Transportation in Shanghai

Being China’s second largest international air hub, Shanghai is easily accessible from all over the World. Shanghai also has the distinction of being the largest city in Eastern China and therefore a major transport hub, with comprehensive connections by rail and air to other places in China. With Shanghai harbour being one of the 10 largest harbours in the world, ferries on the Yangtze River connect you to many destinations on the 6,000 kilometres of navigable waterway.

With its connectivity, it seems impossible that you will find any destination remote or inaccessible from Shanghai.

Our Shanghai transportation guide below will tell you all you need to know about getting to and getting around Shanghai. To help you see the wonderful city of Shanghai, we have many tours and activities on offer. We also have general travel information for getting to and around magnificent China.

Shanghai Transportation Guide

By Air

Shanghai has two international airports – Pudong International Airport and the Hongqiao International Airport. Of the two, Pudong is the newer one and has many international airlines flying in and out. Pudong International airport is located 55 kilometres from the Shanghai city centre, where buses and taxis are available to take you to the airport. The majority of domestic flights are serviced from Hongqiao airport.

In each airport, it is quite common to find people approaching you offering to carry your luggage or even volunteering to give information on directions. These so called ‘helpful’ people will certainly expect payment for volunteering their time. Another fact to be kept in mind in these airports is that many X-ray machines used for scanning luggage at these airports aren’t film safe. So it is recommended that films are kept in your checked-in baggage. Currently the departure tax at these terminals is US $11.00 for international flights and US $6.00 for domestic flights. There are plans to incorporate this in the air ticket tariff itself.

Air China is the main airline of China which operates non-stop flights to many destinations. There are several flights from Shanghai to North America and European cities. Previously it had a safety record that it was not too proud of, but the situation has changed quite dramatically for the better. Today it is part of the Star Alliance, which has some of the world’s best airlines as its members.

Getting into the city from the airports

Travelling by taxi is the easiest way to get to the city of Shanghai from the airport. It is also the most expensive. However, you can settle for a sum of 145 Yuan for the journey. You must make sure that the driver of the taxi puts on the meter, and if he is unwilling, it is worth your while to change taxis.

Another option is to ask your hotel for the free pick up they offer. Many hotels offer this service. You can also opt for shuttle bus services which ply between several hotels and the Pudong Airport. If you are in the mood to attempt the unusual and also get a sci-fi feel in Shanghai, then you can try the Mag Lev (short for magnetic levitation) train, which glides on its tracks at 430 km per hour and reaches you to the Longyang Lu subway station in a seemingly impossible time of eight minutes. However, if your destination is not in eastern Podong, you will need to change to the subway to get to parts of downtown.

By Train

Shanghai is well connected by direct trains to several destinations in China. Second only to the Shanghai Railway Station, the Shanghai South Railway Station located in the Xuhui District, serves trains to cities of the Yangtze River Delta and also to Hong Kong. The older Shanghai Railway Station services trains to the northern and western regions of China. You can easily reach the subway from both these stations. The best way to reach Beijing is to travel by the overnight express, which leaves Shanghai at 6pm and reaches Beijing the next morning. The express train to Hong Kong leaves Shanghai around noon and arrives at its destination, the Kowloon station, 24 hours later.

By Bus

Road travel in China is quite enjoyable as China has some luxurious air conditioned long-distance buses which also screen movies for entertainment. However, due to the language barrier, buying tickets can be quite a challenge and you may board a bus you do not want to take. Drivers also have limited or no knowledge of English. For this reason, taking a train or a flight becomes more convenient. The Shanghai Long Distance Bus Station in Zhabei is the largest passenger transport long-distance bus station in Shanghai. Most long distance routes leave from this bus station. Tickets can be bought from the huge circular ticket lobby.

By Boat

There a number of ferries that travel up the Yangtze River. There are boats which stop at points along the coast. You can also reach Korea and Japan using ships and ferries. To reach destinations on the Yangtze River such as Chongging and Wuhan and other coastal cities, such as Dalian, Nantong and Ningbo, you can depart by boats from the Wusong Passenger Terminal in Shanghai. You can also reach the island of Putuoshan in this way. It is advisable to opt for first-class cabins which have comfortable beds and a wash basin.

Getting Around

The Huangpu River divides Shanghai into the east and west side. While the metro area is large, the city centre is a small district one in Puxi, which literally means ‘West of Huangpu’. On the eastern side is Pudong, which means ‘east of Huangpu’. The city’s layout is in the form of a grid and most neighbourhoods can be explored on foot. However, walking in Shanghai is not the easiest of things as infrastructure-building activities, such as building of new roads and buildings, combined with challenging traffic conditions can make walking quite stressful and also dangerous. To avoid the use of cash, transport cards are available at Y 10 at metro stations and can be used in any mode of transport such as taxis, metros, and also on some buses.

By Subway
Shanghai’s subways are one of the best in the world. These are also the preferred way to get around town. Although they can be crowded during peak hours, the trains are fast, clean and inexpensive. The new Mag Lev runs services between Pudong Airport and the city, covering the 30 kilometre trip in a short span of eight minutes.

Depending on the distance you travel, the cost for trips within the city centre varies from Y3 to Y5, going up to maximum of Y8. Ticket machines display instructions in English and all you need to do is to follow these instructions. Do not discard the ticket during your journey as you will need it to insert at the exit turnstile at your destination. If you will be journeying more than once on the subway, then a Jiaotong rechargeable card will save you the trouble of buying multiple tickets.

By Car
Only Shanghai residents are permitted to hire self-driven cars. In any case it is best that a visitor avoids driving a car as the one-way system can be quite nightmarish and coupled with the conditions of the road it is best that you have the luxury of being driven around. Hotels can help you hire a car with a driver through Hertz or Avis.

By Bus
It is said that Shanghai has more bus lines than any other city in the world. However, too many choices also make things a little complicated. Travelling on local bus during peak hours and weekends is hard work in itself. Drivers are also notorious for stopping at places past your destination. Another drawback of this trip are the pickpockets that you have to be on guard against.

For some views of Shanghai like the Old French Concession, hop on bus route 911, which takes you to Huaihai Lu. From the bus you can peek over the compound walls of old and beautiful Shanghai buildings that are in a row on the thoroughfare. Route 936 takes you through Pudong and Puxi, which passes through the Shanghai Zoo. Taking bus route 20, you can go past the Jing'an Temple, Bund, Nanjing Road and Renmin Square.

By Boat
There are more than 20 ferry lines between Pudong and Puxi, which cross the Huangpu River. There are frequent ferry trips for commuters between the Bund in Puxi and Pudong’s terminal, which is south of the Riverside Promenade. This ferry does not have any seats, and passengers have to stand in the empty lower deck along with their bicycles and scooters. Ferries leave the dock every 10 minutes, 24 hours a day.

By Taxi
Despite the heavy traffic of Shanghai, taxis are a great way to get around. They are available everywhere and are quite comfortable. The Volkswagen taxis are reasonably priced, though you must insist on the meter. Taxi drivers are honest and except for rush hour traffic, they can be hailed quite easily.

By Bike
For Shanghai residents, cycling is still the major form of commuting, even though the Shanghai administration has banned bikes on the main roads. The secondary roads fortunately have wide and well marked bicycle lanes. Shanghai has a flat landscape, which means there is no need for bicycle gears in this city and you can cruise comfortably in any part of the city. A good place to ride a bicycle peacefully is the Old French Concession. The roads in Pudong have less traffic, but unfortunately they are less scenic than the other parts of Shanghai.