Arriving in Shanghai

From PVG: the Maglev (磁悬浮) runs to Longyang Road station in 8 minutes (¥50 standard; ¥40 with connecting metro ticket) — connecting to Line 2 for central Shanghai. Metro Line 2 also runs directly from PVG to People's Square and Hongqiao, taking about 70 minutes; useful if your hotel is on the line. Taxis cost ¥160–250 to the Bund area depending on traffic. From SHA (Hongqiao): Metro Lines 2/10 or 17 connect directly to the centre in 30–45 minutes. Didi pickup is straightforward at both airports.

China Unicom and China Mobile tourist SIMs are available at PVG arrivals — staff at dedicated kiosks speak basic English. International roaming from a home country SIM works for data but costs significantly more. Install your VPN before landing; Google Maps, WhatsApp, and most Western social media require it. Amap (高德地图) works without VPN and is more accurate for Chinese addresses than cached Google Maps.

Alipay's International version is the most user-friendly for visitors; link a foreign Visa/Mastercard and the payment works at the vast majority of Shanghai venues including metro top-up machines. WeChat Pay international card linking is an alternative. In the French Concession and international districts, many restaurants accept foreign credit cards directly, but QR-code payment is more universal.

ATMs are available at PVG and throughout the city at ICBC, Bank of China, and HSBC branches. HSBC in Shanghai has counters in the Bund area. Currency exchange at the airport is rate-competitive. Shanghai is one of the easier cities in China for cashless travel — even small vendors in touristicated areas often accept Alipay. Keep ¥200–300 cash as a reserve for wet markets and older street stalls.

Shanghai is UTC+8. Strategies are the same as for Beijing; the city's compact walking districts mean early-morning exploration (before most sites open at 09:00) is a productive way to handle early waking on the first day.

Shanghai has the most English-proficient service sector on the mainland. Most hotel concierge desks in tourist areas speak functional English. The Bund and French Concession areas have a high proportion of English-friendly cafes and restaurants. Taxi drivers generally do not speak English — use DiDi with the destination typed in Chinese, or show the driver a written address. For medical issues, Parkway Health and SOS International clinics have 24-hour English lines.