Six new 3d-4f heterometallic coordination polymers, {[Ln4Cu2(INAIP)8(H2O)15]·14H2O}n [Ln = La (1), Pr (2), Nd (3)] and {[LnCo0.5(INAIP)2(H2O)2]·2H2O}n [Ln = Tb (4), Dy (5), Yb (6), H2INAIP = 5-(isonicotinamido)isophthalic acid] have been synthesised and characterised by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The results of structural analyses showed that 1–3 are isomorphous showing two-fold interpenetrated three-dimensional (3D) coordination framework, while 4–6 have the same non-interpenetrated 3D structure with 2D (4, 4) lanthanide-carboxylate layers. The results revealed that the different transition metal centres have great influence on the structures of the resulted complexes in this system. In addition, thermogravimetric and magnetic properties of 1–6, and photoluminescence of 4 were investigated.