Take the intercity train to Songchenglu, not the high-speed one

Kaifeng North, on the high-speed line, is 20 to 30 minutes from Zhengzhou East but sits well outside town. The intercity service from Zhengzhou and its airport stops at Songchenglu, closer to the old town, in about 40 minutes.

For a one-night visit from Zhengzhou, Songchenglu wins on total door-to-door time. Xi'an is about two and a half hours to Kaifeng North if you are coming from further west.