Your first visit · 上海
Shanghai travel guide
Shanghai makes more sense when you plan around the river. The Bund is on the western bank; the towers of Lujiazui stand across the water in Pudong. Farther west, streets around the former French Concession suit an afternoon on foot. Choose one area at a time and leave room for meals and the journey between them.
Suggested stay Allow three full sightseeing days, separate from your arrival day. Add another day for a slower museum visit or a trip outside the central districts.
Before you arrive
- Check whether your flight uses Pudong (PVG) or Hongqiao (SHA), then save the hotel name and address in Chinese. They lead to different transfer decisions.
- Choose your hotel by its actual metro entrance and walking route. A district name alone tells you little about the final journey with luggage.
- Keep the first evening flexible. A meal near the hotel and a short walk are enough after a long flight.
Check your passport and itinerary in the entry checker before booking. Its coverage and unresolved rules matter: an airport route in this guide does not establish permission to enter China.
01 / Land and get settled
From the airport to your hotel
Choose transport for your hotel address and arrival terminal. Operator and municipal pages were checked on September 23, 2026. Rail times below cover named segments; walking, waiting and onward travel take additional time.
Before leaving the terminal
Use the arrival guide to separate immigration, baggage collection and customs. Follow the current official instructions for your documents and anything you need to declare.
Open your saved hotel address and check that your connection works. If you need a SIM, ask the airport information desk for an operator counter and confirm its hours and total price before paying. A travel data eSIM does not automatically give you a Chinese phone number. For cash, look for an ATM displaying your card network and review its fee screen; see the cash guide for limits and fallback options.
Fares below are in RMB. Rail times describe the stated journey, excluding border checks, baggage, waiting and the last leg to your hotel. Check the operator link for your travel date and direction.
Pudong: Metro Line 2
Pudong Airport Terminal 1&2 to People's Square and other Line 2 stations.
- Cost
- About RMB 7 to People's Square, per the municipal airport guide.
- Time
- About one hour to People's Square on the train.
A straightforward choice for a hotel near Line 2. Allow for the walk from arrivals.[1]
Pudong: Maglev
Pudong Airport to Longyang Road, then an onward connection.
- Cost
- Check the displayed ticket price; onward metro travel may cost extra.
- Time
- Check the departure board and include your connection.
Longyang Road is the terminus, not the Bund. Compare the complete journey before choosing.[1]
Between airports: Airport Link Line
Pudong Airport Terminal 1&2 to Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2.
- Cost
- Check the current fare for your destination.
- Time
- About 40 minutes between the airports.
Useful for the Hongqiao area. A flight or railway connection needs additional walking and check-in time.[1]
Hongqiao: metro
Either airport: taxi
Signed airport taxi rank to your hotel.
- Cost
- Metered; traffic, distance and applicable charges affect the total.
- Time
- Traffic-dependent.
Useful with bulky luggage. Show the full Chinese address.[1]
Save your hotel's Chinese address before flying. If the pickup map will not load, ask airport staff for the signed taxi queue. See the Didi guide for account setup and pickup problems.
For the flight home
Check your airport and terminal on the booking before setting off. Once there, follow signs for your flight's departure area. The photos below show departure signs and a terminal approach. Use the signs on site for current gate numbers and directions.
02 / Choose a base
Where to stay in Shanghai
These are suggested areas, not inspected hotels. Compare the actual station exit, walk to the property and front-desk hours before choosing a room.
People's Square and East Nanjing Road
人民广场 / 南京东路
A first stay focused on the Bund, central museums and metro travel. Compare addresses along the corridor rather than treating it as one small neighborhood.
Choose carefully if you want a quiet evening. Check the exact street and walking distance from the station, especially for rooms advertised as being near the Bund.
Jing'an and the former French Concession
静安 / 原法租界街区
Walking, cafés and a less attraction-led schedule. Pick a specific base near a metro station, then explore surrounding streets without a rigid route.
The former concession covers a broad area. A hotel convenient for one walking route may add transfers to another day's sightseeing.
Lujiazui
陆家嘴
Staying among the Pudong towers and spending time on the eastern waterfront.
