Shanghai, Planned End to End

Shanghai is China's most international city, where the historic facades of the Bund face the towers of Pudong across the Huangpu River. Distances are easy to cover, which makes it a gentle first stop in China. This guide covers routes, transport, and nearby connections.

The metro handles most of the city, and Hangzhou and Suzhou are about an hour away by high-speed rail. Here are the key sights and a 4-day outline.

The bottom line: two days in the city, one day nearby

Two days in the city plus one day in Hangzhou or Suzhou is a comfortable split. If you stay within Shanghai, combine the Bund and Pudong in a single day.

The city has two airports, Pudong and Hongqiao, so confirm your arrival and departure points.

Key sights: the Bund and Pudong

The Bund runs along the west bank of the Huangpu River, lined with early-modern architecture. Walking it at dusk while looking across to the Pudong skyline is the classic route.

• Observation decks such as the Oriental Pearl and Shanghai Tower
• The Lujiazui financial district
• River cruises linking the Bund and Pudong

Old town and creative districts: Yu Garden, Tianzifang, Xintiandi

Yu Garden pairs a Ming-era garden with a bustling market area, reachable on foot from Nanjing Road East, which makes a handy half-day loop.

Tianzifang and Xintiandi are lanes and courtyards turned into cafes and shops, while Wukang Road is lined with plane trees and old villas, ideal for photos.

Getting there: air and rail

Shanghai has two airports, Pudong International and Hongqiao International. Pudong sits farther out and connects by maglev or metro Line 2, while Hongqiao links directly via metro Lines 2 and 10.

High-speed trains leave from Shanghai Hongqiao and Shanghai stations. Nearby cities are listed below.

Getting around: metro and taxi

Shanghai's metro is dense and well signed in English. Line 2 passes both Hongqiao and Pudong airports and links Nanjing Road with Lujiazui.

• Line 2: Hongqiao Airport, Nanjing Road, Lujiazui, Pudong Airport
• Line 10: Yu Garden and Xintiandi area
• Line 11: toward Disneyland

Both the metro and taxis accept Alipay and WeChat Pay.

Suggested 4-day itinerary

Food and practical notes

Shanghai's signature dishes include soup dumplings, pan-fried buns, braised pork, and crab dishes. Soup dumpling shops draw long queues around lunch.

• Summers are hot and humid, with occasional typhoon effects.
• The Bund gets very crowded during holidays.
• Bring a layer for the riverside at night, where it can be chilly.