r/shanghai Apr 18 '23

Tip Guidance and info for visitors

746 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 Jul 31 '26

Help Monthly Tourism Questions Thread (August)

10 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 18h ago

Discussion The audacity of some people

66 Upvotes

First of all, this isn't meant to be xenophobic or racist. I'm not Shanghainese myself. But the whole experience was just way too bizarre not to share.

I was at Jing'an Temple Station this morning, changing from Line 2 to Line 7. There was this laowai walking in front of me who had pretty strong BO, so naturally I wanted to get past him. But it was morning rush hour thus very crowded. I eventually managed to squeeze past him while covering my nose. He gave me the look, but there wasn't any interaction. I genuinely wasn't trying to be offensive, so I didn't think much of it at the time.

Fast forward, we somehow ended up in the same carriage on Line 7. I had a seat, and one stop later he sat down right next to me. The smell was still pretty intense, so I simply got up and started moving to another part of the carriage.

Apparently, this really pissed him off. He poked me on the arm when I was getting up and gestured for me to take out my AirPods. I did, and he immediately started lecturing me about racism and how my behavior was xenophobic, etc.

I was honestly baffled. I pride myself to be very welcoming to laowais. So the accusation did not sit well with me. But I didn't want to escalate the situation so I just put my AirPods and walked away.

The whole interaction was surreal.

Edit: Ops, this got a lot more attention than I expected. So I want to clarify a few things.

"Laowai" Apologises for using it. I saw quite a few posts/videos on social media recently where the word was used unsarcastically when foreigners referring to themselves. I just assumed it was Okay. Now I know that some see it as impolite and/or offensive. Sorry again.

When I say I was covering my nose when rushed past him, I wasn't pinching my nose with two fingers while throwing side eyes at him. i.e I wasn't going out of my way to show my discomfort. It was the most casual "cover your face when you're about to sneeze" type of thing. This is also why I was surprised by his stare.


r/shanghai 7h ago

Question Looking for a D&D/ttrpg group to join

4 Upvotes

My friend and I are looking to join a D&D campaign. We’re also open to Cyberpunk RED, Call of Cthulhu, or other similar TTRPGs. 🎲

A few things we’re looking for:

Not a one-shot - we’d love to join an ongoing or new campaign that runs for at least a few sessions/meetups.

No DM fee - we’re happy to contribute in other ways, whether that’s bringing drinks or food to share, helping with maps and session prep, or picking up some fun campaign stuff like miniatures.
We understand that some DMs charge for hosting, and that’s totally fine. However, we’re specifically hoping to find a group where everyone is there primarily for the shared experience and passion for the game, rather than for monetary reasons. We’ve found that paid sessions can sometimes feel a little rushed, which isn’t really what we’re looking for.
We don’t have much DM experience ourselves, but we’ve played several D&D campaigns as well as other TTRPGs, so we’re familiar with the basics and happy to learn.

Hopefully we can find some like-minded people, join a fun campaign, and make some new friends along the way! 🐉🎲


r/shanghai 11h ago

Discussion Are there any older gen expats here that remember a pub / bar in Shanghai called Churchill’s?

8 Upvotes

My parents often spent time meeting other expats in this pub and it was one of the hot spots alongside Judy’s back in the day (Judy’s still going strong I believe).
My parents had actually met in the early 90s in the long bar in the Portman (now the Ritzcarlton).

My dad passed in recent years, but I always loved hearing these stories that came out of these early days expat circles. Sounded like a blast! And so I’m just curious if anyone else on here was around back then who have similar stories?


r/shanghai 1h ago

Discussion I want to study abroad here in the spring do you recommend USAC China Shanghai program or Fudan University Exchange Program?

Upvotes

I want to be able to meet people easily but also have some extend of freedom to explore on my own. Good classes also really matter to me I don't wanna be super stressed out.


r/shanghai 17h ago

Question Is it rude to take photos at the Marriage Market?

15 Upvotes

I was in Shanghai the other day in the People's Park and stumbled across the famous Marriage Market. I didn't even know it was on and it was my first time there. I found it pretty fascinating (and a bit sad to see how early these candidates felt the need to secure a life partner, some were barely 20). Anyway, there are some profiles that are unattended, so I took a photo of one when this older lady comes up to me and yells at me. She demands to see my phone and forces me to delete the photo and threatens to call the police.

