3-Day Visitors Guide to Shanghai Expo
Overwhelmed by too many pavilions, too many visitors in the expo? Is there any way to make the most of your time and bucks to capture more pavilions in the sea of Shanghai expo pavilions? The following is a popular blog article about three-day expo travel tips from the expo volunteer Ni Wenhao that might give you some clues and hints.
Day 1
Morning: Expo Center – Theme Pavilions
Start your Expo trip by lining up at the entrance on Yaohua Road at 8:30 am. At 9am, on the reservation machine near the entrance you can reserve your visiting time at the China Pavilion.
Bring your valid documents and tickets. Individual visitors are required to make the reservations on the spot. The extremely-hot venues like China Pavilion require a reservation. There are in total 200 reservation machines which expo volunteers will guide how to use if you need. Upon completing your reservation, you will get a receipt with the visiting time of reserved pavilion on it. But if you join in a group travel tour, your travel agency will take care of it.
Then you can embark on your day tour. At the end of Expo Axis, you will find Celebration Square, the venue for the Expo's daily grand opening ceremony. Then you can visit the Expo Center, the venue for the opening ceremony of different national pavilions; if the luck favors you, you might bump into Chinese leaders or celebrities there.
Passing the Expo Center, you can see the four Theme Pavilions, namely Urbanian Pavilion, Pavilion of City Being, Pavilion of Urban Planet and Pavilion of Public Participation.
Noon: Catering Center on the Expo Boulevard – Culture Center
At lunch time, you can release your food craving in China Gourmet Street which is sandwiched by the World Expo Center and the theme pavilions and has gathered cuisines from 31 China provinces, cities, autonomous regions, and municipalities.
After you satisfy your taste buds, it is time to give a great treat to your ears and eyes with Culture Center's performances twice displayed every day by China Oriental Song and Dance Ensemble (National Song and Dance Ensemble). Finishing the show, you can head forward the direction of China Pavilion to visit Taiwan Pavilion that features LED Dome lights and is the masterpiece of the designer of Taipei 101.
Afternoon: China Pavilion – China's Joint Provincial Pavilion – Israel Pavilion – Saudi Arabia Pavilion, etc.
By the time you come out of Taiwan Pavilion, it may be around 01:30pm and a good time to queue for China Pavilion, for which you will need to patiently wait at least 45minutes, or more than 2 hours. Entering the pavilion, you can first take the lift up to the 49th floor where has stored several highlights: circle of toughened glass floor over the Awaiting Square, a 8-minute film narrating the city construction of generations and the no-miss illuminate Chinese painting—Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival where the ancient life is vividly represented. Then you can descend to 41st floor for a sightseeing train trip. Finally, you can go to 33rd floor to learn about the low-carbon city life in China.
The neighbor provincial pavilions all have their own distinct features. If you interested, you can also visit the Macao Pavilion for a ceiling film and Hong Kong Pavilion. Don't leave the pavilion area after visiting the China Pavilion. Instead, walk east to visit the nearby Oman Pavilion, Pakistan Pavilion, Israel Pavilion and Sri Lanka Pavilion after a short break.
Across the street, you will see the pagoda for Buddhist relics (over 1,000 years old) in the Nepal Pavilion. Then you can visit the India Pavilion next door, as well as the Saudi Arabia Pavilion, which was constructed with the largest investment and has the largest IMAX cinema among all the foreign pavilions.
The next stops are respectively huge glass-box Morocco Pavilion and the two leasehold pavilions—Turkmenistan Pavilion and Qatar Pavilion. Then you will see the "Sand Dune," the United Arab Emirates Pavilion.
At sunset, take a break and have some refreshment. The tap water within the Expo Site is safe and drinkable and each catering store can be reached within a five-minute walk distance.
Evening: Lebanon Pavilion – Iran Pavilion – DPRK Pavilion – Japan Pavilion – Republic of Korea Pavilion
Take a walk in the beautiful evening and visit Lebanon Pavilion, Iran Pavilion, DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) Pavilion, Uzbekistan Pavilion and Kazakhstan Pavilion.
Then cross the road for Japan Pavilion and Republic of Korea Pavilion, sandwiched by which you can also see the Vietnam Pavilion and Asia Joint Pavilions.
Now head to the Culture Center—you may encounter the parade along the way. Call it a day at Celebration Square, the site for closing ceremony every day.
Day 2
Arrive at the Expo Site at 8:30 a.m. and enter the expo site at the Changqing Road Gate. And please remember to finish the reservation procedure first. It is advised to book your afternoon or evening visiting time for U.S. Pavilion, United Kingdom Pavilion, Belgium-UN Pavilion, France Pavilion and Switzerland Pavilion.
Morning: Thailand Pavilion – Australia Pavilion – Singapore Pavilion – New Zealand Pavilion – United Nations Pavilion, etc.
