats and rowing boats can be driven by you.
For the island boat, the price is per person: CNY 55 for the standard leisure boat and CNY 70 for the luxury, painted or electric boat, both in 2026. The island has its own fee of CNY 20. The return trip is included, and you can stay on the island as long as you like within the day's operating hours. Children between 1.2 and 1.5 m pay half.
Our picks: boats on West Lake
Our take: the hand-rowed boat comes with the evening show. The short boat ride passes the causeways, and the boat ticket is the simple way onto the water.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Hand-rowed boat and Impression West Lake VIP show
- Hotel transfer in Hangzhou
- One-hour hand-rowed boat
- VIP show seat
An hour in a hand-rowed boat, a walk on Gushan Road and the evening show in a VIP seat. Dinner is extra.
Check availability →
West Lake boat ride with optional island visit
- West Lake boat ride
- Views of causeways and pagodas
Under an hour on the water, past the causeways and pagodas; the island stop depends on the option.
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West Lake Foreign Affairs Boat ticket
- Date-bound boarding pass
- Foreign Affairs Boat on West Lake
A date-bound boarding pass for the classic lake boat, the simple way onto the water.
Check availability →West Lake boat rides and cruises
Cruises on the lake and boat-and-sights combinations, with live prices and availability.
The boat types compared
Prices in CNY. Island boat values are from 2026, the other tariffs from 2025.
| Boat | Price | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Island boat, standard | CNY 55 per person | To Xiaoyingzhou and back; plus CNY 20 island fee |
| Island boat, luxury or electric | CNY 70 per person | Same route and island fee |
| Stop-to-stop lake loop | CNY 6 or 8 per section, CNY 70 for the full route | Not an island transfer; children under 1.2 m free with an adult |
| Longer loop from Wu Gongyuan | CNY 90 | Returns to the same pier |
| Hand-rowed boat with boatman | CNY 150 per boat and hour | Up to 6 people, including babies |
| Oar-rowed boat with boatman | CNY 180 per boat and hour | Up to 10 people, including babies |
| Motor boat, self-drive | CNY 30 per boat and 30 minutes | 4 or 6 seats, from the Broken Bridge pier |
| Rowing boat, self-propelled | CNY 30 per boat and hour | 5 seats, from Lakeside Six Park |
For most visitors, the standard island boat is the best value: it is cheap per person and it takes you to the island with the stone towers. Pick a boat with a boatman if you travel with a family or a small group and want to see the quiet bays at your own pace.
Island boats: piers and sales hours
Where to board and when tickets are sold.
The island boats leave from nine piers around the lake: Yi Gongyuan, Er Gongyuan, Wu Gongyuan, Shaoniangong, Zhongshan Gongyuan, Yuemiao, Huagang Guanyu, Qianwangci and Yuehu. Boats do not run at fixed minute intervals, so expect to wait at busy times. Tickets are sold in these daily windows:
| Period | Ticket sales |
|---|---|
| 16 Feb to 31 Mar | 08:00–16:30 |
| 1 Apr to 31 Aug | 08:00–17:00 |
| 1 Sep to 15 Nov | 08:00–16:30 |
| 16 Nov to 15 Feb | 08:00–16:00 |
These are selling windows, not a promised time for the last boat back. Plan to be at the pier well before the end, and keep in mind that bad weather can end trips early. The island is one of the ten scenes of West Lake.
Boats with a boatman and boats you drive
How the hourly boats work.
Starting the clock
A QR code on the boat starts the order and the timer. You pay per boat, not per passenger. The minimum hire is 1 hour, after which each started 30 minutes is charged.
Visiting the island
If you stop at an island, the island fee is added. The boat's waiting time keeps running while you walk around.
Western bays and piers
Maijiawan pier serves the western bays. Hangfan pier serves Jinshagang and Maojiabu.
Self-drive boats
Motor boats seat 4 or 6 and are hired from the Broken Bridge self-drive pier with a 30 minute minimum. Rowing boats seat 5, depart from Lakeside Six Park and have a 1 hour minimum, then half-hour steps. The tariffs are the 2025 values, so check them at the pier.
Safety
Trips can end early in bad weather. Row only as far as your strength allows: rescues of exhausted rowers are an avoidable problem.
Swimming
Swimming in the lake is not permitted. Keep to the boats and the shore.
Plan the rest of your trip
What goes with a boat ride.
West Lake boat rides: frequently asked questions
How much is a boat ride on West Lake?
The island boat to Xiaoyingzhou is CNY 55 per person for the standard boat and CNY 70 for the luxury or electric boat in 2026, plus CNY 20 for the island. A boat with a boatman costs CNY 150 or 180 per boat and hour, based on the 2025 tariff.
Are the ferries part of the public transport?
No. They are tourist boats between the shore and the islands. They do not replace the metro or the buses.
Do I pay per person or per boat?
The island boat is charged per person. Boats with a boatman and self-drive boats are charged per boat, so a full boat is cheaper per head.
Can I stay on the island as long as I like?
Yes, within the operating day. The island fee is added to your ticket, and the return trip is included.
Do boats run in bad weather?
Not always. Trips can end early, and the sales windows are no promise that boats run until the end of the window.