Arrive China
Shanghai is the soft landing for most first-timers. It's big, modern, and comparatively easy to navigate, but the scale can swallow a day if you don't plan the airport leg. This page covers the trip from tarmac to xiǎolóngbāo.
| Airports | Pudong (PVG) + Hongqiao (SHA) |
| Airport → city | Maglev ¥50 (8 min) or metro Line 2 (¥7–9, ~70 min) |
| Metro | 19+ lines, ¥3–14 by distance — pay with Alipay/WeChat QR |
| Language | English is patchy — bring the phrasebook |
| Best time | Spring and autumn (avoid July–August heat) |
Airport to the city
Shanghai has two airports. Pudong (PVG) handles most international flights and sits far to the east; Hongqiao (SHA) is closer in, mostly domestic plus a few regional routes.
- Maglev (from PVG): ¥50 one-way (¥40 with a same-day flight ticket), about 8 minutes to Longyang Road, then transfer to metro Line 2. Total into town ~40–55 minutes.
- Metro Line 2 (from PVG): ¥7–9, direct to People's Square, the Bund and on to Hongqiao — no transfer, but 60–90 minutes.
- Taxi / Didi (from PVG): ~¥150–200, 45–60 minutes depending on traffic.
- From Hongqiao (SHA): Line 2 or Line 10 into town in about 30 minutes; taxi ~¥60–100.
Getting around
The Shanghai Metro is huge, clean and cheap. Don't buy a single-ride ticket — set up Alipay or WeChat Pay before you land and scan the transit QR at the gates (see the payment guide). Fares run roughly ¥3–14 by distance.
Line 2 is the backbone (both airports ↔ People's Square ↔ Lujiazui). Line 10 hits Hongqiao, the Bund area and Yu Garden. Trains run roughly 05:30–23:00.
Where to stay
- The Bund / Nanjing Road (外滩·南京东路) — the classic river view, walkable, most tourist-friendly.
- Former French Concession / Jing'an (静安) — tree-lined, cafés and boutiques, calmer.
- Lujiazui (陆家嘴) — the skyscraper skyline, big-brand business hotels.
What to see
- The Bund (外滩) — free, and best after dark when the Pudong skyline lights up.
- Yu Garden (豫园) — a Ming-era garden beside a bazaar; ¥40 peak (Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov) / ¥30 off-peak for the garden, the bazaar is free. Closed Mondays.
- Shanghai Museum (上海博物馆) — free, walk in with your passport (no reservation since Sep 2025) — except during public holidays, school breaks and paid special exhibitions.
- Lujiazui skyline (陆家嘴) — the view is free from the Bund; the tower observation decks (Oriental Pearl, Shanghai Tower) are paid.
What to eat
- Soup dumplings — xiǎolóngbāo (小笼包): the city's signature; try Nánxiáng (南翔) in Yu Garden.
- Pan-fried buns — shēngjiān (生煎): crisp-bottomed pork buns, a street staple.
- Red-braised pork — hóngshāoròu (红烧肉): the classic Shanghainese comfort dish.
Quick tips
- Don't drink the tap water — buy bottled or drink boiled water.
- Cash is rare — QR payment is the default everywhere; sort Alipay/WeChat first.
- English is hit-or-miss — keep an offline translator and the survival Chinese page handy.
- Carry tissues — not every public toilet stocks them.