This invention discloses a method for preparing titanate nanotubes. The method comprises: uniformly mixing nitrate and power of sodium titanate nanotubes at a mol ratio of (5-100):1, performing melt-reaction at 50-450 deg.C for 3-48 h, cooling, washing to remove unreacted nitrate, and drying to obtain titanate nanotubes. The nitrate is lithium nitrate, and drying to obtain titanate nanotubes. The nitrate is lithium nitrate, potassium nitrate, rubidium nitrate, cesium nitrate, silver nitrate, nickel nitrate, thallium nitrate, copper nitrate, zinc nitrate or cobalt nitrate. The precursor of sodium titanate nanotubes is prepared by: reacting titanium dioxide, metatitanic acid or titanate ester in 20-80 wt. % NaOH aqueous solution at 100-140 deg.C for 12-72 h, washing with water, filtering and drying. This invention can prepare titanate nanotubes with large specific surface area by melt-exchange method.