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Shanghai, situated on the estuary of Yangtze River, is the busiest transport hub in eastern China. As an important financial and business center of China and of the world, Shanghai has highly developed infrastructure, including a convenient public transportation network.
The city has various links to the outside. Today you can easily travel to Shanghai from not only the adjacent cities of Suzhou, Nanjing and Hangzhou, but also the distant cities such as Beijing, Xian, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong. Many cities in other countries also enjoy convenient transportation links with Shanghai. You can travel there by air, train, long-distance bus, or ship.
Shanghai is the only Chinese city that has two international airports - Pudong International Airport and Hongqiao International Airport. The two modern airports are equipped with very advanced facilities. Everyday, about 1,000 flights travel through the two airports, linking Shanghai with many domestic and international cities such as Beijing, Hong Kong, New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Tokyo and Singapore.
The railway network of Shanghai provides you with an inexpensive and comfortable way to get to the city. Huning (Shanghai - Nanjing) Railway and Huhang (Shanghai - Hangzhou) Railway pass through Shanghai and connect its three main railway stations with cities all over the country. Here you can also take advantage of tourist trains and special 'Holiday Trains' from Shanghai to scenic areas in other provinces such as Mt. Huangshan in Anhui and Mt. Wuyishan in Fujian.
Long-distance buses are also convenient when traveling to Shanghai. Four national highways and four expressways pass through Shanghai, composing the city's efficient long-distance bus transport system. Now over 1,000 routes are served by 40 long-distance bus stations in Shanghai.
Due to its strategic location, transportation via waterways is also highly accessible in Shanghai. The city is located on the estuary of Yangtze River and midpoint of China's north-south coastline, and currently stands as China's largest port. The increasing quantity of goods and passengers moved in and out has promoted the development of economy and tourism of Shanghai and its adjacent cities. The great number of domestic and international passenger liners will easily accommodate your travel needs as you journey to Shanghai.
By Air
Shanghai has two international airports something no other city in China can boast. The Pudong International Airport handles 60% of flights including most flights from all over the world, while the remaining 40% use Hongqiao International Airport . As one of the main Chinese airline hubs, Shanghai has opened connections with nearly two hundred cities, half domestic ones and half international and regional ones. Direct flights provide Shanghai with connections to dozens of international air terminals such as Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Fukuoka, Osaka, Tokyo, Bangkok, Brussels, Madrid, Paris, Singapore, London, Moscow, Rome as well as regional links with Hong Kong and Macau. Domestic flights link Shanghai with Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Xian, Xiamen, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Shenyang and others.
The two airports enjoy convenient transportation links with the center of Shanghai. Here is a map of bus transfers at Pudong and Hongqiao International Airports for your reference:
Pudong International Airport
Situated on the south bank of the Yangtze River estuary in east Shanghai, Pudong International Airport, completed in 1999, is about 30 kilometers (19 miles) away from the city center and 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Hongqiao International Airport. In total about fifty airlines have flights to over sixty domestic cities and over seventy cities of other countries and regions. For more information, you should contact the airport through its information line of 021-96081388.
Ten airport bus lines handle transfers from Pudong International Airport to the city center as follows:
1. Airport Line 1 : Pudong International Airport (7:20 - 23:00) <---> Hongqiao International Airport (6:00 - 21:00)
Interval: 10 minutes
Price: CNY 30
By Train
The city of Shanghai has several railway stations, among which Shanghai Railway Station, Shanghai South Railway Station and Shanghai West Railway Station are the main ones. These three stations provide convenient transportation for tourists to many destinations throughout China.
A train journey from Shanghai to Beijing takes only 10 hours by 'D' trains (bullet trains with a D before the train numbers), about 12 hours by 'Z' trains (direct fast trains with a Z before the train numbers), 13.5 hours by 'T' trains (fast trains with a T before the train numbers), nearly 19 hours by 'K' trains (common trains with a K before the train numbers), and over 20 hours by slower trains that have no letter before the train numbers.
Train travel between Shanghai and some of the adjacent tourist destinations is both efficient and convenient. A train trip from Shanghai to Suzhou takes between 40 and 90 minutes, while a train journey from Shanghai to Hangzhou takes between 1.5 hours and 4 hours. For more detailed information, please check our site at China Train Search .
There are sometimes tourist trains from Shanghai to Hefei and Mt. Huangshan in Anhui Province, Zhangjiajie in Hunan Province, and Wuyishan in Fujian Province.
