Weather

When is the best time to tour Shanghai?

Spring (Apr-mid May) and autumn (late Sep-mid Nov) are more comfortable visit time without the hot summer (Jun-Aug) and freezing winter (Dec-Mar).

Transportation

How can I get to Shanghai?

Option 1 - by air

There are two airports in Shanghai, suburb Pudong Airport (PVG, some are domestic and most are international flights) and the in-the-town Hongqiao (SHA, most are domestic flights) Airport. The same Shanghai airport for flight transit is advised since the transfer between the PVG and SHA usually requires 1-2 hours. Airport Bus 1(6:00 am-9:00 pm, every 15 min) outside the terminals directly transfer between the two airports in 1 hour at 30 RMB.

Pudong Airport (PVG)

How can I go to downtown from Pudong Airport?

Method A - Maglev Train

Maglev train to Pudong Airport is available at Longyang Lu Station (龙阳路站, 50 RMB/person). The maglev runs from 6:45 am to 09:40 pm, departs every 20 minutes and takes less than 10 minutes for the transfer.

Method B - Taxi

The taxi takes about 120 RMB and 45 min from Shanghai downtown to Pudong Airport.

Method C - Metro Line

You can take Metro Line 2 and stop at Guanglan Lu Station (广兰路站) for the extended Metro Line 2 to reach Pudong Airport in about 40 minutes.

Method D - Airport Shuttle Bus

Many airport buses operate between the airport and downtown with a transfer time of 60-90 min. The handy lines are:

Airport Bus Line 1:

Directly run between Hongqiao Airport and Pudong Airport. The bus departs every 20-30min from 6:00 am to 9:30 pm. The transfer takes 1 hour and RMB 30.

Airport Bus Line 2:

Connect Pudong Airport and Airport City Terminal on West Nanjing Road, east of Jing'an Temple. The bus departs every 20 min from 5:30 am to 9:30 pm at about RMB 20.

Airport Bus Line 5:

Run between Pudong Airport and Shanghai Train Station via People's Square. The bus departs every 30 min from 5 am to 9 pm at about RMB 15-18.

How can I transfer from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 in Pudong Airport?

There are two main terminals for different airlines, connected by shuttle bus (for free) that departs every 15 min to transfer between Terminal 1 and 2 from 6 am-9 pm. The bus stops at door (domestic)1 and 8 (international) of Terminal 1 and doors 27(domestic), 23 (international) of Terminal 2.

Useful lines for Pudong Airport

• Airport Inquiry: 96990
• Luggage Deposit: 68346324 or 68340076
• The Lost and Found: 68346324 or 68340417

Hongqiao Airport (SHA)

How can I get to Hongqiao Airport from downtown?

Method A - Taxi

It is around 13 km far from downtown to the Hongqiao Airport. A taxi ride takes around 40 RMB.

Method B - Airport Buses

The following buses can be taken in front of domestic departure hall.

• Airport Bus Line No.1 directly transfers between Hongqiao Airport and Pudong Airport. The bus departs every 20-30 min from 6 am to 9:30 pm, and takes RMB 30 for the 1-hour transfer.
• Airport Shuttle Bus connects the airport and the Airport City Terminal on West Nanjing Road, east of Jing'an Temple. The bus departs every 15 min from 7:50 am to 11 pm at about RMB 4.
• Bus Line 925 can reach People's Square from 6:40 am to 9:25 pm at RMB 4.

Useful lines for Hongqiao Airport

• Airport Inquiry: 96990
• Luggage Deposit: 22344553 or 22381085
• The Lost and Found: 22344553 or 22381086
• Airport Police Station: 22344180 or 22380990
• Business Center: 22382435

Option 2 - by train

Shanghai Railway Station, Shanghai South Railway Station and Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station are the three major railway stations connecting Shanghai and most other China cities.

Shanghai Railway Station (上海站 or 新客站) is the busiest one with the direct fast transfer to/ from Beijing, Tianjing, Kowloon of Hong Kong, etc. The station can be reached by metro line NO.1, 3, 4.

Shanghai South Railway Station (上海南站), junction of the public buses, long distance buses and metro lines, mostly connects with long routes to China south and short trains to Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces like Guangzhou, Chongqing, Chengdu, Nanjing, Changshan, Hangzhou, etc.

Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station (上海虹桥站) offers direct CRH fast trains to Hefei, Liu'an, Wuhan, Hankou and Wuchang, etc.

