Shanghai Transportation

Shanghai, as the most modern international metropolis in China, has an all-round development of transportation system. No matter where you are now – overseas or in other parts of China – there are efficient and convenient transportation modes you can choose to reach Shanghai, and the diverse transportation options within the city also contribute to a worry-free Shanghai journey for you.

Suppose your first destination in China is Shanghai, taking the plane is the most efficient way. Shanghai airports rank among the top three busiest airports in the world because of their wide coverage of airline service and dense air routes over the globe. At present, there are two airports in Shanghai – Pudong International Airport and Hongqiao International Airport, with the former being the major international aviation hub whose air routes are available in more than 130 cities overseas, and the latter mainly providing flight service in Chinese mainland mostly, as well as a few short-haul routes to Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea.

By virtue of its extensive and convenient air service, Shanghai has constantly been the first stop when a large number of international tourists travel in China, as well as the transfer stop as many tourists travel to other Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea.

Terminal of Shanghai Pudong International Airport

 

Taking the bullet train can be a good choice if you depart from other Chinese cities to Shanghai, since 97% of Chinese cities have direct high-speed rail connections to Shanghai. In particular, if your departure location is not too far away from Shanghai, taking the high-speed train will be more cost-effective. For instance, it only takes 30 - 60 minutes to arrive Shanghai from its neighboring cities in the Yangtze River Delta including Suzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, etc. and 4 - 5 hours from central part of China like Beijing.

Nevertheless, the train journey from farther cities such as Xi'an and Chongqing to Shanghai takes a relatively longer time, approximately 6 hours. Therefore, if you have a tight schedule, you are more recommended to travel by air, which allows you to arrive in 2 - 2.5 hours.

Among all railway stations in the city, Shanghai Railway Station is the closest one to Shanghai downtown, followed by Shanghai South Railway Station and Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station. They all link with metro lines that can reach the Bund in 20 - 40 minutes.

Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station

Shanghai Bullet Trains

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West Railway Station 
East Railway Station 
 

 

Shanghai Taxi

If you are burdened with luggage, then taking the taxi would be more comfortable, since taking the subway involves going back and forth between the station halls and the train platforms, as well as going through luggage security checks, which are inevitable. Moreover, traveling by taxi is one of the recommended modes during off-peak hours. Whether hailing a taxi by the roadside or ordering a taxi ride through the online platform, you can quickly board the vehicle and set off. Particularly if you want to visit some scenic spots in the suburbs of Shanghai, such as Zhujiajiao Water Town, whose entrance to the scenic area is about 15 minutes' walk from the nearest subway station, taking a taxi can send you directly to the destination.

The taxi fare in Shanghai is relatively reasonable. The cost for traveling between attractions within the city is approximately CNY 40 - 80 (USD 6 - 12), while the fare for going to the airport or more distant suburban attractions is about CNY 150 - 300 (USD 23 - 45). 
 There are diverse buses in Shanghai, including City Bus, Sightseeing Bus, Tourist Bus, as well as Long-distance Bus.

City Bus: The city buses have extensive routes covering almost everywhere around Shanghai, serving as an alternative to the metro and perfectly making up for the inconvenience of some subway stations being a bit far from the entrance of certain tourist attractions. During off-peak hours, you may consider traveling by city bus, which helps you save money and also offer you convenience to admire the street views along the journey.

Sightseeing Bus: Shanghai boasts a lot of sightseeing buses, allowing you to visit the city’s landmark attractions in one go. What’s more, the buses are equipped with headphones that support multiple languages, making it easier for you to understand the history and fascinating stories behind different attractions. The most recommended sightseeing bus route is City Sightseeing Line 1, which connects the Bund, Lujiazui, Yu Garden, Nanjing Road, and People’s Square, among other core attractions.

Shanghai Sightseeing Bus

Shanghai Tourist Buses

Tourist Bus: There are many tourist buses heading for scenic areas that are far away from the city center or located in some nearby cities. For instance, you can take the tourist bus from Shanghai South Railway Station directly to Shanghai Disneyland Park in 40 minutes at the cost of CNY 10, which is more time-saving and relaxing than taking the crowded metro. Besides, there are tourist buses from Shanghai Hongqiao Airport / Railway Station to Wuzhen Water Town operating four times each day, with the one-way ticket fare of CNY 55.

Long-distance Bus: If you are going to travel from Shanghai downtown to suburbs or its neighboring cities like Suzhou and Hangzhou, there are also long-distance buses for your consideration except for bullet trains.
 Taking ferry is the most cost-effective way to travel between the banks of the Huangpu River. For just CNY 2, you can get to the opposite bank in 10 minutes. As a bonus, you avoid the overcrowded entries / exits of the metro station, and gain an unforgettable experience to enjoy the fabulous river views. Additionally, if you want to visit Chongming Island, Changxing Island, or Hengsha Island near Shanghai downtown, you can also take the ferry.

The Bund Sightseeing Tunnel offers another way to travel between the two sides of the Huangpu River, providing a direct 3- to 5-minute passage to the opposite bank. As you go through the tunnel, you’ll experience fascinating visual and auditory effects that create a sensation of traveling through time and space. However, it’s somewhat more expensive, with a one-way fare of CNY 50.
 With pleasant weather, riding a bike to tour around Shanghai is really enjoyable, which helps you save energy and allows you to fully capture the multifarious scenery from place to place. The most recommended cycling route is the Greenway along the east bank of the Huangpu River, where you can take in the river views and landmarks of Shanghai such as the Bund Architectural Complex and the Oriental Pearl Tower.

Shanghai Ferries

Shanghai Shared Bicycles

 If your phone supports NFC payment, you can add your bank card such as UnionPay chip cards, Visa cards, Mastercards, American Express, and JCB contactless cards to the Wallet application such Apple Pay on your phone. Just make sure that there is sufficient balance in your card and that low-value password-free payment works, and then you can pay for metro ride by swiping NFC.
 Cash is the most direct way to pay for public transportation in Shanghai. However, you are advised to prepare some change in advance since payment for the bus fee is usually in a self-help way, CNY 2 per trip. As for buying metro tickets, there are self-service ticket machines in the station halls that accept only banknotes of denominations of CNY 5, 10, and 20. You can also buy the metro ticket at the manual service counter, which is available in every metro station hall.
 

Shanghai Metro Three-Day Pass

You can use Shanghai Public Transportation Card in any transportation scenario, including taking the metro and bus, and even the ferry and Shanghai taxi. The card comes in two varieties, one is purple that can only be used in Shanghai, and the other is red that is valid nationwide. Both cost CNY 20 each, and can be purchased in most metro stations.
 One-day Travel Pass and Three-day Travel Pass are two types of metro tickets mostly suitable for travelers. They can be purchased both at self-service ticket machines and the manual service counters in most subway stations.

The One-day Travel Pass costs CNY 18 and can be used unlimited times within 24 hours; the Three-day Travel Pass costs CNY 45 and can be used unlimited times within 72 hours. You may decide which ticket to buy based on your stay in Shanghai.
 If you have a WeChat or Alipay account with proper payment functionality, you will find it much easier to use any mode of transportation. First, add the ride codes for Shanghai Metro and city buses on the WeChat Ride mini-program or in the Transport section of Alipay. Then, simply open the corresponding ride code before boarding to pay the fare. For taking taxis, you can choose to order one online in the travel service section of the ride application, or scan the driver’s QR code after arriving at your destination for payment.

Passengers Scanning the Transportation Code