Getting There
By Air
Shanghai is serviced by the Pudong International Airport (http://www.shairport.com/en/index.jsp), located 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the city center and Hongqiao International Airport (http://www.shairport.com/en/airline03_a_hq.jsp) located 13 kilometers (18 miles) from the city center. Hongqiao Airport's international flights are limited to Korea and Japan. Passengers from other destinations will land at Pudong International Airport.
These airports offer flights on the following airlines: Air China ( +86 10 6601 6667 / http://www.airchina.com.cn ) Air France ( +86 10 6588 1388 / http://www.airfrance.com/ ) All Nippon Airways ( +86 10 6590 9191 / http://www.ana.co.jp ) British Airways ( +86 10 6512 4070 / http://www.british-airways.com/ ) China Southern Airlines ( +86 10 6601 7596 / http://www.cs-air.com/en ) Dragon Airway ( +86 10 6518 2533 / http://www.dragonair.com ) Finnair ( +86 10 6512 7180 / http://www.finnair.com ) Japan Airlines ( +86 10 6513 0888 / http://www.jal.co.jp ) Korean Air ( +86 10 6505 0088 / http://www.koreanair.com/ ) Lufthansa ( +86 10 6465 4488 / http://www.lufthansa.com/ ) Northwest ( +86 10 6505 3505 / http://www.nwa.com ) Thai Airways ( +86 10 6460 8899 / http://www.thaiair.com/ ) United ( +86 10 6463 8551/ http://www.ual.com )
There are a number of services that provide transportation from these airports to destinations throughout Shanghai. Metered taxis are available outside the airport, but it is advisable for travelers to have their destination written in Chinese. There are seven Airport Buses that offer service to destinations throughout the city. The Maglev Train http://www.smtdc.com/en/ is the world's first magnetic levitation line and offers service from Pudong International Airport to Longyang Road Metro Station with trains leaving every 15 minutes.
By Train
Shanghai is accessible by Chinese Railways (http://www.chinamor.cn.net). Shanghai Railway Station is the main train terminal.
By Bus
Numerous coach services service Shanghai. One of the most prominent bus services is Shanghai Dazhong Bus (+86 21 5651 3313)
By Car
Driving in Shanghai is inadvisable for those unfamiliar with the city's elaborate matrix of roadways. For foreigners wishing to travel by car, it is best to hire a driver.
Getting Around
There are numerous means of getting around Shanghai. Public buses are difficult to use without a comprehensive understanding of Mandarin, but the city's metro system operated by Shanghai Municipal Public Transportation (+86 21 0500 2300) is user friendly. Taxis are also easy to use provided you have your destination written in Mandarin. Some of the biggest dispatch companies include Friendship Taxi (+86 21 6258 4584) and Dazhong Taxi (+86 21 6320 7207). Bicycle rental is uncommon since road conditions are extremely dangerous.
Planning a Trip
Traveling in China is not as hard as you might think, and in Shanghai, it's even easier than that. Of all the cities in China, Shanghai is the easiest for an independent traveler to navigate. Tens of thousands of visitors arrive here every year, usually armed with some solid pre-planning, a guidebook, and a sense of adventure. However you choose to visit and whatever your preconceptions about traveling to China, it is important that you read this guide carefully. It contains all the basics for designing a trip to Shanghai and entering China with the right documents in hand.
Getting There
By Car
Since foreign visitors are not allowed to drive their own vehicles into or in China unless pre-arranged with a state-recognized travel agency on a specific itinerary (and accompanied by guide and driver), few visitors generally arrive this way.
By Train
From Hung Hom Station in Kowloon (Hong Kong), train K100 arrives at the Shanghai Train Station (Shanghai Huoche Zhan; tel. 021/6354-3193 or 021/6317-9090) on alternate days at 4:38pm (departing from Hong Kong the day before at 3pm; visit www.it3.mtr.com.hk for schedules and fares). Many trains from China's major cities especially to the north and west also arrive here. You must produce your train ticket to attendants at the station exits in order to leave the terminal. The station is located in the northern part of town in Zhabei District. You will have to walk a block to the Metro Line 1 station (follow the signs) or hail a taxi on the lower level of the terminal. There are no currency exchange facilities or ATMs here. Some trains from Hangzhou and some cities in southern China like Xiamen and Kunming also arrive at the Shanghai South Railway Station (Shanghai Nan Zhan; tel. 021/6317-9090) in the southern part of town.
By Ship
International arrivals from Kobe and Osaka in Japan are at the International Passenger Terminal (Guoji Keyun Matou) at Yangshupu Lu 100 (tel. 021/6595-9529), not far north of the Bund. Domestic ships arriving from Dalian, the Yangzi River, and Putuo Shan now arrive at the Wusong Passenger Terminal (Shanghai Gang Wusong Keyun Zhongxin, Songbao Lu 251; tel. 021/5657-5500), at the intersection of the Huangpu and Yangzi rivers. If you arrive here as an independent traveler, you will have to hail a taxi at the passenger terminal to reach your hotel, which is likely another 30 to 45 minutes away.
Planning a Trip
Traveling in China is not as hard as you might think, and in Shanghai, it's even easier than that. Of all the cities in China, Shanghai is the easiest for an independent traveler to navigate. Tens of thousands of visitors arrive here every year, usually armed with some solid pre-planning, a guidebook, and a sense of adventure. However you choose to visit and whatever your preconceptions about traveling to China, it is important that you read this guide carefully. It contains all the basics for designing a trip to Shanghai and entering China with the right documents in hand.
Getting There
By Car
Since foreign visitors are not allowed to drive their own vehicles into or in China unless pre-arranged with a state-recognized travel agency on a specific itinerary (and accompanied by guide and driver), few visitors generally arrive this way.
By Train
From Hung Hom Station in Kowloon (Hong Kong), train K100 arrives at the Shanghai Train Station (Shanghai Huoche Zhan; tel. 021/6354-3193 or 021/6317-9090) on alternate days at 4:38pm (departing from Hong Kong the day before at 3pm; visit www.it3.mtr.com.hk for schedules and fares). Many trains from China's major cities especially to the north and west also arrive here. You must produce your train ticket to attendants at the station exits in order to leave the terminal. The station is located in the northern part of town in Zhabei District. You will have to walk a block to the Metro Line 1 station (follow the signs) or hail a taxi on the lower level of the terminal. There are no currency exchange facilities or ATMs here. Some trains from Hangzhou and some cities in southern China like Xiamen and Kunming also arrive at the Shanghai South Railway Station (Shanghai Nan Zhan; tel. 021/6317-9090) in the southern part of town.
By Ship
International arrivals from Kobe and Osaka in Japan are at the International Passenger Terminal (Guoji Keyun Matou) at Yangshupu Lu 100 (tel. 021/6595-9529), not far north of the Bund. Domestic ships arriving from Dalian, the Yangzi River, and Putuo Shan now arrive at the Wusong Passenger Terminal (Shanghai Gang Wusong Keyun Zhongxin, Songbao Lu 251; tel. 021/5657-5500), at the intersection of the Huangpu and Yangzi rivers. If you arrive here as an independent traveler, you will have to hail a taxi at the passenger terminal to reach your hotel, which is likely another 30 to 45 minutes away.