Option 3 - by water

Ferries go to Mt. Putuo and Mt. Dai from Shanghai Port Wusong Passenger Center (吴淞客运中心码头). This 12-hour boat journey starts from 8:00 am and takes RMB 100 to 400. The port can be reached by buses No. 51, 16, 522, and 952.

The high-speed yacht to Mt. Putuo is also available from Luchao Port (芦潮港), south of Shanghai. Yacht leaves from Luchao Port at 9:30 am and reaches Mt. Putuo at 12:00 am. The Yacht to Luchao Port is from 1 to 3:30 pm. The one-way ticket can be purchased at RMB 225 at Huangpu Tourist Distributing Centre (No.1588, Waima Lu). The one-hour bus service to Luchao Port is also available at daily 8:00 am at Huangpu Tourist Distributing Center. The one-way through ticket for the bus and yacht is RMB 258.

Cuisine

Where to hunt for Shanghai Cuisine?

The cuisine streets are for you to make the most of your visit time to sample the local delicacies.

Yunnan Lu (云南路), an old cuisine street near People's Square area, are for most first timers. Here it gathers majority of local old-brand Chinese foods like Xiaoshaoxing (小绍兴, add: NO.69-75, Yunnan South Road, Huangpu District) special for its sliced boiled chicken with sauce, Xiandelai Paigu Niangao (鲜得来排骨年糕, Add: NO.46 Yunnan South Road, Huangpu District) with its pork-chop and rice cake, etc.

Chenghuang Temple (城隍庙) with variety shanghai snacks, Wujiang Lu (吴江路) with local and non-shanghai eateries, Huanghe Lu (黄河路) with old-brand Shanghai cuisine and seafood restaurants, are also the places for the food hunters.

Shopping

Where can I do shopping in Shanghai?

There are many business districts to satisfy your shopping desire in Shanghai.

Huaihai Road and Nanjing Road are the best known shopping streets with clusters of grand shopping malls and department stores. Nanjing Road (east) tends to be for tourists and Huaihai Road is more favored by the locals.

Nanjing Road has famed trendy malls like Westgate Mall (梅陇镇广场), Itokin (伊都锦), Plaza 66 (恒隆广场), Citic Square (中信泰富广场).

On Huaihai Road, different budgets can find the suitable choices from mid-range and frequent-on-sale Parkson Department Store & Supermarket (百盛购物中心) and Taipingyang Department Store (太平洋百货) to the high-end Maison Mode Department Store (美美百货) and Lane Crawford (连卡佛).

Distinct from the Huaihai Roadgrand neighbor, Maoming Road (茂名路) Huaihai Zhong Road, Shanxi South Road (陕西南路) and Xinle Road (新乐路) have gathered cool boutiques with the cheongsam, chic shoes and clothing, jewelry, etc.

Qipu Road Clothing Wholesale Market (七浦路服装批发市场) is a heaven of large quantity of reasonably-priced clothing (major for female). Sharp eye and haggle is needed for the varying-quality products here.

If you want to hunt for some souvenirs, arts, crafts, Yuyuan Bazaar (with a wide range of second-hand stuffs, artworks, snacks) and Duolun Road (with antiques shops, museums, galleries) are worthy of a visit.

Nightlife

Where to color night life in Shanghai?

Bars or nightclubs: the actions mainly gather in Xintiandi (新天地), Hengshan Road (衡山路), Maoming South Road (茂名南路), Huaihai Road (淮海路), Fuxing Park (复兴公园).

CJW Jazz Bar (CJW爵士乐酒廊外滩店) features its overlooking view of the Bund, Chinese-Jazz-mixed music, seductive wine lists and cigar.
Add: 50 floor, No.222 Yanan East Road, Huangpu District / 延安东路222

Cotton Club (棉花俱乐部), a noted classic Jazz club, has night live performances and audience/performer interaction.
Add: No.1428, Huaihai Zhong Road / 淮海中路1428号

Must-see Show: Shanghai is leading in acrobatic performances in China and even the world.

Shanghai Circus World (上海马戏城) nightly offers more awe-invoking acrobatic and magic performances from 7:30-9:pm.
Add: NO.2266, Gongshengxin Road / 闸北区共和新路2266号

Shanghai Centre Theatre (上海商城剧院) offers not amazing but still entertaining show from 7:30-9:pm of most days.
Add: NO.1376, West Nanjing Road / 南京西路1376号
Site: www.shanghaicentre.com

Lyceum Theatre (兰心大戏院) also performs nice acrobatic show from 7:30-9:pm every night.
Add: NO.57, Maoming Lu / 茂名路57号