ChinaRoam
ChinaRoam
Metro routes that work, tickets you can actually book, food you can order, and the payment hacks no guidebook prints — city by city.
China's global gateway — futuristic skyline, world-class museums, and the easiest city in China for a first-time visitor to navigate.
Pudong (PVG): Metro Line 2 ~1h (¥7–9), or the Maglev train to Longyang Rd in 8 min (¥50). Hongqiao (SHA): Lines 2 & 10 go direct to downtown.
Fares ¥3–6 downtown. Set up a metro QR code in Alipay → 'Transport' → passport verification, or tap your Visa/Mastercard directly at the gates. Line 2 hits Pudong Airport, Lujiazui, East Nanjing Rd & Hongqiao; Line 10 hits Yu Garden & Xintiandi. Peak hours 7:30–9:00 & 17:30–19:00 are packed.
DiDi has an English interface and is cheaper than taxis. Have your destination written in Chinese for taxi drivers. For navigation use Amap (GaoDe, settable to English) — far more accurate inside China than Google Maps.
Open-air waterfront promenade, best at night when the skyline lights up (~18:30–21:00). Free, no reservation. Add a ¥3 ferry across the river for a boat's-eye view.
Reserve: None
Classic Ming-dynasty garden. Buy at the box office or via Trip.com/Klook (English, credit cards OK). The surrounding bazaar is free and great for snacks and souvenirs.
Reserve: Recommended in high season
World-class bronzes, ceramics and calligraphy. You MUST reserve in advance on the official English website (email + passport number) — no reservation, no entry. Bring your physical passport; photos and copies are NOT accepted.
Reserve: Required — opens 14 days ahead at noon
The famous sphere tower with a glass skywalk at 259 m. Book online (Klook/GetYourGuide/Trip.com) with passport pre-registration to skip weekend queues. Shanghai Tower is a pricier but better-value alternative.
Reserve: Recommended
Xiao Yang Sheng Jian 小杨生煎 is a big chain — easy to find and card-friendly.
A Shanghai breakfast staple, best eaten fresh from the pan. Look for the morning queues.
Sweet, soy-based local dishes — red-braised pork 红烧肉, drunken chicken 醉鸡. Lanxin Restaurant 兰心 near Tianzifang is a famous budget spot.
云南南路 Yunnan South Rd, 吴江路 Wujiang Rd, 定西路 Dingxi Rd — the classic evening food walks.
Download Alipay, sign up with email/phone, bind an international Visa/Mastercard. This unlocks metro QR codes, DiDi, restaurants and almost everything. WeChat Pay works too. International cards have worked well in Shanghai since 2024–2025.
Some old restaurants, street stalls and temple counters are cash-only. Airport bank counters exchange cash on arrival; major-bank ATMs accept foreign cards.
¥100–1000 stored value at PVG or SHA. Works for metro, buses, ferries and some attraction tickets. Refundable.
Buy a tourist eSIM before landing (airalo/holafly) or a prepaid SIM at the airport. Set up a VPN before you arrive — Google, WhatsApp and Instagram are blocked. Emergency: 110 police / 120 ambulance / 119 fire, English available.
ChinaRoam is a crowdsourced guide to traveling China, built for foreign visitors. We started with the city guides that everyone needs but nobody could find in English: how do I actually pay? How do I book a museum with my passport? Which metro line goes where?
Unlike tourist agencies and travel portals, every entry here is written by travelers who have been on the ground — and every guide is open for anyone to correct and improve. It's a living guidebook, not a static one.
Prices, opening hours, and visa rules change. Treat every entry as a strong hint, not gospel — check official sources for things that matter. And if you spot something wrong, correct it: that's the whole point.
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