You will cross the river for the Bund and much of the older central city. Compare that daily journey with the value of a river-view room.
Confirm the first night in writing
Tell the exact branch that you will check in with a foreign passport and give your arrival time. Ask it to confirm registration, the deposit amount and accepted payment methods. Save the reply and booking reference offline.
“I will arrive at about [time] with a [country] passport. Can your front desk complete my check-in and passport registration then? What deposit and payment methods do you require?”
The old “foreign-guest licence” claim is not a reliable booking rule. Read the hotel check-in guide for the official position and a refusal fallback, and the accommodation registration guide if you are staying in a home or apartment.
03 / Move around
Getting around the city
Start with single metro tickets
Single tickets are sold at ticket machines and priced by distance. The municipal guide also lists card-payment facilities for buying tickets. If an app setup fails, ask station staff about a ticket before spending your sightseeing time troubleshooting it.[2]
Compare passes with your actual plan
The published metro passes cost RMB 18 for 24 hours and RMB 45 for 72 hours from first use; maglev travel is excluded. A day mostly spent walking may involve few paid rides. Check the current coverage before buying, especially for airport journeys.[2]
Choose the museum address before setting off
Shanghai Museum has separate People's Square and East venues. The East museum is at 1952 Century Avenue in Pudong. Save the full venue name when planning your route, and check its exhibition programme before deciding which building to visit.[3][4]
Save destinations in Chinese as well as English. The map app guide helps with place-name mismatches; the train guide covers passport names, tickets and station checks for onward travel.
04 / Sit down for a meal
What to eat, and how to order
Start with a small dumpling or noodle order, then try shared dishes at a sit-down meal. Show the Chinese name when translations are unclear, check the portion size and explain dietary restrictions before paying.
Soup dumplings
小笼包 · xiǎo lóng bāo
Thin steamed wrappers hold meat and hot broth; pork is a common filling.
Use a spoon, open the wrapper gently and let the soup cool. Check the filling instead of assuming every basket is the same.
Pan-fried buns
生煎 · shēng jiān
Pork buns with a browned base. Some versions hold plenty of broth; others have a softer, breadier wrapper.
Ask for the piece count. Start carefully: a crisp base does not mean the filling has cooled.
Sweet and sour ribs
糖醋小排 · táng cù xiǎo pái
Small pork ribs coated in a glossy sweet-and-sour sauce. The pieces are served on the bone.
Check the portion size before adding a plate to a dumpling or noodle meal.
Soy-sauce duck
酱鸭 · jiàng yā
Duck in a dark soy-sauce glaze, sliced for serving.
Ask whether the price is for a portion, half a duck or a whole duck, and whether it is served cold.
Scallion oil noodles
葱油拌面 · cōng yóu bàn miàn
Noodles tossed with fried scallion oil and soy sauce.
Mix before eating. Some shops add dried shrimp, so a plain-looking bowl is not proof of vegetarian ingredients.
Red-braised pork belly
红烧肉 · hóng shāo ròu
Pork belly slowly cooked in a sweet, savory soy-based sauce, with soft layers of fat and meat.
Ask whether the menu price is for one piece or a shared plate. Order rice separately if it is not included.
When the QR menu does not work
Ask staff to take your order. Check the menu price and portion size before ordering; photographs may show a larger serving. For allergies or strict dietary requirements, show a translated card listing ingredients and cross-contact concerns. A dish name or “no chilli” request does not establish that a meal is safe for you.
- I cannot use the QR menu. Could you help me order?
- 我用不了扫码点餐，可以帮我点餐吗？
- Wǒ yòng bù liǎo sǎomǎ diǎncān, kěyǐ bāng wǒ diǎncān ma?
- Please do not add chilli.
- 请不要放辣椒。
- Qǐng bú yào fàng làjiāo.
- Could I see the price first?
- 可以先看一下价格吗？
- Kěyǐ xiān kàn yíxià jiàgé ma?
Prepare a wallet and a backup before travel using the payment guide. For a failed payment, follow the troubleshooting steps; do not assume a foreign card works at every shop.
