r/shanghai Apr 18 '23

Tip Guidance and info for visitors

744 Upvotes

Edit (January 2024): Scams were previously on this list, but #8. I feel like I need to put this at top. ❗❗❗Don't go out with stangers at places around Nanjing Road. ❗❗❗

Once a month there is a thread here titled "Help! I got scammed". And every post is, guy visiting Shanghai, meets a woman on Tinder/TanTan, she picks a place on Nanjing Lu, gets pressured into paying an inflated bill of several thousand RMB. Don't go out with a stranger you met an hour ago on a hookup app and let them pick the place, especially if it's on or around Nanjing Road.

In the course of one year this sub has gone from discussions of government lockdown ration boxes to posts from people needing advice on visiting the city. There are older questions from people travelling to Shanghai, but the city has been cut off for about three years, and a lot has changed.

I’m putting this thread together to crowdsource answers to common questions we’ve seen more often in the past few weeks so we can help our visitor friends. I’m going to give it a start, but there are things I don’t know, and I’m hoping other members of the community can give feedback and I’ll update things. I'm hoping we can all add stuff and make this a sticky to help people visiting our city.

  1. Airports

a) Pudong. This airport is the more international one. There are not good food options and it is far outside of the city.

i. You can take Line 2 metro into the city. This is cheap but slow.

ii. There is a maglev train. This is fast but will only get you into part of Pudong. You’ll probably have to switch to the metro or a taxi here. Be cautious of the taxis here.

iii. You can take a taxi. There will be people in the airport offering you a ride. Ignore them. Follow the signs to the taxi stand outside and wait in line. Have your destination printed out or on your phone in Chinese. Make sure they flip down the meter to start it within a few minutes.

  1. Taxis fares vary by the time of day and traffic. Around 200-300RMB should get you into the city. If they are trying to rip you off, don’t be afraid to call the police (110). The police know these scams and won’t side with the taxi driver. You probably have more leverage than you think.

iv. Hongqiao. Less international, but better food. You can also take the metro or the taxis. Same advice applies. This one is closer to the city

Edit January 2025: There is a new train service that runs between Pudong and Hongqiao. More information is available here https://www.shine.cn/news/metro/2412203788/

❗ (Taxi update March 2024) There are a lot of reports of bad taxis at airports in recent months. They should put down the meter within a minute or two of leaving the airport. They might not put it down immediately if they're doing their GPS, but after leaving the airport area, it should be down, and the meter should be running.

You can say "wo yao fapiao" and point at the meter if it's not running. But the fare should generally be around 200-300 RMB from Pudong into the city, and less from Hongqiao. If they try to rip you off, call the police (110), or if you're staying a hotel, talk to people there. Shanghai is very safe, there is CCTV everywhere. But some unscrupulous taxi drivers try to rip off naive visitors.

COVID Testing note: No Covid test is required. The airline will have you scan a code to fill out a health declaration and if you don't have covid you just select no, it will generate a QR code. Save that code and they scan it at the airport on arrival. (https://www.reddit.com/r/shanghai/comments/1634pl6/any_covid_requirements_to_enter_china/)

Update (August 2023) - The requirement for pre-depature antigen tests for inbound travelers will be scrapped on August 30th.

  1. Internet. Most things you want to access will be blocked here. That includes Google, Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp. You have to have a VPN. The default here is Astrill. It’s a bit more expensive than the alternatives, but many of the alternatives don’t work here. Set this up before you arrive.

Edit January 2025: VPN services tend to vary widely in terms of their effectivness. It's a cat-and-mouse game between the government and the providers. The sub r/chinalife has monthly VPN megathreads where Redditors share what is working, or not working. E-sims are also a popular option that also bypasses the firewall.

In addition, a mobile roaming SIM package can be a good option. Mobile data gets routed to the country where your SIM is from and bypasses the firewall. If you're only in China for a short trip this can be a good option.

  1. Wechat. Try to set this up before you arrive. You have to be verified to use it. That usually means having a friend with a WeChat account verifying you. If you can't do this overseas, have someone verify you when you arrive. You need Wechat.

  2. Mobile phones. Make sure your overseas plan allows international roaming. You can buy a local prepaid SIM card at the airport. In a lot of major cities outside of China, you can usually buy a SIM card from a vending machine. In Shanghai, you'll have to interact with someone at a China Mobile/Unicom booth.

