- China Trip Planner
Shanghai Transportation
Shanghai is easy to get to. It is China's second-largest international air hub (third-largest if you count Hong Kong) and if you can't fly direct, you can go via Beijing or Hong Kong. With rail and air connections to places all over China, ferries travelling up the Yangzi River, many boats along the coast, and buses to destinations in adjoining provinces, you'll be hard pushed to find somewhere you can't get to.
Once there, the city isn't exactly a walker's paradise. There are some fascinating areas to stroll around, but new road developments, building sites and shocking traffic conditions conspire to make walking an exhausting, stressful and sometimes dangerous experience.
Travelling on buses can also be hard work; the routes and particularly the stops are not easy to figure out and buses are packed at rush hour. The metro and light railway system, on the other hand, works like a dream. Taxis are cheap and hassle-free as long as you avoid the rush hours. As private cars become increasingly affordable to the new middle class, traffic is becoming noticeably heavier, a trend that will only worsen.
The city took a big swipe at traffic congestion in 1999, investing more than a billion dollars in transport - building overpasses, a second metro line and a light railway within a year. Unfortunately there is still not enough space for everyone at rush hour and from around 7am to 9:30am and 4pm to 6:30pm it's every frail old man for him. Cool aggression and elusive speed, along with a friendly smile, keep things from getting ugly.
Airports 
Shanghai is the only city in China to have two international airports. Almost all international flights (and a few domestic flights) operate out of Pudong international airport, with most (but not all) domestic flights operating out of Hongqiao airport on Shanghai's western outskirts. If you are making an onward domestic connection from Pudong it is essential that you find out whether the domestic flight leaves from Pudong or Hongqiao, as the latter will require at least an hour to cross the city. Your ticket should indicate which airport you are flying to/from; Pudong's airport code is PVG, Hongqiao's is SHA. If you do have to transfer, airport buses and taxis connect the two airports.
HONGQIAO AIRPORT
Shanghai's Hongqiao Airport (Tel 6268 8899, 6268 8918) is shaped like a horseshoe, with arrivals on the ground floor and departures above. Minibuses to surrounding cities are across the street.
The Bank of China branch, located near the baggage claim in the international arrivals hail (inside the customs gate), changes cash and travellers cheques at the standard rate. Otherwise a full-service Bank of China is about 15 minutes' walk away, next to the International Airport Hotel (see p194). Note that currently you can't change Renminbi (RMB) back into US dollars at this airport.
The tourist information office is very helpful and can book discounted accommodation, as well as offer advice on transportation into town, and write the Chinese script for a taxi. Avoid the hotel touts. A post office is located in the international departures hall. Public telephones take coins or phone cards, for sale at the tourist information office.
Luggage storage is available in the international departures hall and also to the left of the domestic arrivals hall as you exit. Bags must be locked, a passport or ID is required and the maximum storage period is 30 days.
If you've missed your flight or need to kill some time the Huamao Hotel is about two minutes' walk to the right of the international hall you exit. It offers half-clay rooms (a block of Six hours) for RMB150, a coffee shop, good souvenir shops, a gymnasium and a billiards room.
A pricier option is the International Airport Hotel, a 10-minute walk from the terminal; rooms cost RMB900.
PUDONG AIRPORT
Formally opened on 1 October 1999, the new PuDong (Tel 6834. 1000, flight information in English & Chinese Tel 3848 4500) is expected eventually to handle 20 million passengers per year. The airport is inconveniently located 30km southeast of Shanghai, near the East China Sea, making it considerably more difficult to get to than Hongqiao airport.
The airport is easy to navigate. Departures are on the upper level and arrivals are on the lower level. The middle level is dedicated to restaurants and parking. Departure tax is paid (in Renminbi RMB only) after check-in on the upper level. Trolleys are available for free and porters cost a modest RMB10; tipping is forbidden.
It's possible to change Renminbi back into US dollars at a Bank of China branch (8:30-11:30am & 2:30-10:30pm) at the international end of the upper level, if you have your original exchange receipts. The Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, at the international end of the lower level, will cash traveller’s cheques and give Visa credit card cash advances. There are ATMs in front of the departure tax desks on the upper level and outside the arrivals hall (Door 12).
Baggage storage is available in both arrivals halls (7am to 9:30pm, RMB5 to RMB20). Bags must be locked, a passport or ID is required, and the maximum storage period is 30 days.
There are post offices in both departures halls and in the domestic arrivals hall. Most restaurants are located on the 2nd floor, though a few nice cafes are on the upper level.