I swear I didn't see any signs that said no photos allowed and I thought it was ok to take photos since the profiles were anonymised. I'm just curious to know if that was a strange encounter or if there is a rule to not take photos there?


r/shanghai 18h ago

Picture This morning seems to be the opposite of yesterday

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20 Upvotes

Maybe it's the off beat weather but the colours of the sky at 4:30 to 5 are crazy these days.


r/shanghai 13h ago

Meet Looking for friends 😁

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3 Upvotes

In about two weeks I'll be in Shanghai, it's my first ever time to leave the country to go abroad, and this opportunity came to me in the form of a competition (it's called worldskills) and I am willing to use it to make new friends and explore the magic city of China.

I am 21 M, I like gaming, reading manhua and working on electronics.


r/shanghai 19h ago

Event Anyone here plays Super Smash Ultimate?

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8 Upvotes

there's a community that gathers every weekend for competitive tournaments and bi weekly on Mondays for casuals!

There's also an upcoming friendly tournament next Friday the 11th!


r/shanghai 1d ago

Picture This morning in Shanghai

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135 Upvotes

Took this photo at 05:00 in the morning and the colours of the sky looked wonderful.


r/shanghai 1d ago

Discussion Update: Landed in Shanghai today! No clue what to do🥲

29 Upvotes

Hey Guys,

My last Post got so many Comments that i wanted to Post an Update. In my last post I Shared that i was a Little overwhelmed With the whole Situation and felt a little homesick. So many of you guys reached out and Shared cool ideas of what to do or even offered up to meet. I was able to already meet up with 3 people. I was also able to connect with many more people per dms or wechat who reached out. My alipay is also finally working 🥺🤩. I used today to explore Metro city Mall. Such a cool Mall. I feel way better now and i am looking forward to what the Next few months bring. A Great Tipp i got was to put on headphones, listen to music and just Walk trough the city.

So i just wanna say thank you to this Great Community♥️! And to everyone Else who felt lost like me, let me Tell you that everything will be ok!


r/shanghai 21h ago

Question Where in Shanghai can a humble Football Fan buy chinese Jerseys?

0 Upvotes

Basically the Title. I do Not Care if they are original or fake. Just looking for Jerseys from Chinese Teams. I am new in Shanghai and Not so good with online Shopping, so it would be best if it is a walk in Shop.


r/shanghai 1d ago

Question Beginner Chinese Lessoms

4 Upvotes

My wife and I have recently moved to China and are looking to start language lessons. I haven’t heard good reviews for ‘That’s Mandarin’ and wondering if anyone has any alternative suggestions for pretty much entry level classes or even a platform to find tutors? Thanks in advance.


r/shanghai 1d ago

Help Looking for SJTU International Senior Students - Need Some Advice 🙏

0 Upvotes

Hi everyone!

I’m looking for international senior students at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) who might be willing to help me with a few questions about studying and settling in Shanghai.

I’ll be arriving in Shanghai on September 4th, so I’d really appreciate some advice from someone who has already been through the process.

If you’re an SJTU senior (especially an international student), please feel free to DM me or add me. I only have a few questions, but the information would be incredibly helpful and quite urgent.

Thank you so much in advance! 🙏🇨🇳

Really appreciate any help or guidance!


r/shanghai 1d ago

Discussion Fair price for photoshoot in Shanghai? (Momentlook)

1 Upvotes

Is this a good price for a photoshoot in Shanghai, and does anyone have any experience with momentlook studio? Their Instagram and rednote look very professional but their prices also seem very high to me. Is it worth it for a guy or is there somewhere else to go for a better price. (Most places are just hanfu for girls so it's hard to find for guys).

