Shanghai

Things to do | Getting around


Indisputably China's most cosmopolitan city (bar Hong Kong), Shanghai has been welcoming foreign visitors to its streets for centuries, infusing the metropolis with a unique history.

British, French, American and Japanese businesses flourished here in the 19th and early 20th centuries, lured by the city's prime trading position and enticing business prospects. The biggest - and by far the most lucrative - business was also Shanghai's downfall: the city was the opium hub of the world, providing it with an exotically seedy reputation. As the wealth of those who profited from the opium trade was displayed in the city's increasingly impressive architecture, so its underbelly was hit by the sadder side of widespread addiction. The Communists put a stop to all this debauchery in the 1940s and Shanghai became - officially at least - just another Chinese city. Despite this, anyone who visited at the time would have agreed that this jewel of the Far East always retained a special character that no doctrine or political movement could ever completely stamp out.

And indeed, Shanghai has begun to shine again. Over the past decade the city has recaptured the hearts - and bank balances - of a wealth of foreign investors and tourists, its hedonistic past giving it an allure few cities in the world could rival.

Modern Shanghai in fact is being almost completely rebuilt, with brand spanking new high rises springing up everywhere you look - providing the city with a new focus. The past has not been forgotten, though: among the back streets, you'll still find traditional Chinese gardens and temples, just as they were centuries ago or just a few blocks away, the Bund with its Art Deco colonial buildings, evoking Shanghai's heyday (though for most, minus the opium).

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Things To Do
Many of the attractions in this dichotomous city are crammed into a fairly compact area west of the Huangpu River, making sightseeing reasonably straightforward. Expect to wander between skyscrapers and ancient temples, from traditional Chinese tea shops to colonial Art Deco buildings. Predictability is something that Shanghai doesn't do.

Walk the Bund
One of Shanghai's most historical streets, the Bund (or Zhongshan Lu) stretches along the west bank of the Huangpu river, and has an air of space and freedom about it.

First built by the British after the 19th-century Opium Wars, on a muddy embankment by the river, the Bund gradually gained status as the "foreign street" of Shanghai where companies and consulates from all over the world set up shop, giving it a cosmopolitan atmosphere as well as a large cash injection.

Many of the Art Deco colonial buildings from the 1930s remain and you could be forgiven for thinking that you've been temporarily transported to Europe. One of the most architecturally impressive edifices here is the former Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank at number 14, now the Shanghai Pudong Development Bank.

The most amazing views of the skyscrapers of the modern Pudong district can be seen across the river, especially at night. For maximum enjoyment, take a ferry (Duration 10 minutes. Tickets: CNY0.50. Nearest metro Lujiazui) from Pudong to the south end of the Bund, taking in the view first and then visiting some of the old buildings.

People's Square (Renmin Guangchang)
Formerly a racecourse, this 140,000 square metre area was converted into a city square after the war and serves as a central park, where locals and tourists converge to escape the madness of Shanghai's streets for a few hours.

Surrounding the verdant foliage and fountain are the handsome buildings of the Shanghai Museum, Shanghai Grand Theatre, Municipal Government Mansions and Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, giving the place a somewhat grander feel than an ordinary park.

Shanghai Museum
Situated on the southern side of People's Square is the visually striking and totally modern Shanghai Museum designed according to ancient Chinese philosophy, the square base of the building symbolising the earth and the round upper part, the sky.

Inside is one of the best displays of traditional Chinese art and artefacts in the country. The permanent collection consists of over 120,000 items including intricately carved seals, jade jewellery, antique furniture and bronze as well as impressive collections of ceramics, Chinese paintings, calligraphy, sculpture and some fascinating artefacts from minority tribes. The museum also holds regular temporary exhibitions.

Lu-Xun (Hongkou) Park
As well as being a pleasant place to enjoy some (relative) peace and quiet, a visit to the large Lu-Xun Park in the north of the city is a great way of witnessing a fascinating slice of Shanghai life.

Seemingly a cross-section of the entire population comes here to relax or play, from the tots causing havoc in the children's playground (many of them dressed up to the nines at weekends for their day out) to groups of ageing men practising the slow, graceful moves of tai-chi or exercising on basic aerobics machines installed in the park (in what looks like a playground for the over-60s).

For foreign visitors the most entertaining sight has to be the groups of retired musicians and singers who seem to crop up on every corner playing traditional Chinese songs - imagine the Chinese equivalent of a pub knees-up in the middle of Hyde Park and you get the general idea.

The park also famously houses the Lu-Xun Museum and Burial Tomb

Lu-Xun Museum
Lu-Xun (1881-1936) is nationally revered as one of the greatest 20th-century Chinese writers and indeed the father of modern Chinese literature.

Among his most famous works are "A Madman's Diary" and "The True Story of Ah Q". The museum showcases his life and work, a must for Lu-Xun fans, but also of interest to anyone wanting to learn more about modern Chinese literature. The museum shop sells his works in Chinese and English, as well as those of other modern Chinese authors.

