Travel Guide > Asia > China > Shanghai
Shanghai(上海) is a colossal city of 18,670,000, making it China's largest city and the world's 8th largest. Not surprisingly, it is at the forefront of China's economy and symbolises the rapid modernisation and urbanisation of Chinese society.
Shanghai is sprawled out where the Yangtze River meets the East China Sea. It boasts the world's largest cargo port.
Shanghai has four definite seasons, with the most pleasant to travel in being spring and autumn. It is hot and humid in summer, and cold and humid in winter. May and October are the nicest times of year to be in Shanghai, with clear blue skies, warm days, and little rain. Unfortunately, these months also coincide with two of China's "Golden Week" vacations. Generally, however, roughly the same number of Shanghairen evacuate the city for these holidays as outsiders come to visit, so avoid tourist sights such as Nanjing Dong Lu and the Yu Gardens and the crowds will be tolerable.
Spring still tends to be cool until May, when average daily temperatures are around 23º C. A lot of rain also tends to fall around April.
Average temperatures for summer are around 31º C, with the hottest month generally being July. It is not uncommon to have days around 36C, and the heat is compounded by air-conditioners pumping hot air into the streets, traffic, and rank smells that worsen with the heat. If you are in Shanghai for summer, do as the locals do: carry an umbrella and paper fan with you everywhere - an umbrella drops the temperature by a few degrees, and a fan will help keep the sweat at bay.
Autumn is generally warm up until November, with averages of 27º C and 22º C in September and October respectively.
Winter temperatures in Shanghai average 7º to 11º C during the day. Since Mao's time, anywhere south of the Yangtze River was considered "warm", so there is no central heating anywhere in Shanghai. Double-glazed windows are also rare, so it is not uncommon to still require jumpers, long-johns, hats and gloves while sitting inside in front of a highly ineffectual reverse-cycle air-conditioner. The air is humid, so will chill you to the bone, and wind will cut through any number of layers. Global warming seems to be doing its job, however, as the 2006-2007 winter was unseasonably warm. If you are in Shanghai during the winter, again, do as the locals do: wear long-johns and every item of clothing you own and shed them as required.
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Arriving by plane into Shanghai can be a little confusing. If coming in from an international flight you will arrive at the new Shanghai Pudong Airport (PVG) which is far away from the city center. If leaving on most domestic flights, but not all domestic flights, you will leave from the older Hongqiao Airport (SHA) which is close to the city center. Although it might soon get more complicated as both airports are starting to serve more domestic and international flights.
At this time there is no metro service to either airport but the city plans to have metro service to Hongqiao Airport by 2009 and Pudong Airport by 2011.
Shanghai is now home to one of the world's fastest trains, the Maglev. The train runs from Longyang Road Station to a stop nearby the Pudong international airport.
Purchasing Train Tickets: There are several locations to buy tickets in the city other then the train station itself such as at the corner of Wanghang Lu and Beijing Xilu just north of Jing'an Temple .
Bus stations are attached to both of the Train stations. Buses serve all the major cities in the neighboring provinces and towns in the Shanghai (S.E.Z.).
From the international ferry port you can get ferries to Japan and Korea. Ferries also serve several domestic destinations including islands as far south as off the coast of Zhejiang.
It is possible to hire a car (usually with a driver) in Shanghai, but because it is such a high-density city, other forms of transport will usually suffice. International driver's licences are not valid in China, and the traffic is a bit crazy so you probably would not want to drive anyway. If you are taking trips outside of Shanghai, trains are usually faster and cheaper.
The Shanghai transport card acts like a credit card for buses, metros, taxis and even McDonald's purchases. You can buy them and add credit to them at metro stations and convenience stores. You pay a 30RMB deposit, and then you can add credit as required. There is a picture of a lightening strike at metro turnstiles, taxi dashboards, and at bus doors. Simply swipe your card on the picture and it debits the correct amount.
The metro system is clean, fast, cheap and user-friendly. Most tourist sights are close to a metro line, so it is probably the most convenient method for sight-seeing. Line 1 and 2 are the best lines to be near. The metro also lets you avoid the traffic, which is particularly horrendous at peak hour, though the metro is invariably crowded at these times. Trips range from 3-5RMB, and you can buy single trip tickets at vending machines or ticket booths in the stations.
Taxis are also reletively cheap and clean, though drivers rarely speak English (it's wise to carry a bilingual map with you so you can point). Flag fall is 11RMB, and goes up 2.3RMB for each kilometre after the first 3km. A trip from Pudong International Airport to inner Puxi will cost about 150RMB. If you are staying in Puxi, most places of interest can be reached in less than a 20RMB taxi ride. It can be almost impossible to find a taxi in peak hour, and once you do you will just get stuck in traffic. Taxis are also scarce when it rains.
Buses can be daunting to the new-comer as all signage is in Chinese. Once on the bus, however, announcements are made in Chinese and English. They are cheap, mostly air-conditioned, and go to places the metro does not reach. Air-conditioned buses are usually 2RMB per trip (maybe one or two rmb more for longer routes), while non-air-conditioned buses are 1RMB (less comfortable and no English announcements). Some useful routes include the 911, which goes all the way along Huaihai Lu from Huangpi Lu, and out along Hongqiao Lu. The 925 leaves from People Square and goes to the Hongqiao Airport (Note: the 925B does not go to the airport).
Shanghai is a great city to walk in. See all the knick-knack shops up close, watch people slurping their lunchtime noodles, dodge the vegetable vendors on the sidewalk, and peer down quaint laneways. Walking through the leafy French Concession allows you to appreciate the European architecture and how it has been incorporated into Chinese life. The Old Town (south and west of the Bund near the Yu Gardens) also has fascinating narrow streets filled with vendors, food stalls and interesting shops. Shanghai isn't a destination for "sights" as such, but walk just one street a day and you are guaranteed to see a hundred things you have never seen before.
At first it may seem that riding a bike in Shanghai is equivalent to suicide, but it is actually another great way to see the city. Cars, pedestrians and bikes all move slower in Shanghai, cars usually give a wide berth to cyclists and there are often bike lanes, so it is quite a safe way to get around. Some hostels will offer bike hire. You can also buy a new bike for just 150RMB from most supermarkets, so it may even be worthwhile to buy one and then donate it to one of the many bike thieves in the city at the end of your trip. Nobody wears helmets (not even on motor scooters). Keep your eyes wide open, obey the road rules, and ride slowly and you'll have a great time.
Bohdi Bikes offers excellent mountain biking trips in the greater Shanghai area at a very good prices. They also rent and sell bikes for personal use. Bodhi Bikes is located at Suite 2308, Building 2, 2918 North Zhong Shan Road, Shanghai 200063 (上海市中山北路2918号2号楼2308室), Phone: 021- 5266 - 9013, Mobile: 139 - 1875 - 3119.
In Shanghai any booze hound can find fun. From swanky clubs and discos to drinking beer on the street while eating meat on the stick, there is something for everyone in Shanghai. Although places come and go very quickly (or change English names) in Shanghai there are some classics that never seem to go away. For more information and up to date information on bars check out Smart Shanghai.
This is version 42. Last edited at 6:09 on May 15, 08 by GeoBot (+58). 22 articles link to this page.

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