In addition, there are special 'Holiday Trains' from Shanghai to Jinhu of Jiangsu Province, Mt. Sanqingshan and Mt. Longhushan in Jiangxi Province, Lishui and Mt. Yandangshan in Zhejiang Province, and Mt. Wuyishan of Fujian Province. The trains depart from Shanghai every Friday and returns on the following Monday morning. If you intend to travel on weekends, please go to the railway station, or any other branches of Shanghai Railway Administration for reservation. Up-to-date information on Holiday Trains can be obtained by phoning 021-63250169.
Shanghai Railway Station
Shanghai Railway Station, also known as New Railway Station, is located at No. 303 of Moling Road in Zhabei District. It serves as the largest passenger railway station in the city. Everyday at least 80 pairs of trains run between Shanghai and other cities all over the country, including Beijing, Xian, Qingdao, Harbin, Chengdu, Kowloon etc. Additionally it has bullet trains to Beijing, Nanjing, Suzhou, Wuxi, Changzhou, and Changsha.
Tickets for trains departing from Shanghai go on sale nine days before the departure day. You can go directly to the ticket office on the first floor of the Complex Ticket Building of Shanghai Railway Station to buy tickets. For more additional information you can call the Shanghai Railway Station Information Line at 021-63179090, 021-95105123 or the Ticket Booking Line at 021-8008207890 (toll free), 021-95105105.
Train tickets are also sold at many other booking offices in the city of Shanghai. Ticket Offices at No. 230 of East Beijing Road, No. 1738 of West Beijing Road, and No. 431 of Changyang Road are the main locations. At other ticket offices in the city, tickets usually go on sale four days before the departure day and an extra fee of CNY 5 will be charged. Train tickets can be purchased directly at a ticket office, or through a travel agency.
Shanghai Railway Station is located near the city center with convenient access to many other modes of transportation. Subway Lines 1, 3 and 4 pass this station, and many bus routes stop at the South Square or the North Square of the station. The South and North Squares are connected by a long tunnel to the east of the station. You can go through the tunnel to either of the two squares providing you with many local buses to destinations within the city of Shanghai.
By Long-Distance Bus
National Highway Lines 312 (Shanghai-Yining City of Xinjiang), 318 (Shanghai-Zhangmu Town of Tibet) and 320 (Shanghai-Ruili of Yunnan) all start from Shanghai and go westward. National Highway Line 204 (Yantai-Shanghai), the trunk line of the Tongjiang-Sanya National Highway, stretches as a north-south artery through Shanghai. Four main expressways of Huning (Shanghai-Nanjing), Huhang (Shanghai-Hangzhou), Hujialiu (Shanghai-Jiading-Taicang), and Huqingping (Shanghai-Qingpu-Pingwang) link Shanghai with lots of cities in neighboring areas.
The developed highway network enables Shanghai to have consummate long-distance bus passenger transport system. Shanghai now has about 1,680 long-distance bus routes radiating to cities in 17 provinces all over the country. There are over 40 long-distance bus stations based in the city zone and the suburbs, mainly concentrated in Zhabei District especially the area near Shanghai Railway Station.
Main Coach Stations in Shanghai
1. Shanghai Long-Distance General Bus Station
This is the largest passenger transport long-distance bus station in Shanghai. Every day, there are about 420 buses departing from the station following over 150 routes. Buses are bound for cities in six provinces of East China including Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, and Fujian as well as cities in the provinces of Liaoning, Hebei, Henan, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Hubei, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guangdong. You can take bus nos. 106, 115, 117, 305, 310, 515, 517, 823, 859, 912, 928, 929, 962, or Subway Line 1 or 3 to get to the station.
Add: No. 1662, Zhongxing Road, Zhabei District (Shanghai Railway Station North Square)
Tel: 021-66050000, 021-56720594
2. Hutai Road Long-Distance Bus Station - Shanghai Bus Transportation Co., Ltd.
In this station, you will find buses bound for Qingdao and Rizhao of Shandong Province, Lianyungang, Nanjing, and Yangzhou in Jiangsu Province, Hangzhou and Shaoxing of Zhejiang Province, Wuhan of Hubei, and Ma'anshan of Anhui. Tourist buses to Mt. Huangshan, Mt. Jiuhuashan and Wuzhen can also be found here. Buses nos. 40, 47, 58, 69, 128, 213, 216, 224, 234, 309, 332, 510, 525, 706, 710, 741, 767B, 822, 844, 845, 849, 869, 924, 963, Beijia Special Line, Beiluo Line, Beian Line, and Subway Line 1 can take you to the station.
Add: No. 1015, North Zhongshan Road, Zhabei District (near Hutai Road)
Tel: 021-56528400
By Ship
Shanghai, situated at the estuary of Yangtze River and midpoint of China's north-south coastline, is the world's third largest port and China's largest seaport. It is the only port in China connecting the country's shipping system of sea, river, and freshwater.
