High density TiO2 nanotube film with hexagonal shape and narrow size distribution was fabricated by templating ZnO nanorod array film and sol–gel process. Well-aligned ZnO nanorod array films obtained by aqueous solution method were used as template to synthesize ZnO/TiO2 core–shell structure through sol–gel process. Subsequently, TiO2 nanotube array films survived by removing the ZnO nanorod cores using wet-chemical etching. Polycrystalline anatase TiO2 nanotube films were 1.5 μm long and 100 nm in inter diameter with a wall thickness of 10 nm.