Shanghai is a huge city. I will tell you all about transportation in Shanghai: what is more convenient for a tourist to use, how to get from the airport to the city center and how much you have to spend on travel.
Metro
The Shanghai Metro is the longest in the world, with a length of 831 kilometers. The average daily passenger flow is more than 10 million people. Despite the fact that the subway appeared in the city relatively recently – in 1993, its development has been exponentially progressive. Now the Shanghai subway has more than 450 stations.
How to buy a ticket
There are special terminals at each station where you can buy a pass. In the upper right corner of the screen you can choose between Chinese and English. A subway map will appear in front of you, on which you can select the branch you need (as of November 2024, there are 18 of them), then the station you want to get to. And at the end – the number of people who need a ticket in that direction. The total cost will appear on the screen. You can pay for tickets by cash or card.
How much a ticket costs
There is no fixed fare in Shanghai. The ticket price depends on the distance. For a trip of up to 6 kilometers, you will have to pay 3 ¥, and for each additional 10 kilometers, you will have to pay an additional 1 ¥. For example, to get from Pudong Airport to People’s Square, the center of Shanghai, you have to pay 7 ¥.
Features of the Shanghai subway
- At each station there are transparent barriers to prevent people from falling into the tunnel. After buying a travel ticket, follow the standard scheme – put it to the turnstile and wait for the signal. And after that – do not throw it away. You will still need the card to go out into the city.
- Shanghai has long passages between transfer stations. It can take 10-15 minutes to get from point A to point B! So if you’re going somewhere by a specific hour, make sure to allow plenty of time for travel.
- A trip on the Shanghai subway can last for hours (and that’s just one way!). That’s why there are toilets and food vending machines at the stations, so you can have a refreshment without going out into the city. You can also find umbrellas for rent here.
- The subway is always air-conditioned, so if you see people in jackets on the streets at +30 °C, don’t be surprised: they just used public transportation.
- If you suddenly forget which line you are on, look at the colors of the seats, escalators and signs – they correspond to a particular branch. And if you have difficulties, you can ask a specially trained person for help. There are such employees at every station.
Magnetic cushion train
The Shanghai Maglev, or magnetoplane, is one of the world’s fastest magnetic cushion trains. This train does not touch the rails, so it gives the impression of levitation. It connects Shanghai’s Lunyang Lu subway station with Pudong Airport and travels about 30 kilometers in about 8 minutes, accelerating up to 300 kilometers per hour.
How to buy a ticket
When you arrive at the airport after clearing customs, follow the signs (they are duplicated in English) to find the maglev boarding area. At the end of your route, there will be a branch at the end of your route: on one side you will board the metro and on the other side you will board the maglev.
Next, you will see a counter with a blue sign that says Maglev Ticket Center. Unlike the subway, you can buy a ticket here both at the terminal, if you pay by card, and at the ticket office, if you pay in cash.
How much a ticket costs
The fare is 50 ¥ one way. If you pay with a Shanghai subway transportation card, you will need 40 ¥ . You can also save 10 ¥ if you just flew into or out of Pudong. You will need to show your airline tickets. The discounted fare is ¥40.
Features of the Shanghai Maglev
- Maglev operates from 06:45 to 21:40. Trains run at intervals of 15-20 minutes. If you want to get to the city from the airport just by it, then choose the appropriate air tickets.
- Although the train travels at “cosmic” speed, the journey to Lunyang Lu Station can take a long time during rush hour. To avoid missing your flight, it is important to allow enough time for the journey. You should also take into account the time intervals of the maglev.
Bus
Buses in Shanghai are not the most popular form of transportation, the palm of superiority in this regard belongs to the subway. And tourists often ignore this mode of transportation. Firstly, not everyone can understand the thousands of routes without knowing Chinese. Secondly, rush hour traffic jams have never been canceled – here, of course, it is more convenient to travel by metro.
Almost all city bus lines have a numerical designation; hieroglyphics are found mostly in the suburbs. Below are the meanings of the routes according to their numbers:
- 1 to 199 are regular city buses;
- 200 to 299 are rush hour buses;
- 300 to 399 are night buses;
- 400 to 499 are routes that run across the Huangpu River;
- 500 to 699 are special routes;
- 700 to 799 – commuter transportation;
- 800 to 999 are special routes;
- from 1000 and onwards – routes that operate in a specific neighborhood and connect it to the nearest metro station.