Ships sailing from Shanghai Port voyage to some 500 ports in over 160 countries and regions all over the world. Due to the slow speed, some long-distance sea routes have been closed. However, the quantity of the goods moved in and out of Shanghai port ranks highly among the world's major ports. Passenger transportation through Shanghai port is also busy. The following is detailed introduction to the main passenger ports in Shanghai.
International Cruise
Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal
Located at the North Bund Area in Hongkou District near downtown, Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal has been under construction since 2004, and the whole project including the passenger port, Shanghai International Port Group Building, and some corresponding business establishments, will be completed by the beginning of 2008. With the passenger port being in operation, Gaoyang International Passenger Transport Center, the future parking of Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal, is now serving as a temporary establishment to handle the business of international cruises. The port in use now has berths which can accommodate large passenger liners. Sailing from Shanghai, international cruises can reach Japan and South Korea.
'Costa Allegra', the first cruise ship berthing in this port, operates a regular 6-day tourist cruise routed: Shanghai (China) <---> Nagasaki (Japan) <---> Cheju (South Korea).
'Korea-China Bridge' ship operates regularly between China's Shanghai and Mokpo Port in South Korea. A single journey takes only 12 hours.
'New Jianzhen' is a passenger and cargo ship sailing regularly between Shanghai and Japan. It starts from Shanghai at 13:00 every Saturday, and arrives at Kobe or Osaka Ports of Japan on Monday morning the next week. The ship makes its return voyage from Kobe or Osaka at 12:00 every Tuesday, and it reaches Shanghai on Thursday. The speed of the ship is low, and a round trip usually takes over 80 hours. However there are still many people who choose this liner because of the good environment, excellent service, and low price. A single journey ship passage costs CNY 1,300 to CNY 2,600 (JPY 20,000 to JPY 40,000) per person according to the standard of cabin chosen. Alternatively you can pay CNY 6,500 (JPY 100,000) for a VIP room, which can accommodate two persons. For more information of this liner, you can phone 021-63257642.
'Suzhou' ship also voyages between Shanghai and Osaka in Japan. Starting from Shanghai at 11:00 every Tuesday, it reaches Osaka at 9:00 on Thursday. Every Friday, the ship makes its return at 12:00, and gets to Shanghai on Sunday. The ship passage is almost the same as that of 'New Jianzhen' ship.
When you take an international cruise, you'd better go to the port two hours before departure to conduct the boarding procedures. Ship tickets can be bought or booked at Shanghai International Ferry Co., Ltd. with your passport or other valid identification.
Ticket Office Address: D-G, 15 F, Jin'an Mansion, No.908, East Daming Road, Hongqiao District
Ticket Information Line: 021-65375111
After completion of the whole project, Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal will have more international passenger liners to facilitate the needs of modern tourism.
Domestic Cruise
Wusong Passenger Transport Center
Shanghai Port Wusong Passenger Transport Center, located at the meeting of Yangtze River estuary and Huangpu River, is an important passenger port with many domestic sea routes in operation. Succeeding the former Shiliupu Port, it has regular departures for neighboring areas like Nantong City of Jiangsu Province, Dinghai, Shengsi, Zhoushan, and Mt. Putuoshan area of Zhejiang Province, as well as some cities along the Yangtze River.
Generally, transportation inside Shanghai city is considered both convenient and satisfactory. As an international metropolis with the largest population in China, Shanghai will inevitably face the problem of overpopulation and traffic congestion. However the situation is currently somewhat better than in Beijing. To relieve the transportation pressure, the government has done a lot of work including constructing a large number of roads, subways, and opening more new bus routes. Now, the city has the world's largest public transportation system handling the largest daily volume of passengers.
A high-density road network makes overland transportation easy. Taxis, city buses, and sightseeing buses are ready to bring you to everywhere in Shanghai. If you prefer driving yourself, rental cars are available - a word of caution though - if possible, avoid the congested overhead roads in the urban area inside the Inner Ring Road during rush hour.
Shanghai's five subway lines have connections all over the city, with stops at or nearby the main attractions and commercial areas. If you are just sightseeing and in no hurry, the subway will provide you with fast and comfortable service (though you may want to avoid rush hour of 7:00 to 9:30 and 16:30 to 19:30). Additionally, you may want to check out the speedy maglev train which runs between Longyang Road and Pudong Airport.
Nanpu Bridge, Yangpu Bridge, Xupu Bridge, Lupu Bridge and various tunnels across the Huangpu River provide direct links between Pudong New District and Puxi Area. Ferries offer convenient shuttle service across the Huangpu River, allowing you to avoid the crowded bridges and tunnels while appreciating the river scenery. Additionally ferryboats are available between the mainland of Shanghai and its three islands of Chongming, Changqing and Hengsha.
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