East coast · 3–4 days

Shanghai travel guide

If it is your first time in China, start here. Payment apps usually behave, English appears on most signs, the metro reaches everything, and the city still gives you the skyline, the old lanes and the soup dumplings.

  • Best time: March–May, September–November
  • Suggested stay: 3–4 days
  • Reviewed 2026-11-06

Why go

China's most international city — and the gentlest place to learn how the country works.

  • First-time visitors
  • Food
  • Architecture
  • Night views

What is worth your time

The Bund at 7am

Same skyline as sunset, none of the crowd. The promenade is empty and the light is better.

French Concession lanes

Plane trees, low-rise 1920s streets, coffee everywhere. Walk Wukang Road to Anfu Road.

Soup dumplings

Xiaolongbao is the local benchmark. Order one steamer, then a second.

Airport and station transfers

Two airports. Pudong (PVG) is the international one, 30 km east of the centre; Hongqiao (SHA) is 13 km west and mostly domestic.

MethodTimePriceNotes
Metro Line 260–75 min¥7–8Cheapest. Requires a change at Guanglan Road on some trains; runs roughly 6am–10pm.
Maglev + Metro30–40 min¥50 + ¥4Maglev covers PVG to Longyang Road in about 8 minutes, then transfer to Line 2.
DiDi / taxi40–60 min¥160–220Best with luggage or after 10pm. Use the official rank or the app pickup zone.
Airport bus60–90 min¥20–30Several routes; slower in rush hour but drops at major hotels.

Getting around

  • Metro — 18 lines, English signage, ¥3–6 per ride. Activate Shanghai in the Alipay transport section before your first gate.
  • DiDi — Cheap and plentiful. Expect ¥15–35 for most cross-city trips; more in rain.
  • Walking — The Bund, the old town and the French Concession are genuinely walkable; the rest is not.
  • Bikes — Shared bikes are everywhere — useful for the last kilometre, not for crossing the river.

Where to stay

AreaBest forTrade-off
The Bund / HuangpuFirst visit, viewsWalk to the river at night; higher prices, fewer cheap eats.
Former French ConcessionAtmosphere, foodBest streets for walking and coffee. Quieter at night than the Bund.
People's SquareTransport, museumsMetro interchange on Lines 1, 2 and 8; central for everything.
Jing'anBalanceGood hotels, temple, bars, easy metro. Our default recommendation.

What to eat

DishWhere to find it
XiaolongbaoAnywhere with a queue of locals at 8am
Shengjian bao (pan-fried pork buns)Street counters, eaten standing
Scallion oil noodlesNeighbourhood noodle shops
Red-braised porkLocal restaurants, not hotel dining rooms
Hairy crab (autumn only)Specialist restaurants, October–November

What it costs

StylePer dayWhat that buys
Backpacker¥350–550Hostel or budget chain, metro, street food, one paid attraction
Comfortable¥800–1,3003–4 star hotel, DiDi for longer hops, sit-down meals, two attractions
Premium¥2,000+Bund-view hotel, private guides, fine dining

Same three tiers for every city, plus what individual meals, metro rides and tickets cost: what a trip to China costs.

A route that fits the days you have

  1. Day 1 — Riverside and the old town
    The Bund early · Nanjing East Road · Yu Garden and the bazaar · River cruise after dark
  2. Day 2 — French Concession on foot
    Wukang Road · Anfu Road coffee · Former residence museums · Jing'an Temple at dusk
  3. Day 3 — Museums and the new skyline
    Shanghai Museum (book ahead) · Lujiazui · Shanghai Tower observation deck · Dinner in Pudong

Last reviewed 2026-11-06 — rules and prices in China change often. Confirm critical details in the app or on the official site before you rely on them.

Official sources used for this guide