The souvenir shops in the departures halls have several interesting items to drain your last few kuai, like Bund stationery, cigarette girl sweatshirts, calligraphy pillows, and Chinese wine in elaborate jugs.
A short-stay hotel on the middle level charges RMB60 per hour for passengers in tram sit. It is accessible only after pre-flight check-in or before customs clearance on arrival. If you have to stay the night, the two-star Jinjiang Inn is a RMB10 taxi ride away.
TAXI
Shanghai has around 100,000 taxi drivers and 50,000 taxis. Most are Volkswagen Santanas, though these are due to be upgraded to Volkswagen Passats (Volkswagen has a factory in Shanghai).
Shanghai's taxis are reasonably cheap, hassle free and easy to flag down outside rush hour. Flag fall is RMB10 for the first 3km, and RMB2 per km thereafter; tipping is not common. Most rides around town cost from RMB14 to RMB20. Most taxi drivers are surprisingly honest, though you should always go by the meter. A few taxis now even take credit cards. At night you can tell if a taxi is empty by the red 'for hire' sign on the dashboard of the passenger side. The driver should push this down to start the meter when you get in the cab.
A night rate operates from 11pm to 5am, when the flag fall is RMB13, then RMB2.6 per km. It's always worth asking for a printed receipt, as this gives not only the fare but also the driver and car number, the distance driven, waiting time and the number to call if there are any problems. Make sure the drivers run the meter every time taking a taxi to avoid being ripped off.
Note that taxis can't take the tunnel to Liujiazui in Pudong from 8am to 9:30am and 5pm to 6:30pm.
In general, taxi drivers are surprisingly bad at finding their way around. If you don't speak Chinese, take a Chinese character map or have your destination written down in characters. It also helps if you have your own directions and sit in the front with a map. If you look particularly clueless you may literally be taken for a ride. Drivers must earn a quota of about RMB4000 a month but pocket most of the money after that.
Shanghai's main taxi companies include Dazhong Taxi (Tel 62581688), Qiangsheng (Tel 62580000) and Bashi (Tel 6431 2788). A few Red Flag limousines, once reserved for top Communist Party officials, now operate as cabs in Shanghai and cost the same as normal cabs. Jinjiang (Tel 6275 8800) have 10-seater minibuses that are very useful for groups and cheap at RMB15 for the first 3km.
Motorcycle taxis wait at most intersections and metro stations to whisk travellers off to nearby destinations. The advantages of these are that you save money if you are alone, and the motorcycles can take many roads that are off-limits to normal taxis. The disadvantages are that you have to cling on to the motorcycle for dear life (helmets are provided and strongly recommended), and your travel Insurance probably won’t cover you if you fall off. Most trips cost les than RMB10.
Safety
The crime rate is really quite low in Shanghai; even the taxi drivers don't try to rip you off. One of the most unsavoury parts of town lies around the train station, where many migrant workers end up scraping a living until they get proper jobs.
If you do get something stolen you need to report the crime at the district PSB office and get a police report. If you have something stolen on the metro, the Renmin Square metro station has its own PSB office.
Traffic is a major danger in Shanghai; it is essential to look in five directions at once (including above you, in case of falling construction debris) whenever you cross the street. Don't ever expect any vehicle to stop for you. Shanghai's most annoying traffic problem is the swarm of mopeds and bikes that weave up and down the pavements dodging pedestrians (because certain sections of Shanghai's roads are off-limits to bikes).
Getting a Visa in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is a favourite place for Shanghai residents and businesspeople to renew a visa and pick up some imported goodies like coffee and books at the same time.
Chinese visa is most cheaply processed at the Visa Office (Tel 2585 1794, 2585 1700; Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China; 5th floor, Low Block, China Resources Building, 26 Harbour Road, Wanchai). Fees are HK$100 (single entry), HK$150 (double entry) or HK$200 (multiple entry). US-passport holders face an additional surcharge. Visas are issued within two or three working days. Same-day and 24-hour services are more than double the price. The office is open Monday to Friday 9am to 12:30pm and 2pm to 5pm, and on Saturday from 9am to 12:30pm.
- 24/7 Live Chat Support
-
Besides issuing invitation letter to visitors, China Guide also helps reserve hotel rooms for all guests. Since there is a strong demand for accommodation during the fair, the local hotels often risk an incredible high room rate despite government pricing regulations. Don’t get ripped off by the inflated hotel rate, consult with us now for the proper hotel rate.
- Got a question