How to Spend a Layover in Shanghai?

As an international big city, Shanghai is one of the main arrival/departure cities for China. It's a popular layover city, with direct flights to over 60 cities around the world. If you get a layover no less than 6 hours in Shanghai, you’re recommended to leave the airport and explore this charming city. This article presents you with how to spend a layover in Shanghai from the following parts.

144-hour Transit Visa Application

Shanghai complies with the 144-hour visa-free policy. Travelers from the 53 eligible countries, with valid international travel documents and onward flight tickets, can visit Shanghai for up to 144 hours without a visa. Fairly conveniently, it’s now available to apply for the transit visa online.

Luggage Storage

After your arrival at the airport, instead of going to your next gate like a normal transfer, go through immigration and the airport exit. For a burden-free visit, we suggest you store your luggage at the airport if you plan to visit Shanghai for a short layover tour. There are five luggage deposit offices in Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. In Terminal 1: Between Gate 4 & 5; and between Gate 10 & 11 in the Departures Hall, and between Gate 6 & 7 in the Arrivals Hall. In Terminal 2: Near Service Counter A and near Service Counter M in the Departures Hall, and near the International Arrivals Exit. Leaving your luggage in your departure terminal building is a better option, for the convenience of your next departure.

Currency Exchange

International credit cards are not widely accepted in China, thus some cash in RMB (Yuan) is necessary. Currency exchange counters are easy to find inside the Arrivals Hall at Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

Top Things to Do During a Layover

If you have more than a 6-hour layover in Shanghai, you’re recommended to visit this fascinating city. Here we select and list the top things to do in Shanghai for 6-hour, 8-hour, 12-hour and an overnight layover.

1. Layover for 6 hours:

You actually have about 2 hours to do sightseeing, so select one or two small sites among the most popular attractions in Shanghai. Here we recommend the Bund and Nanjing Road.

• The Bund (1 hour), the heart and landmark of Shanghai, witnesses the extremely huge changes of the past and present. It’s one of the must-sees in Shanghai. Seen from a distance from the Bund, the top four renowned buildings show up in front of you.
• The Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower – 468m
• Shanghai Tower – 632m, the tallest building in China and the second tallest in the world.
• Shanghai World Financial Center – 492m
• Shanghai Jinmao Tower – 420m
• Nanjing Road (1 hour), with 5.5 km, is the earliest commercial street in Shanghai and the most bustling one in China. Unique architecture and small shops lay out both sides of the road, where you can purchase things home or abroad.

2. Layover for 8 hours:

If you have an 8-hour layover in Shanghai, it means you’ll have about 4 hours to do visiting. One or two larger sites can be considered to visit, such as Yu Garden and Shanghai Tower.

• Yu Garden (1 hour), also called Yu Yuan, is located in Huangpu District, the urban area in Shanghai. Take a break from the chaos and hectic-ness of modern urban life! The Yu Garden, with its magnificent dragon wall, surreal rock formations, and tranquil koi fishponds is the perfect place to do so. It’s the only well-preserved classic garden in Shanghai with a history of more than 400 years.

• Shanghai Tower (1.5 hours). A visit to the tallest building in China - Shanghai Tower would not be completed unless including a reach to the "Shanghai Observation Deck", which is the world's highest indoor one. From this height, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Huangpu River, the Bund on the west, and several other skyscrapers like the Jinmao Tower and the World Financial Center on the east bank. We suggest you visit the exhibition hall on floor B1 first, then take the world’s second-fastest elevator to the 118th floor directly within only 55 seconds. At last, see the exhibition of "Shanghai Eye" on the 125th and 126th floors, if time permits.

3. Layover for 12 hours:

• Option 1: One-Day Tour in Downtown Shanghai. In the morning, you can visit the Shanghai Tower and Yu Garden. For lunch, try some xiaolongbao (steamed buns) in a local restaurant. In the afternoon, explore the French Concession and learn about the past colonial history of Shanghai. Afterwards wander about the Bund and experience the Nanjing Road where you could have some local snacks and buy some souvenirs for your families and friends.
• Option 2: One-Day Tour in Zhujiajiao Water Town Near Shanghai. There’re many water towns near Shanghai and Zhujiajiao is the nearest one. It takes about 40-min drive from the downtown Shanghai. The ancient town with beautiful scenery has a history of more than 1,700 years. Learn about the history of the water town and walk along the bridge by the river. You’ll have a chance to take a gondola to view the face of the old town from a different angle at your pace.  

• Option 3: Half-Day Tour in Zhujiajiao Water Town and Half-Day in Urban Area. In the morning, go ahead to Zhujiajiao Water Town and enjoy the peaceful landscape there. Lunch in a local restaurant to taste some specialties, and after a short break drive back to the downtown Shanghai. In the afternoon, you can visit Yu Garden or alternatively have a full view of Shanghai from the highest building — the Shanghai Tower. If you have an overnight layover in Shanghai, here're the activities you can't skip.
• 1) Take a night cruise on Huangpu River (by the Bund) to appreciate the stunning night view of Shanghai.
• 2) Do shopping and eating at Nanjing Road.
• 3) Watch a show such as ERA Acrobats.  

Transportation from Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) to Downtown

• Maglev

Shanghai Maglev Train is the fastest in the world, with a high speed of 430 km per hour. It’s a cool experience to take a Maglev Train in Shanghai. The train travels between Longyang Road and Shanghai Pudong International Airport. A single-trip transfer takes only 8 minutes. Then you can transfer the Metro Line 2 from Longyang Road to the city center.

• Metro

Line 2 will take you from the Pudong Airport to downtown Shanghai (People Square’s, Nanjing Road, and Lujiazui (/loo-jyah- dzway/). Lujiazui Station is about 400 meters from the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. Line 2 is indicated in green on the subway maps. The metro runs from the airport between 06:00 and 22:30 every 5-10 minutes. Traveling to People’s Square takes about 63 minutes and costs 7 yuan.

• Private Transfer

We offer private transfer services with a friendly and experienced driver. It’s more convenient and flexible. One-trip transfer between the airport and downtown Shanghai takes about 1 hour.

• Taxi

It takes 1.5-2 hours during rush hours. It costs about 200 yuan (USD29) for a one-way trip to the city center. Taxis are available outside the Arrivals Halls of both terminals.

We are more than happy to offer a layover tour in Shanghai for you, please feel free to contact us.

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