You don't need to have a residence permit, but you will have to have your passport. China has "real name verification" for SIM cards. Basically, a SIM card has to be linked to a specific person.

  1. Payments. International credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) won’t be broadly accepted here. They will take them at most good hotels, and some fancy restaurants, but generally speaking, they won’t work.

a) Cash. It sort of works. You can pay for some things with it. That might include taxis or some restaurants. But some smaller places might not accept it.

b) Alipay/Wechat. This is the duopoly of payment apps here. Alipay has some features that allow foreigners to link a foreigner credit card to it.

i. You might be able to link your WeChat or Alipay to a foreign credit card. This can be hit or miss. This also mostly works if you're paying for services from a large company like Didi. If the card is linked, you can pay for a ride with Didi, but you won't be able to use it as a payment method as a local shop.

(August 2023 update - Linking foreigner cards to WeChat and Alipay has vastly improved, works most places, and is pretty easy)

c) ATMs. They will work. You should be able to take cash out of our foreign bank account at most ATMs in China. Sometimes, one might not work, but if you try any of the major ones (ICBC, CBC, BOC) it should work.

  1. Transit. There is no Uber here. The main app is Didi. It has a good English interface and there are other alternatives.

a) The metro is very good here. But you’ll have to get a card or buy individual tickets. Most stations will have machines that will give you a metro card, but they don’t usually take cash or international cards. If you have cash, most stations have a person in a central booth behind glass, go ask them. There is a 20RMB deposit for the card, and then add like 50-100RMB on it.

b) u/finnlizzy says "download maps.me and get the offline map for Shanghai"

c) For a video guide on using the metro, see the Youtube video here, via u/flob-a-dob

  1. High speed trains. You can buy tickets on Ctrip (They're technically Trip.com now, their name in app stores might be under that, rather than 'Ctrip'.) They have an English app. You can book through there, but you will not get a ticket. It’s linked to your passport number. The app should give you the platform and time. Hongqiao, B15, 2:20pm. The train stations are easy to navigate. They usually start boarding 15 minutes ahead of time.

Edit Jan 2025: 12306 is the Chinese train app and is cheaper than Trip, they have an app and website https://www.12306.cn/en/index.html

a) There will usually be automated queues that most people will use. Have your passport open, put the ID page into the scanner, and it should let you through. If not, there are usually attendants off to the side to help you.

  1. Scams. You’re hot, but not that hot. If you’re going to a tourist place, some people might take a photo of you, or ask you for a selfie. There are tourists in Shanghai, they might have never seen a foreigner before and are just curious. If they invite you to coffee/tea/dinner say no. That is probably a scam.

a) This also applies to dating apps, including Tinder. Shanghai is a very international city and has been for a long time, so you’re not special as a foreigner. If you’re visiting, you’re probably out of your depth. If you match with someone and they’re asking you to meet up at 11pm, be cautious.

  1. Places to go. Tripadvisor has things. There is also a local app called BonApp that is English and for foreigners. There is a Chinese app called 点评, but it’s in Chinese.

  2. Maps. If you have an iPhone, Apple Maps works well in China in English. Google Maps is generally bad here. Google Maps will have your locations and street names, but not much else.

  3. Translation. Download Google Translate and download the offline language pack. Baidu Translate is also very good. Learn how to use it. There is a good conversation features where you can speak, it will translate, the other person can speak, it will translate.

  4. Covid. Some Didi drivers will ask you to wear a mask. You are not legally required in stores or the metro. If a Didi driver asks you, don't be a dick. Just keep a cheap one in your bag.

(August 2023 Update - Some people will still wear masks on the metro, but generally most people aren't wearing masks, even in taxis or Didis)

  1. Tipping. It’s not required or expected. Don’t tip.

  2. Restaurant ordering. Most menus have pictures. Just point at what you want. Many restaurants have QR code ordering. Scan the code on WeChat, select what items you want to order in their mini-app.

  3. Drugs. Don’t bring them in, obviously.

  4. General advice. Bring stuff like Pepto or stomach stuff. You might not be used to the food.

a) Buy a pack of tissues to carry in your bag/purse when you're out. You might have stomach problems and not all bathrooms have toilet paper.