05 / Book the day that matters
Reservations to check first
Shanghai Museum East
Individual visitors currently do not need a general-entry reservation. Bring original valid ID. The museum closes on Tuesdays except national holidays; certain interactive galleries still require bookings, and special exhibitions can have separate tickets. Check the specific exhibition before travelling.[3]
Official visitor information for Shanghai Museum East →Shanghai Museum at People's Square
The published walk-in policy has exceptions for peak periods and popular special exhibitions. This venue normally closes on Mondays, unlike the East venue. Recheck holiday notices and bring valid ID.[4]
Official visitor information for Shanghai Museum at People's Square →Yuyuan Garden
The garden, neighboring temple and surrounding shopping area are different parts of the visit. Check which entrance and experience your ticket covers. The linked municipal overview establishes the location, but does not supply a current booking calendar or admission promise.[5]
Official visitor information for Yuyuan Garden →06 / Leave room in the day
A first Shanghai itinerary
These are editorial suggestions. Move the days around your tickets, opening dates, weather and energy after the flight.
- Day 1
Yuyuan and the Bund
Visit Yuyuan in the morning if your chosen admission is available, then have lunch nearby. Leave the afternoon loose before heading to the Bund. Stay on the western bank for the skyline view across the river; dinner nearby avoids another cross-city journey. Skip a tower visit today. If you still feel like walking, add part of Nanjing Road; leave it for another day if the waterfront is enough.
- Day 2
A museum and an afternoon on foot
Wukang Mansion — a landmark for a walk around Wukang Road. Choose the People's Square museum if its current exhibitions interest you, then travel west for lunch and a walk around Jing'an or the former French Concession. Pick a few streets rather than a long checklist. If the museum is closed, reverse this day with the Pudong day. Wukang Mansion can be one landmark on a Wukang Road walk.
- Day 3
Pudong at your own pace
Lujiazui — the skyline seen across the river. Give Shanghai Museum East a generous morning, allowing time for lunch before heading towards Lujiazui. Walk by the river or choose one observation deck after checking visibility and ticket conditions. The museum and towers require a transfer; they are not one compact walking stop.
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With more time
With another day, revisit a district you enjoyed or plan a separate excursion. Check both directions before reserving an out-of-town trip. If continuing by high-speed train, confirm the exact departure station rather than assuming every service uses Hongqiao.
Questions before you go
Is the maglev the best way to every hotel?
No. It ends at Longyang Road. Compare the onward connection with a direct Line 2 journey or a taxi to the hotel address.
Can I use the 40-minute airport train as my connection buffer?
No. That figure describes the rail segment. Add arrivals procedures, walking, waiting and the next flight's check-in deadline before judging a connection.
Which Shanghai Museum should I visit?
Choose by the exhibitions you want and the rest of your day. People's Square fits a central-western route; the East venue fits a Pudong day. Their normal closing days differ.
Do I need a paid attraction every day?
You can build much of the visit around streets and river views. Reserve paid attractions because you want that experience, and leave enough time between bookings to enjoy the surrounding area.
Sources and review dates
Official pages support the transport and reservation details cited above. Area choices and day plans are Chinista's recommendations. Photos show places, not a recent inspection of services. Prices and operations can change; the linked operator remains the final check before you travel.
Photographs with individual credits come from Wikimedia Commons; the other inline images were supplied by the Chinista editor without confirmed capture dates. Images labeled illustrative carry an AIGC label in the supplied file. Airport images illustrate the location or transport, not current directions or services.
- Shanghai Government: airport transport, updated June 4, 2026Opened and checked 2026-09-23
- Shanghai Government: how to take the metroOpened and checked 2026-09-23
- Shanghai Museum East: official visitor informationOpened and checked 2026-09-23
- Shanghai Government: People's Square museum reservation exceptionsOpened and checked 2026-09-23
- Shanghai Government: Yuyuan GardenOpened and checked 2026-09-23
- Shanghai Government: xiaolongbaoOpened and checked 2026-09-23
- Shanghai Government: pan-fried pork bunsOpened and checked 2026-09-23
- Shanghai Government: scallion oil noodlesOpened and checked 2026-09-23
- Shanghai Government: red-braised pork bellyOpened and checked 2026-09-23
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