Entering from Changqing Road, you can find Thailand Pavilion on your right side. Ahead, you will see Australia Pavilion; then on your right stand the music-box-like Singapore Pavilion and the Malaysia Pavilion. Feast your eyes and ears with the fascinating scenery inside the New Zealand Pavilion, created by the visual effects team behind the famous Lord of the Rings films. Following New Zealand Pavilion, you can stop by the Cambodia Pavilion and then the bamboo-bush-roofed Indonesia Pavilion, Joint Pavilion of International Organizations, Brunei Darussalam Pavilion and Philippines Pavilion.
You can take the skywalk toward the Huangpu River till the blue United Nations Pavilion comes into sight, one of the highlights of Expo Site. Beside the UN Pavilion stands the MeteoWorld Pavilion, the only self-built pavilion among the participating international organizations. If the weather is fair, you might see a rainbow in the "cloud droplets" covering the pavilion. Then head to the International Federation of Red Cross Pavilion ahead and the nearby light-blue Pacific Pavilion.
Afternoon: Spain Pavilion – Switzerland Pavilion – France Pavilion – Germany Pavilion – U.S. Pavilion, etc.
Enjoy a good lunch to get ready for a full afternoon schedule.
Strolling across Changqing Road alongside UN Pavilion, you will spot wicker-basket Spain Pavilion and two leasehold pavilions—Monaco Pavilion and Serbia Pavilion on the leisure square. On the leisure square also situate Belgium-EU Pavilion, which is attractive for those trying their luck to win a diamond in the quiz every Monday to Saturday or a free Europe trip every Sunday.
The following stop is Poland Pavilion neighboring Belgium-EU Pavilion. Then you can take a cable car to Switzerland Pavilion and feel free to flash your camera since its energy support can be transformed from the wind and light energy. In the nearby France Pavilion, precious original artworks like the famous masterpiece The Age of Bronze by Auguste Rodin can be viewed. Then you can visit the Germany Pavilion. After coming out of Germany Pavilion, you can walk across the North Round Road to see the Ireland Pavilion. Then make a visit to Norway Pavilion that stands next to the Ukraine Pavilion and the Iceland Pavilion.
Walking ahead, you then can see the four-box-shape Sweden Pavilion and Denmark Pavilion as well as its national treasure sculpture—the Little Mermaid. The Finland Pavilion is next to the Denmark Pavilion. The Latvia Pavilion and the Estonia Pavilion are located across from these two pavilions.
After the Finland Pavilion, you can cross the skywalk to visit three more leasehold pavilions: Portugal Pavilion, Slovakia Pavilion and Czech Pavilion.
Glance at the Hungary Pavilion and cross Xiying Road and pass Caribbean Community Pavilion and Cuba Pavilion and walk around the Venezuela Pavilion. After shooting some photos in the Chile Pavilion, you can pass Mexico Pavilion to visit Canada Pavilion for a performance by Cirque du Soleil and Peru Pavilion for the delicious cuisine. Passing the Columbia Pavilion, the Brazil Pavilion and the Joint Pavilion of Central and South American Countries, you then reach U.S. Pavilion whose waterfall and the big 4D screen at the entrance worth a visit.
Evening: South Africa Pavilion – Egypt Pavilion – Russia Pavilion – Italy Pavilion – United Kingdom Pavilion, etc.
At dinner time, you can try the restaurant inside the U.S. Pavilion.
After dinner, you can select to tour among leasehold pavilions like Argentina Pavilion, Slovenia Pavilion, South Africa Pavilion, Egypt Pavilion, Tunisia Pavilion, Algeria Pavilion, Angola Pavilion, Nigeria Pavilion, Libya Pavilion, Lithuania Pavilion and Croatia Pavilion.
Next, venture in the fairyland of the Russia Pavilion with its 12 petal-shaped towers. Then watch a film in the green-apple Romania Pavilion.
Glimpse at Austria Pavilion, Netherlands Pavilion and Luxembourg Pavilion along the way. Get ready to be surprised by the transparent-concrete Italy Pavilion. The small United Kingdom Pavilion is brightened by 60,000 dazzling tentacles fluttering in the wind.
Finally, explore the traditional African bazaar in the Africa Joint Pavilion and conclude your second expo day tour.
Day 3
The pavilions in the Puxi Area are easily overlooked, but the business pavilions here are important as well, showing visitors what efforts countries have made to improve the urban life.
Morning: China Shipbuilding Industry Corp. Pavilion – Private Enterprises Joint Pavilion – London's UBPA Case, etc.
Line up at the entrance at 8:30 a.m. as previous two days. Hop on the tramway Line 8 to Tibet South Road stop and find the biggest entrance in the Puxi Area.
When you enter the site, the China Shipbuilding Industry Corp. Pavilion reconstructed from an old factory will come into your eyes. In it, you can discover the history of China shipbuilding and see the ship model of Zheng He who had led the Chinese fleet's seven expeditions around the Indian Ocean in Ming Dynasty.
The next stop is the Private Enterprises Joint Pavilion, presented by a group of Chinese branded enterprises like e-commerce giant Alibaba and furniture maker Red Star Macalline.
