OBJECTIVE To investigate the role and mechanism of paeonol in inhibiting the migration of bladder cancer T24 cells by regulating nuclear factor κB （NF-κB）/hypoxia-inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α）-mediated aerobic glycolysis. METHODS T24 cells were divided into control group， cisplatin group （positive control， 3.001 μg/mL）， and paeonol low-， medium- and high-dose groups （100， 200， 400 μg/mL）， respectively. After 24 h of administration intervention， the effect of paeonol on the migration ability of T24 cells was detected （expressed by the cell scratch wound healing rate）. The effect of paeonol on the mitochondrial membrane potential of T24 cells was detected （expressed by the ratio of red/green fluorescence intensity）. Cellular adenosine triphosphate （ATP） levels and lactate content in T24 cells were measured. The levels of NF-κB/HIF-1α signaling pathway， the expression of migration-related proteins， and key enzymes involved in aerobic glycolysis in the cells were all determined. RESULTS Compared with the control group， the cell scratch wound healing rates in the paeonol medium- and high-dose groups and the cisplatin group were decreased significantly （P＜0.01）； in the paeonol groups， the expression levels of NF-κB/HIF-1α signaling pathway-related proteins such as NF- κB and HIF-1α， migration-related proteins such as matrix metalloproteinase 2 （MMP2）， MMP9， and vascular endothelial growth factor， as well as key enzymes involved in aerobic glycolysis such as glucose transporter 1， hexokinase 2 and pyruvate kinase isozyme type M2， were all reduced to varying degrees in the cells， most of these reductions showed statistically significant differences （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）； the ratio of red/green fluorescence intensity in mitochondria of cells in the medium- and high-dose paeonol groups were significantly decreased （P＜0.01）； the ATP concentration in cells of the paeonol high-dose group， and the lactate content in cells across all paeonol groups were significantly decreased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS Paeonol significantly inhibits the migration of bladder cancer T24 cells， and its mechanism of action may be related to the inhibition of the NF-κB/HIF-1α signaling pathway， and the down-regulation of key enzyme activities involved in aerobic glycolysis.