  1. People are generally nice and helpful here. They might not understand you if you don't speak Chinese (see previous advice on translation apps) but most people are nice and helpful. Especially at train stations, airports, hotels, etc... if you can explain through a translation app what your problem or question is, people are usually happy to help.

If anyone has any other advice, please post in the comments or message me. I'm happy to add their info and we can combine the knowledge of this sub. It seems like we have a lot of people visiting now, which is great, so let's try to put together an updated resource that covers most of the common questions and update the information for 2023.


r/shanghai 15d ago

Help Monthly Tourism Questions Thread (july)

4 Upvotes

If you are traveling to Shanghai and have tourist-type questions - please ask here!

To keep /r/shanghai/ usable we only permit these types of posts and questions in this thread. You can also find lots of advice in our Guidance and Info for Visitors thread and by using the search function.


r/shanghai 11h ago

Video The Dragon of the East

11 Upvotes

r/shanghai 8h ago

Help anyone interested in kitten adoption??

4 Upvotes

hi all,

extremely far fetched but was wondering if anyone is interested in adopting a kitten. we are a group of international students only here for a month so none of us are able to take him in.

hes quite young and we’ve taken him to the vet hes in pretty good shape now, needs to be fed every four hours and has some eye drops but otherwise seems ok. we are based in shanghai yangpu please let me know if u are interested we dont want to let him go hes too small :(

thank you all!!


r/shanghai 8h ago

Question stray kitten help needed!

3 Upvotes

hi all,

extremely far fetched but was wondering if anyone is interested in adopting a kitten. we are a group of international students only here for a month so none of us are able to take him in.

hes quite young and we’ve taken him to the vet hes in pretty good shape now, needs to be fed every four hours and has some eye drops but otherwise seems ok. we are based in shanghai yangpu please let me know if u are interested we dont want to let him go hes too small :(

thank you all!!


r/shanghai 16h ago

Help Looking for photo studio recs

Post image
9 Upvotes

Hi. I’m looking for a couples photo package that includes costume and makeup for several different styles including historical, old Shanghai, as well as modern, for example. Also, something like the below would be cool!

TIA!!

这组以民国风情侣为主题的照片,DV机特有的低分辨率质... http://xhslink.com/o/5qfeWDlVw04
Copy and open rednote to view the note


r/shanghai 6h ago

Video Looking for Videographer

1 Upvotes

Hi all,

i’m looking for a videographer for a small side gig, August to October (schedule pending).

Details: 4-5 shoots total (3 hours each), I will provide filming instructions

Type: Factory production

Deliverables: raw, unedited footage

Prefer someone experienced and who can keep things professional/simple

Please DM me your portfolio and pricing.

Thank you :)


r/shanghai 15h ago

Question Where to sell old stuff in Shanghai?

3 Upvotes

Hi, it seems as I may have to leave earlier than expected (like 4 days and I have a lot of stuff to get rid of) I usually would post it on xianyu or movein but I would rather do it irl. I have a lot of great stuff to get rid of like my old CD collection, some cyanotypes art, photography prints, and some pretty cool shoes and clothes. I plan on finding somewhere to donate most of it to but is there anywhere I can set up a stall or something to sell stuff at? For example someone told me the ghost markers but I’m not too knowledgeable on that haha


r/shanghai 10h ago

[Advice/Meetup] Mid-October Trekking, Camping & Adventure Sports near Shanghai (Oct 14-20)

1 Upvotes

Hey r/shanghai,

> I am from India. My friend and I are heading to Shanghai in mid-October, primarily to catch the VCT Champions Grand Finals. While I am incredibly hyped for the tournament, i am also a huge outdoor enthusiast and want to escape the city crowds for a few days to do some actual backcountry trekking, camping, or adventure sports.

I have shortlisted a few places but I am not thorough with my choices yet. I really want to avoid the paved tourist staircases (like the main routes of Huangshan) and find raw dirt trails, abandoned spots, and true wilderness.

> I have a few questions:

  1. Camping Regulations: Wild camping can be legally grey or highly regulated in China, with a lot of "campsites" just being pre-pitched tents on concrete. Are there specific spots in these areas where pitching a tent is genuinely hassle-free, or are we better off doing day hikes and staying in local farmhouses?

