Getting around · Shanghai · China
Getting around Shanghai
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: This illustration was made by Peter Potrowl . Please credit this with : © Peter Potrowl in, CC BY 3.0
Quick answer
Shanghai's Metro is one of the world's largest networks, with about 20 lines covering the centre, both airports and Hongqiao Railway Station, and stations signed in English. Taxis and ride-hailing are inexpensive, and the central districts are pleasant to walk. No.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Metro
- Airports
- PVG, SHA
- Need a car?
- No
- Travel pass
- Shanghai Public Transportation Card
Ways to get around
Metro
The Metro is the fastest way across the city; lines 2 and 10 link the Bund area, Jing'an and Hongqiao, and line 2 crosses the river to Lujiazui and Pudong Airport. Trains run from early morning until around 11pm.
Pay by scanning a QR code in the Metro app, Alipay or WeChat, or buy a rechargeable Shanghai Public Transportation Card.
Taxi
Licensed taxis are plentiful and metered; ride-hailing through DiDi, which has an English interface, is widely used.
Have your destination written in Chinese characters; many drivers do not speak English.
Walking
The Bund, Nanjing Road East, People's Square and the Old City are within walking distance of each other, and the French Concession is best explored on foot.
Cycling
App-based share bikes are parked on most pavements and the city has many cycle lanes; the West Bund and Bund riverside paths are pleasant to ride.
Ferry
Public ferries cross the Huangpu between the Bund side and Lujiazui in a few minutes, a cheap way to see the skyline from the water.
Train
High-speed trains from Hongqiao and Shanghai stations reach Suzhou in about 30 minutes, Hangzhou in about an hour and Beijing in about 4.5–6 hours.
Book long-distance train tickets in advance around national holidays; you need your passport to buy and board.
Tickets and passes
Shanghai Public Transportation Card
A rechargeable card for the Metro, buses, ferries and many taxis; a deposit is refunded at designated stations.
Metro day passes
One-day and three-day Metro tickets offer unlimited rides and suit days with many journeys; the three-day ticket can include the Maglev.
From the airport
Pudong Airport is about 40 km east of the centre: the Maglev reaches Longyang Road Metro station in about eight minutes, and Metro line 2 runs directly into the city in about an hour. Hongqiao Airport, used for most domestic and some regional flights, is next to Hongqiao Railway Station and about 30–40 minutes from People's Square on Metro lines 2 or 10.
Do you need a car?
No. Driving in Shanghai is slow and foreign licences are not valid for driving in mainland China; use the Metro, taxis and high-speed trains.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Suzhou | About 30 minutes by high-speed train | High-speed train from Shanghai or Hongqiao stations |
| Hangzhou and West Lake | About 1 hour by high-speed train | High-speed train from Hongqiao to Hangzhou East |
| Zhujiajiao | About 1 hour by Metro | Metro line 17 to Zhujiajiao station |
| Wuzhen | About 2 hours by bus or train and taxi | Coach from Shanghai, or high-speed train to Tongxiang and a taxi |
| Nanjing | About 1.5–2 hours by high-speed train | High-speed train from Hongqiao or Shanghai stations |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Shanghai?
No. Driving in Shanghai is slow and foreign licences are not valid for driving in mainland China; use the Metro, taxis and high-speed trains.
+How do you get from the airport to Shanghai?
Pudong Airport is about 40 km east of the centre: the Maglev reaches Longyang Road Metro station in about eight minutes, and Metro line 2 runs directly into the city in about an hour. Hongqiao Airport, used for most domestic and some regional flights, is next to Hongqiao Railway Station and about 30–40 minutes from People's Square on Metro lines 2 or 10.
+What is the best way to get around Shanghai?
Metro: The Metro is the fastest way across the city; lines 2 and 10 link the Bund area, Jing'an and Hongqiao, and line 2 crosses the river to Lujiazui and Pudong Airport. Trains run from early morning until around 11pm.