Get a quick look at urban China in 2049 in the Vanke Pavilion and its neighbor—Broad Pavilion next door which is environmental-friendly designed.
Then visit the Urban Best Practice Area (UBPA), which has gathered wonderful pavilions such as the Osaka Case (Japan), the Taipei Case, the Sao Paulo Case (Brazil) and the Rotterdam Case (Netherlands).
After the skywalk, you then will reach the highlight of the UBPA—the North Part, next to South Zhongshan Road. Here, you will learn about the innovation and creation of our living environment in Shanghai's UBPA Case—"Ecological Home in Shanghai."
You can also visit the Jin Yong Library and a century-old pawnshop in Macao's UBPA Case. In addition, you can also pay a visit to Xi'an's UBPA Case for its Daming Palace of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), a dynasty apex in economic and cultural aspects in ancient China, in.
As for the foreign cases in the Urban Best Practices Area (North), the "Zero-Carbon Pavilion" (London's Case), "Hamburg's House" (Hamburg's Case), "Tent City" (Mecca's Case) and "Bamboo House" (Madrid's Case) all are worthy of a stop by.
Back to the South block by crossing the skywalk. Take a cool break under the tents in Global Urban Plaza, watch the performances in the square stage or pamper your stomach at the Puxi biggest restaurant near the skywalk.
Afternoon: Pavilion of the Future – Space Pavilion – Expo Plaza – China Railway Pavilion
Start the afternoon visit in Pavilion of the Future to see how the future of urban life is like.
Return to the business pavilion zone to visit the "cloud-like" Space Pavilion, the Information, Communication Pavilion and the SAIC-GM Pavilion.
Then you can enjoy the performances on the Expo Plaza or stroll around the old boatyard in the China Shipbuilding Industry Corp. Pavilion. If you like jade, the Aurora Pavilion next to the China Railway Pavilion will be your place. With its CD-shape façade, the beautiful Shanghai Corporate Joint Pavilion is one of the place to view high technology, represented by the most advanced robot—Haibao, the Shanghai Expo's mascot.
Evening: Coca-Cola Pavilion – Space Home Pavilion – State Grid Pavilion – Expo Museum
Have a brief rest and eat dinner at Jiangnan Park. After dinner refreshment, go to the Coca-Cola Pavilion and get acquaintance with the latest in space technology in the Space Home Pavilion.
Then stop by State Grid Pavilion, the China National Petroleum Corp. Pavilion and ROK Corporate Joint Pavilion along the Huangpu River.
Finally, page through the 160-year history of the World Expo in the Expo Museum. Visit Pavilion of Urban Civilization and the nearby Japanese Industry Pavilion.
Conclude your three-day expo tour. Leave the Expo Site on Luban Road (next to the Lupu Bridge) where you can take tramway Line 4 or Bus Lines NO.17, NO.36 and NO.146.
Tips
Expo visiting tips:
1. Preparation makes work half done. Before the expo tour, an extensive preparation like the reference of the expo travelogues, expo maps, routes helps you to shape your own efficient expo itinerary.
2. Avoid the rush days or hours is crucial for an efficient tour: the Chinese holidays like May Holiday (first three days of May), National Holiday (First week of Oct.), the weekends, School summer holidays (late July to early Sept.) and the peak hour like 10 am and 2pm will often become more heavily busy than usual time.
3. When you enter the site, it is better to consult the volunteer to know about the pavilion queue information, the entrances to the pavilion before you line up for the entrance.
4. The expo site maps and the performances' time schedule are available in the consulting lot. And an early visit to consultation is required to ensure the availability.
5. Pay attention to the radio broadcast, the information screen, etc. to gather the handy information since volunteers or staffs are only familiar with their service area rather than the detailed information about the pavilion exhibition, performance information and so on.
6. Apart from the Theme Pavilion and China Pavilion, the rest of the pavilions are only required to queue for entrance rather than the reservation. Please note that some of China's pavilions need to queue for the entrance reservation ticket in front of the pavilion and the reservation ticket is distributed in different time ranges. If you are not sure about the availability, please consult the pavilion volunteers or the expo staffs.
7. The pavilions with free souvenirs are usually pretty popular with the Chinese tourists. Such pavilions can be saved for later tour.
Items suggested & prohibited:
Suggested items: valid passport, comfortable walking shoes, cash, camera or video recorder, sunglasses, hats and sunscreen, tissues or wet wipes, feeding bottle and baby carriage, convenience food like cookies and chocolates.
Prohibited items: explosive, flammable, radioactive and other hazardous items, knives, firework, match/ lighters, sharp-point subject (like long umbrella), water/drinks, pets, radio equipments, etc.
It is advised to put all the things in one bag rather than place them in your pockets. In this way, you don't have to fish them out from different pockets and the security screening time can be reduced.
Dining tip:
Avoid the dining rush hour. The time around 11am is usually the dining peak that you can consider to skip to avoid the crazily jostle of the diners if possible.
Shopping tips:
The expo souvenirs are easily available in the Shanghai malls and thus it is no need to purchase too many of them in the site.