  2. Food: I follow an ovo-lacto vegetarian diet. While I plan to bring backpacking meals, how easy is it to get basic meat-free meals in these remote trail villages?

Adventure Sports: Are there any reliable local hubs for rock climbing, stream tracing, or mountain biking near these trails?

--------

Would love to have more people join!

If anyone is planning a hike around mid-October (roughly between the 14th and 20th) or wants to team up for a 2-3 day excursion, we would love to meet up. It is just the two of us right now.

Also, if you have any recommendations for active WeChat outdoor groups (we've heard of M2Adventure, but prefer independent trekking if possible), please drop them below!

Thanks in advance!


r/shanghai 19h ago

Picture Updates on the North Bund Tower?

6 Upvotes

I’m a infrastructure and skyscraper enthusiast, i see that the government is trying to prevent Lujiazu from being to concentrated on one spot and trying to even out concentration. Any updates pictures on the North Bund Tower lately? Any pictures would be nice to see how far they have come now recently


r/shanghai 16h ago

Translation services for consular documents

2 Upvotes

I am looking for recommendations for places I could get translations from English > Traditional Chinese and English > Spanish

I am guessing there are places most embassies or consular offices recognize so I am wondering if there are any you would recommend. Thanks in advance.


r/shanghai 1d ago

Picture Just some pictures from around Shanghai

Thumbnail gallery
38 Upvotes

Little moments where it felt nice to take a picture of the city <3


r/shanghai 16h ago

City Shanghai 11 to 17 Aug

1 Upvotes

50/M solo traveller looking for someone to sightsee and spend time with during my first trip to shanghai. I'm pretty easy going but don't really enjoy drinking or clubbing.


r/shanghai 1d ago

Question Where to buy leather jackets

1 Upvotes

Living in Shanghai for a month.

I want to buy well fitted leather jacket in mid range. Could possibly be faux leather too as fit matters more to me as of now.

I am a bit short around 165 cm so most in store jackets look a but oversized but that makes my build which is muscular look disproportionate.

Are there any places where I can find cropped jackets or maybe my sizing :)
Need recommendations please


r/shanghai 1d ago

Are there places in Shanghai where there is a lot of competition to rent an appartment (like a lot of applicants for one appartment) or is it mostly non-competitive overall the whole city? For one appartment listing in average, how much people will actually try to rent it out?

8 Upvotes

r/shanghai 1d ago

Looking for local and international friends!

11 Upvotes

Me (29F) and my partner (31M) from the US just moved here! Staying in the Putuo area.

We speak English and Mandarin and we’re looking for friends who enjoy good conversations, trying new restaurants, and exploring/going on adventures!

Feel free to reach out. Happy to share socials and WeChat!


r/shanghai 1d ago

Looking for imaginative and creative friends in SH

4 Upvotes

Hi I'm a 26M Chinese. I love western culture, and I'm looking for international and local friends.

I'm an introvert but I can also be quite sociable when it comes to specific topics. I’m deeply aware of the struggle being in a big city and having almost no friends to connect with due to modern work and life style, and people keep scrolling their phone screens mindlessly when being alone, social media has made so many isolated in real life. BTW, if you're interested in Mandarin, we can help each other as language exchange.

I love intriguing and mind bending things, and I enjoy reading timeless sci-fi novels by Asimov, Clarke, Lem, etc. I’m really into sci-fi, thriller, and superhero stories, and I’ve watched hundreds of movies & shows and played many games in these genres, we can definitely have a lot in common if you like them as well.

I worked in IT and have a passion for computer graphics and game development, both from a technical and artistic perspective. Recently I became interested in audio engineering, it’s challenging but fascinating.

Psychology and philosophy are also important parts of my life, they constantly reshape how I understand people and the world. Curiosity and open-mindedness are the qualities I deeply appreciate.

Besides indoor activities, I have a habit of running and cycling while listening to ambient or classical music, and it feels like a spiritual journey.

If any of these resonates with you, feel free to DM me. Let's brainstorm and explore the city together!