Jade Buddha Temple
Arguably the most beautiful temple in Shanghai, the Jade Buddha Temple, or Yufo Si, is a Buddhist sanctuary, built in 1882 and still very much in use. The two Buddha statues brought from Burma for which the temple is famed - one seated, the other reclining - are quite stunning, made from an unusual, almost translucent white jade, giving them an appropriately other-worldly appearance.

There is an almost palpable sense of serenity in the temple complex (unless your visit coincides with a large tour group, which unfortunately is often unavoidable - it's best to get here first thing in the morning to avoid the crowds), with monks wandering around, the air thick with incense, a stark contrast to the modern, bustling city outside its doors.

It's claimed that this well-loved temple only escaped destruction by the Red Guards during the 1960s Cultural Revolution due to the quick-thinking Abbot, who bolted the doors and covered them with pictures of Chairman Mao, which the Red Guards didn't dare touch.

Longhua Temple
Longhua Temple is one of the oldest in Shanghai, first founded in the third century, though rebuilt several times since.

It is also the largest and its extensive grounds are home to an attractive pagoda and the Longhua Revolutionary Martyrs' Park and Museum. A half-day spent in this tranquil area will give a very different perspective on Shanghai, normally known for its cosmopolitan and sinful past.

Nanjing Lu
Popular with Chinese tourists and extremely crowded at the weekends, the pedestrianised stretch of Nanjing Lu from Henan Zhong Lu to People's Square is one of the main shopping streets of Shanghai and a good place to come if you want to see modern Shanghai in action.

This Mecca to consumerism is home to some of the oldest department stores of the city as well as plenty of sparkling new, trendy shops and fast food restaurants selling anything from burgers to chop suey.

If all the shopping tires your legs out you can catch one of the electric carts riding up and down the street or if you're determined to walk and wear out your shoe leather, this is a good place to buy a cheap replacement pair of shoes (small feet only).

Pudong Financial District
The showcase of Shanghai's modernisation drive, the Pudong district, just across the river from the Bund, is the holder of all the "tallest", "biggest" and "newest" titles in Shanghai. The area that has seen such rapid growth in recent years is now a serious high-rise mini-city. Its most famous building is the Pearl TV Tower, which, at 468m high, is the tallest television tower in Asia and offers superb panoramic views of the city from its observation deck.

Just nearby is the equally gargantuan Jin Mao building, a sleek, modern edifice using aspects of traditional Chinese design. Once the fourth highest building in the world it houses restaurants, bars and the Grand Hyatt Hotel as well as its own observation area.

Further out to the east is Century Park, Shanghai's largest open-space, made up of grasslands, forests and lakes. Take note that various activities often associated with trips to the park are prohibited, including playing football, flying kites, walking dogs, or being "improperly dressed" and offenders are reprimanded under the "Shanghai Environmental Sanitation Management ". You've been warned.

Yuyuan Area and the Yu Gardens
You can't miss the souvenir, jewellery and antique shops in the Yuyuan area of the city, which has a something of an old-world feel. And it's worth having some tea at the famous Huxinting Tea House nearby, overpriced but very atmospheric. The undoubted highlight of this part of town is the classical Qing Dynasty Yu Gardens with their pavilions and ponds linked by a maze of bridges, originally built between 1559 and 1577 for the Pan family, rich Ming Dynasty officials.

Though this district fell casualty to the devastation of the Opium War of 1842 and the Boxer Rebellion, the gardens have been faithfully restored, providing a place to escape the maddening crowds (won't work on a weekend).

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Getting Around
Public transport in Shanghai can be somewhat erratic and congested, though things are getting better as the metro is developed, diverting at least some of the traffic underground. The Jiaotong Ka (traffic card) is a useful way of paying for fares. It stores credit and can be used to pay for metro, bus and taxis that display the card logo.

China is the cycling nation, and peddling is still the fastest and easiest way to get from A to B in the city centre. Although many roads officially now have restricted access for bikes - city planners seem to be going the opposite way to every other nation and are trying to get people into cars - this doesn't stop Shanghainese cyclists, who manage to get everywhere.

In fact many roads do have cycle/scooter lanes, thus keeping bikes out of the way of manic drivers and reducing chance of serious injury. Buying a bike in one of the department stores or bike shops can cost as little as CNY160, so is an option worth considering if you're staying for a while.

To and From the Airport
Pudong International Airport
Pudong airport is approximately 30km east of downtown Shanghai. A large modern airport it currently handles all international flights in to and out of Shanghai.

Taxis
Metered taxis from the airport cost about CNY150 to Pudong district, or CNY150-200 to Puxi (central Shanghai). Driving time depends on traffic but will generally be 60-90 minutes.

