How do I get from Suzhou to Huai'an?

Hi, we're traveling back to China this summer to make a rootstravel with our 4 kids.
Our daugther comes from SZ (the wellknow places just 100 kms out of Shanghai) and our son comes from Huai'an (between Yancheng and Xuzhou)
Both cities are in Jiangsu.
The train from SZ to Huai'an is impossible.... from SZ to Xuzhou is okay, but there's no regular train between Xuzhou and Huai'an, only one, really late at night...
Anybody good advise?