Visit Tongli During The Week Before New Year

We will be in Shanghai between Jan 22 and 26 (a week before New Year). We'd like to visit Tongli or a water town near Shanghai for a day trip. Is it feasible or advisable to book a fast train/bus from Shanghai to Tongli on Jan 25? How crowded are the stations during this time? We are first-time visitors and do not speak Chinese so we're concerned if we could even navigate ourselves through the crowded stations and be able to have a pleasant trip. Thanks for any advice.