Travel Guide
China - Shanghai
As China's hub of economy, fashion, and shopping, Shanghai offers the best window into understanding the country's development.
💡 Quick Tips
- Mobile Payment: Both Alipay and WeChat Pay now support linking international credit cards (Visa/Mastercard).
- Toilets: In most of malls western-style toilets, but old towns or scenic spots mostly have squat toilets. Most importantly: Bring your own tissue, as many public toilets don't provide it.
- Tipping: there is no social pressure to tip, but you can certainly choose to reward exceptional service in specific scenarios, like taxi, food delivery (Waimai) and high-end hotels/restaurants.
- Be polite but firmly refuse invitations from strangers on the street to go anywhere private.
This is an in-depth Shanghai travel guide written by a Chinese local who has lived in Shanghai for over five years. Rather than a surface-level introduction, it is based on real daily life experience and long-term observation of the city. The guide covers practical details, local habits, and cultural nuances that most short-term visitors or generic guides often miss, making it highly detailed, realistic, and genuinely useful for travelers who want to truly understand and experience Shanghai beyond the highlights.
Overview
As China's hub of economy, fashion, and shopping, Shanghai offers the best window into understanding the country's development.
- Best time to visit: spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November) for mild weather, fewer crowds (avoiding October Golden Week).
| Month | High / Low(°C) | Rain |
|---|---|---|
| January | 8° / 1° | 8 days |
| February | 10° / 3° | 8 days |
| March | 14° / 7° | 10 days |
| April | 20° / 12° | 9 days |
| May | 25° / 17° | 8 days |
| June | 28° / 22° | 11 days |
| July | 33° / 26° | 10 days |
| August | 32° / 25° | 11 days |
| September | 28° / 21° | 8 days |
| October | 23° / 16° | 6 days |
| November | 17° / 10° | 6 days |
| December | 11° / 3° | 5 days |
- English Levels: English is spoken much more widely here than in other Chinese cities, especially by young people and in the FFC area. However, taxi drivers generally still do not speak English. (Show them the address in Chinese on your phone).
- Coffee Capital: Shanghai has more coffee shops than any other city in the world. You don't need to worry about finding caffeine here; the coffee culture is massive.
- Nearby City: Suzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Wuxi, Hengdian, Yiwu, Ningbo, Zhoushan, etc.
- Area: 6340km²
- Population: 24.87 million
By the way, if you are planning a trip to China, you might want to check out Tripilot – a travel app we have been working on, launching this February. It is like having a friendly local who speaks your language, ready to help you uncover the best spots, sort out logistics, and make sense of everything from street food to subway lines, just like this guidebook and beyond.
Brief History
Airports (2 Major Airports)
Shanghai has two airports located on opposite sides of the city. They are about 1 hour apart by subway/taxi, so check your ticket carefully!
- Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG)
- Chinese: 上海浦东国际机场 (Pǔdōng Guójì Jīchǎng)
- Location: East coast (far from the city center).
- Primary Use: Most International flights and long-haul flights.
- Transport: Connected by Metro Line 2 and Airport Link Line.
- Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA)
- Chinese: 上海虹桥国际机场 (Hóngqiáo Guójì Jīchǎng)
- Location: West side (closer to the city center).
- Primary Use: Domestic flights and short-haul international flights (Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, Macau).
- Transport: Connected by Metro Line 2 and Line 10.
- Note: It has two terminals (T1 and T2) which are physically separated. T2 is connected to the Railway Station.
- Official website: www.shanghaiairport.com
Railway Stations
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