In Shanghai popular tourist buses, which operate on the Hop-on Hop-off system: you can get off at any stop for a walk, and then with the same ticket get on another tourist bus.
How to buy a ticket
If you do not have a city travel card, you can pay for your trip in cash. Payment is made in both cases near the driver’s cabin: there is a terminal for payment by card (it will show information about the cost) and an electronic box for accepting cash. The most important nuance – it does not give change. Therefore, if you need to use the bus, it is better to have some change.
How much a ticket costs
All buses in Shanghai can be divided into two conventional groups: those where the fare depends on the distance and those where the fare is fixed. Most of them run in the center of the city. You will have to pay about 3-5 ¥ for the first one, and 1-2 ¥ for the second one.
Features of the Shanghai bus
- The bus stops in the central part of Shanghai are different from those in the outskirts. They are equipped with a scoreboard that provides information about the arrival of transportation at the stop. However, it is not duplicated in English – only in Chinese. But it is not difficult to understand at what time the bus number you need arrives. The bus stops also have information about routes (also in Chinese).
- Regular city buses operate from 05:00 to 23:00. Rush hour transportation – from 06:00 to 08:00 and from 16:30 to 18:30. Night buses – from 23:00 to 05:30.
- Some routes have conductors. If you are on one of these routes, you should give your fare to them.
Passenger ferry
Shanghai is divided into two parts by the Huangpu River. There are different ways to get from the western to the eastern part of the city (or vice versa). The most touristy is the passenger ferry. The ships carry about 250,000 people daily.
How to buy a ticket
Shanghai Ferry Company docks in the city are easy to find: they are marked with a large red sign depicting a boat on the waves. If you don’t have a transportation card, you can pay for your trip at the ticket office at the entrance – everything is intuitive. Further – as in the subway: you need to go to the turnstiles, attach your ticket and move on to the floating pier.
How much a ticket costs
You can cross to the other side with a bicycle or moped, but there is a fee. You have to pay ¥2.8 for yourself and your bicycle, and ¥3 for a moped. You can also bring a motorcycle for 4 ¥. If you are traveling on your own, the fare is only 2 ¥.
Features of the passenger ferry
- On board, you can take up seating. They are quite small, so some passengers will have to travel standing up.
- The most popular tourist route is the Dongjin Line. This ferry leaves from the waterfront near the Gützlaf signal tower and arrives in Pudong, where it takes 5-10 minutes to walk to the Liujiashui skyscrapers.
- Ferry operating times depend on the specific route. The earliest one departs at 04:00, the latest at 00:05. On some lines ferries operate 24/7.
Cab
Cabs are well developed in Shanghai. You can use this mode of transportation if you are going to or from the airport late at night, when neither the subway nor the maglev are working. There are dozens (if not hundreds) of transportation companies in the city. Their cars differ in colors and brands. But the prices are roughly the same everywhere.
How to order a cab
Shanghai has its own analog of Uber – it is Didi. The application is available in English. With its help, you can not only call a cab, but also rent a car or a bicycle.
How much does a trip cost
It all depends on the distance you have to travel:
- up to 3 kilometers – 14 ¥;
- 3-15 km – 2.5 ¥za km;
- from 15 km – 3.6 ¥ per km.
Features of Shanghai cabs
- A night trip will cost about 25-30% more than a day trip. Night fare is valid in the city – this is the time from 23:00 to 05:00.
- You have to pay for waiting time in Shanghai. The free waiting time is 4 minutes. Each subsequent minute will be charged as 1 km tariff.
- In cabs it is mostly customary to pay in cash, but some cars are equipped with terminals for contactless payment.
What else is important to know
1. Shanghai Pass, a universal payment card for tourists, has been created in Shanghai. You can use it to pay for public transportation and museums. We told you more about it in the article “China has introduced a payment card for tourists”.
2. The Shanghai International Service website offers an English-language guide with useful information for those traveling to China for the first time. Every year about 20 new subway stations open in Shanghai, so the number of branches is also increasing. Before traveling, be sure to check that the information is up to date so you don’t get confused.
3. Another mode of transportation that works for tourists is a small transparent car running in the Bund Tunnel under the Huangpu River. This waterway connects the Bund and Lujiazui of Pudong district. If you need to cross the river, you can use this mode of transportation. The 5-minute ride costs ¥50 one way and ¥70 round trip. Its specialty is the light show and sound effects that accompany passengers along the way.