Here's what I was quoted: "Founder Team Customnization (Script Customization) 4,999/ 2 outfits and stylin9/8 high-quality edits from main camera angles + 4 high-quality edits from film camera angles Founder's Customization (Script Customization) 7,999/2 sets of costume styling/ 12 high-quality edits frommain camera angles + 3 high-quality edits from film camera angles"


r/shanghai 2d ago

Question Thinking about doing an exchange semester at SJTU, as a CS Student

6 Upvotes

I am asked to take 16 credits in English. Is it possible that there is a sufficient offering of courses for a computer science student? I saw that there is the Global College, but their spring semester only lasts 10 weeks, which seems short to me. Is there any other department that offers classes in English at SJTU for CS major?


r/shanghai 2d ago

Help Looking for a gamer group on wechat

10 Upvotes

It has been 1 month since I am in Shanghai and I would like to join a gamer group on wechat. I am seeking advice on where to look to buy a console and maybe people to play with afterwards. Thank you !


r/shanghai 2d ago

Question Students in shanghai/china, is 30Gb/month mobile data enough?

5 Upvotes

r/shanghai 2d ago

Question New students that just arrive in Shanghai, how are we feeling?

17 Upvotes

I just arrived the day before yesterday and still have 8 days for the dorm opening. I feel shy & in the hostel no one near speaks English, when I am out I feel disoriented and emotionally lost, And it doesn’t help that the locals are constantly staring at you, although I’ve heard it’s normal. Everything feels not like home but I try to push myself and explore a little bit & experiment.

Do you wanna connect?Maybe we could create a WeChat group for new arrivals


r/shanghai 3d ago

Discussion Landed in Shanghai Today! No clue what to do🥲

18 Upvotes

Hey Guys, I landed in Shanghai today. I have 3 weeks before my study abroad Semester Beginns. I feel very overwhelmed with the whole Situation. Right now i am basically alone, because other students will come only 1 week before the semester begins. My Hotel is Nice, but no one speaks english and i am surviving by saying xie xie and hao and translation apps😂. I have Not yet used my alipay and am Scared that my Card will Decline. I have some backup cash for the worst case.

Right now i basically have to Motivate myself to leave the hotel room. I feel very homesick🥲. So my plan for today is to just walk into the City Center for 1 hour, Explorer the city and maybe find an aldi where I can try alipay and pay in Cash in case it does not work.

If anyone of you has some tipps for me or can recommend me stuff to do i would be very thankfull🙏.

I am around Xuhui btw


r/shanghai 3d ago

Discussion Any good Shanghai bars/clubs still around?

25 Upvotes

Are there any other bars/clubs of the caliber like Bar Rouge, M1NT or Zapatas still around? Please don't mention INS.


r/shanghai 2d ago

Help Help with online shopping.

3 Upvotes

I am in shanghai for next few days and would like buy some things online but cant get app to install even with local number.

Is there anyone who could meet me and order for me? I Would pay upfront and maybe we could do this iver dinner or drinks( on me ofcoursr)? Thanks

I am living near Jing'an temple.


r/shanghai 2d ago

Question Looking for a videographer

3 Upvotes

Business owner looking for a videographer in Shanghai to file a few days of vlog / day in life videos at a trade show. Also an opportunity to travel to a few factories!!


r/shanghai 2d ago

Help Participant volunteer needed for neuroscience experiment in Shanghai. Can be done in either English or Chinese. Expat and local friendly :) + Payment included

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2 Upvotes

Hi everyone~ :)

If you’re interested in participating in a neuroscience experiment in Shanghai, Songjiang, either DM me here or message me on WeChat (QR code in the poster).

We’re a systems neuroscience lab from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院)’s Institute of Neuroscience; our research facility is in Songjiang, close to the Sheshan metro station (line 9).

Please know that the duration of the experiment is dependent on the participants’ performance; but till now on average it has been around 2 hours. You need to attend our laboratory in-person to do the experiment.

You may probably have to come 4 times, each scheduled on a separate day. So please have this in mind before your first visit. Each day, depending on performance you can get upto 180 yuans, no less than 80 yuans.

More information or answering questions can be done in DMs. Limited spots available :)

This study has been approved by the ethics review board. Participation is entirely voluntary, and you may withdraw at any time.

Our schedule is very flexible. we’ll do our best to accommodate you.

The experiment can be taken in either Chinese or the English language, whichever you prefer. Foreigners can also volunteer!