Shanghai for first-timers: Bund, French Concession, airports and day trips

Shanghai in a nutshell

Shanghai (上海) is China's biggest and most international city. It splits into two sides of the Huangpu River: Puxi (浦西), the older west bank with the Bund, Yu Garden and the French Concession, and Pudong (浦东), the east bank with the skyscrapers of Lujiazui. Three days is enough for the classic highlights, and the metro makes it easy to move between them.

The city's main sights

• The Bund (外滩, Waitan): a riverside promenade lined with historic buildings, facing the Pudong skyline. Evening is the popular time for the lights.
• Lujiazui (陆家嘴): the financial district with Shanghai Tower, the Oriental Pearl Tower and other high-rises. Check the official sites for current observation-deck booking.
• Yu Garden (豫园, Yuyuan): a Ming-dynasty-style garden next to a busy bazaar of snack stalls and souvenir shops in the old city.
• French Concession (法租界): tree-lined streets such as Wukang Road and Anfu Road with cafes, boutiques and old villas; best explored on foot.
• Nanjing Road (南京路): the pedestrian shopping street running from People's Square towards the Bund; very busy and best seen once.

A sensible rhythm is to do the Puxi old areas on foot and use the metro for the jumps to Pudong. Crossing the river by metro is quick, and stations near Lujiazui and People's Square are large, so allow a few minutes to change lines.

Day trips and theme parks

Zhujiajiao (朱家角) is a canal town in the western suburbs, reached by metro line 17 and a short walk. It has stone bridges, alleys and boat rides, and suits a half-day. Shanghai Disneyland (上海迪士尼乐园) in Pudong is on metro line 11. Buy tickets and check any queue-saving options through the official Disney app, and expect a full day.

For train tickets use the official 12306 app or website in its English version, which accepts foreign passports. Bring the same passport you booked with and arrive early for security.

Airports and getting around

Pudong International Airport (PVG, 浦东机场) handles most long-haul and many Thailand flights. The Maglev (磁悬浮) runs from PVG to Longyang Road station in minutes, where you change to metro lines 2, 7 or 16; the metro itself also reaches the airport on line 2. Hongqiao Airport (SHA, 虹桥机场) is on the west side and shares Hongqiao Railway Station, so it is convenient for day trips; metro lines 2 and 10 connect it to the centre. Confirm your flight's airport and the current Maglev schedule on the official sites.

Where to stay

• People's Square / Nanjing Road: the best-connected area, with several metro lines crossing; good for first visits.
• Former French Concession (Jing'an, Xuhui): quieter, walkable, full of cafes and restaurants.
• The Bund / Huangpu: close to the river views and Yu Garden, but busy at night.

A 3-day plan

1. 1Dag 1Yu Garden and the old city in the morning, Nanjing Road in the afternoon, the Bund after sunset.
2. 2Dag 2Lujiazui towers, then walk the French Concession and Wukang Road in the evening.
3. 3Dag 3Choose Zhujiajiao, a Suzhou or Hangzhou train trip, or Disneyland.

Data and payments

Many foreign services such as Google, LINE, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube are usually not reachable on mainland networks or hotel Wi-Fi. A travel eSIM from a non-Chinese provider usually routes data through a gateway outside the mainland, like roaming, so these apps usually open on it. Nobody can guarantee every app on every network, so test before you rely on it, and keep your Thai SIM on for SMS and bank OTP. Shanghai is highly cashless: set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign Visa or Mastercard and verify your passport before the trip, and keep some cash and a physical card as backup.

Veelgemaakte fouten

• Booking a hotel far from any metro station; Shanghai is large, and the metro saves hours.
• Leaving the Bund for the last evening without checking the weather; haze or rain can hide the skyline.
• Accepting rides from touts at the airport instead of using the official taxi queue, the metro or a ride-hailing app.
• Arriving at Hongqiao Railway Station at the last minute; it is huge and security takes time.
• Assuming Disneyland needs no planning; tickets and entry details are best checked on the official app in advance.

Most of these come down to the same habit: check the official source a day or two before each leg, and keep your passport with you.

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