Everything practical in one place. For specific neighbourhoods, browse the destination guides, and check when to go before you book.
Shanghai has two airports. Pudong (PVG) handles most international flights and links to the city by the 430 km/h Maglev plus metro in 40–50 minutes. Hongqiao (SHA) is closer to downtown and serves most domestic flights and high-speed trains. Compare both in our airport transfer comparison.
The metro is cheap (¥3–9 typical rides), fast and signed in English — Line 2 alone stitches together both airports, Nanjing Road and Pudong. Taxis are metered and plentiful; the Maglev from Pudong hits 430 km/h and is worth the ride alone.
China is mobile-pay first: Alipay and WeChat Pay both accept international cards now, so set them up before you fly. Carry a little cash for markets. Card acceptance at hotels and malls is normal, but street food is QR-code only.
Buy an eSIM before departure so you're connected at the airport — several China-compatible plans work without swapping physical SIMs. Airport SIM counters also sell tourist data packages.
Mandarin is universal and Shanghainese is the local dialect. English signage is good across the metro and major sights; hotel staff and younger residents usually speak some English. A translation app with offline packs covers the rest.
Day 1: the Bund, Yu Garden and Nanjing Road. Day 2: Pudong's observation decks, then the French Concession in the afternoon. Day 3: a day trip — Disneyland with kids, Zhujiajiao water town without.