Buses
Several express shuttle buses depart twice an hour on average to different parts of the city, and cost CNY18-30 per person, taking 60-90 minutes. Shuttle buses pick up passengers for the airport at the following places:

Line 1: Hongqiao airport
Line 2: Shanghai Exhibition Centre
Line 3: Zunyi Lu - Xujiahui (Zhaojiabang Lu)
Line 4: Wujiaochang -Dabaishu - Luxun park
Line 5: People's Square-Oriental hospital -Shanghai railway station
Line 6: Jiang'an temple - Zhongshan park

Train
The ultra-modern maglev (magnetic levitation) train makes the journey into the city (Longyang Lu Metro Station) in just 8 minutes. The train runs every 20mins from 08h30-17h30 daily. A return ticket costs CNY80 with a single costing CNY50. You can obtain a discount if you have an airline ticket for the day of departure. The train is the first one of its type in passenger usage anywhere in the world, so it's almost worth taking the trip from the city even if you're not catching a plane.

Hong Qiao Airport
Hong Qiao is used for domestic routes, and is much closer to the city. A taxi to the city centre will cost about CNY50 (which includes a CNY15 airport surcharge). Consequently it only costs around CNY35 coming the other way. There are also a number of local buses and shuttle buses.

Take note that some 'enterprising' taxi drivers don't wait in the regulated taxi queue and try to grab passengers as they leave the airport. These drivers might be unlicensed or if they are will often try to get away with not using the meter. You should always insist that the meter is activated and never get into an unmetered cab.

Public Transport
Public transport in Shanghai can be somewhat erratic and congested, though things are getting better as the metro is developed, diverting at least some of the traffic underground.

At terminuses, busy intersections and outside metro stations, you will find motorcycle riders offering a quick solution to traffic jams. If you're only going a short way this unofficial form of public transport can be a handy alternative to sitting on a stifling bus, but is of course illegal. Drivers are not insured, and you accept a lift at your own risk. You can also still catch rickshaws in some parts of the city, although mostly pedal ones rather than the ones pushed along by a man on foot.

Bus
Shanghai relies mostly on buses, either diesel or electric. All signs and information are strictly in Chinese, and a ride on the bus at rush hour is not for the faint-hearted. For those who dare, an air-conditioned bus (a must in summer) costs CNY2; the steamy alternative is CNY1. The Jiaotong Ka (traffic card) is a useful way of paying for fares. It stores credit and can be used to pay for metro, bus and taxis that display the card logo. There is a CNY30 deposit, and minimum CNY100 first charge. Cards are available from metro stations.

Metro
Shanghai presently has two underground lines and one over-ground metro line, the Pearl line. Underground line 1 runs from Shanghai train station in the north to Xinzhuang in the south. Underground line 2 starts at Zhongshan park in the western end terminating at Pudong's Zhangjiang gaoke station in the east. Both lines intersect at People's Square (Renmin guangchang).

The Pearl line circles around the western and northern parts of the city, and connects to the underground at three points: Shanghai train station, Zhongshan park and Shanghai South train station. Lines are currently being extended so check the latest information in any metro station. Signs and announcements are in Chinese and English. Tickets cost CNY3-5 depending on zones travelled within.

Train
Two major railway stations serve the city, central station serving Nanjing and Suzhou bound trains and South station, which is the terminus for Hangzhou trains. Both are accessible by metro line 1 and Pearl line. Central station is huge and slightly confusing, while South station has recently been refurbished with the city's largest underground car park (taxis from there add a CNY2 surcharge for use of the car park).


Driving
It is virtually impossible for visitors on a tourist visa to obtain a permit to drive in China. Foreign visitors with a resident visa in China can obtain a Chinese licence on production of an international licence however, and there are some companies that run self-drive tours of parts of the nation.

Private taxi drivers may be willing to rent their vehicles (and themselves) to you, if you are able to negotiate a price. Tourist offices and hotels can also arrange this but their fees tend to be much higher.

If you are able to use the roads make yourself aware of the necessary road regulations and ensure that your driver (or yourself if you are permitted to drive) sticks to the speed-limit and observes the rules. Also ensure that you carry all necessary documentation with you at all times. This includes your passport, visa, hire agreement and car insurance.

Unless indicated, speed limits are as follows: Highways: 110km per hour; urban highways 70km per hour and other roads as signposted. In practice you'll find that speed limits will be more limited by conditions, whether congestion, state of the road or weather. Gridlock is common in Shanghai and the roads are often badly maintained, so do take care when driving. Speeding is very inadvisable - even on the most seemingly well-maintained of China's roads a sudden pothole can cause great damage to your vehicle if hit at speed. The wearing of seatbelts is compulsory and driving is on the right hand side.

Car hire can be problematic in China even in the unlikely event that you obtain a Chinese driving licence. Companies generally offer cars for hire for driving within the immediate locale only. If you want to go further afield you are advised to contact a specialist self-drive tour company, which will provide you with everything you need.

Taxis
Taxis can provide a convenient way of getting around and are cheap in comparison to most countries. Be warned, though, that a great number of traffic accidents involve taxis. This might be partly due to the huge number of them clogging up the streets, many of them driven by untrained workers and farmers from the suburbs who have been laid off and have taken up this new career in a desperate bid to make some money.

This means of course that you should have no trouble finding a cab. Different companies are distinguishable by the colour of their fleet. The light blue cars of Dazhong transport company are generally pretty reliable.

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