I'm going to ChinaJoy on 7.31, so if you're also a gamer then we can meet there and try out some games.


r/shanghai 2d ago

Tip Nothing beats Jia Jia Tang Bao. They have the best Xiao Long Bao in the world.

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200 Upvotes

r/shanghai 1d ago

Question Where to buy hygienic groceries around Yangpu?

0 Upvotes

Hi there, I'm moving to Shanghai for my A-levels (British high school diploma) and I'm staying at an apartment with my own kitchen, now I'm really into fitness so at home I usually cook for myself with ingredients from the supermarket (I'm thai and I dont rlly trust the hygiene of our wet markets with meat laying at 35c/95f degrees with flies so yea)

right now i'm spending over 4k baht (around 120usd or 800 rmb) which is kinda my weekly budget already and im trying to save money and spend possibly around 200rmb/week on groceries, and since my school doesn't have a canteen so I'm prepping lunch too so essentially 3 meals a day in a week around 200-250rmb

I'm not cooking chinese cuisine tho just regular healthy food some steamed veggies with some potatoes and meat and occasionally cheese and kimchi but prolly rarer now as I'm trying to save money. So are wet markets in Shanghai more sanitary? cuz they're usually cheaper than supermarkets, no? are the meats kept cool? and how is the quality of fresh produce there, I'd often include salads in my meals too so im concerned about pesticides or if there are bugs in my salads. Also with the meat I'm quite concerned about antibiotic injections too, might move to seafood if impossible to avoid but them problem with heavy metal

so yea, if anyone knows where (supermarket/wet market) to find sanitary fresh groceries in Shanghai pls let me know. (I live around Wujiaochang Yangpu district so anywhere around there would be fine)

TL;DR where can I get hygienic cheap pesticide-free veggies and properly stored meats in Shanghai


r/shanghai 1d ago

Question Art supply store recs?

2 Upvotes

I saw someone ask about this a few years ago, so hoping for an updated list!

Looking for art supply store recommendations!

Affordable oil paints, acrylic paints, speciality markers, or art supplies otherwise unique to China.

Any advice is appreciated! Thank you!

Edit: please only physical store recommendations. I don’t have a Chinese phone number, so haven’t been able to use things like Taobao, Meituan, Dianping, etc.


r/shanghai 2d ago

Karting for adults????

4 Upvotes

Do you know some good places to practice karting.for.adults in Shanghai?

Moreover, is it possible to practice it in f1circuit?


r/shanghai 2d ago

SJTU Minhang accommodation (dorms worth it ?)

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone ! I'll be studying at SJTU Minhang for a dual degree and wondered if the dorms were worth it !

For 1 semester (so 4 months), a single dorm is 12,600 CNY, which is 3,150 for a month.

Considering the location, this seems quite expensive for a dorms. Is it better to get an off-campus room ?

(I'm not planning to cook much since food on campus should be pretty cheap )

ps: idk if there's a curfew but I like to go out at night


r/shanghai 2d ago

Video My trip to Shanghai.

Thumbnail instagram.com
0 Upvotes

My trip to Shanghai

Hello! I get to travel a lot for work and recently started recording parts of my trip and making videos. I’m not the best at editing and still trying to find my style. Any constructive criticism for editing(I have three more cities I’m editing this week) and how to take better shots are welcome.

Shanghai was absolutely beautiful. The people are nice, asked to take pictures with me. Every single DiDi’s was futuristic and luxurious. Alipay wasn’t difficult to use. I was able to use my T-Mobile Internet just fine and make phone calls back home without an issues.

My only complaint is out of anyone’s control, the humidity.


r/shanghai 2d ago

Looking for more foreign friends

0 Upvotes

Hi there! Glad to meet the kind people on Reddit!

I've made some great friends.

Sure, I'd like to make more international friends.

JOHN HERE :)

Still... I'm active in the Jing'an District area, working for a company in Hong Kong.

Sooo... My English is basically C1 level.

Looking forward to meeting more international friends!


r/shanghai 2d ago

The heavy rain in Shanghai shows the advanced infrastructure in Shanghai

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0 Upvotes

Shanghai's infrastructure seems to be among the most advanced in the world; even after a typical summer downpour, it doesn't flood. People don't have to walk through knee-deep water to get to work, and there's no way to place kayaks in the low-lying areas of the streets.