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Shanghai travel guide: Maglev and Line 2 transit, Bund vs Jing'an stays and canal routes

Shanghai contrasts the Art Deco bank facades of Waitan (The Bund) and plane-tree-lined lanes on the Puxi side of the Huangpu River with the supertall towers of Lujiazui in Pudong. Metro Line 2 links both airports directly through the city spine, while Metro Line 17 extends out to historic canal towns.

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Location coordinates: Shanghai.

Arrival and getting around in Shanghai

Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) connects to Longyang Road via the 300-km/h Shanghai Maglev in 8 minutes (where you transfer to Metro Line 2, 7 or 16), or via the new Airport Link Line to Hongqiao in 40 minutes. Metro Line 2 runs all the way from PVG through Lujiazui, East Nanjing Road (for Waitan) and Jing'an Temple to Hongqiao Airport (SHA) and Railway Station.

  • Link your international Visa or Mastercard directly inside the Alipay or WeChat apps before arrival to generate a Shanghai Public Transport QR code for seamless metro and ferry tap-ins.
  • To cross the Huangpu River between Waitan and Pudong without expensive tourist tunnels, take Metro Line 2 one stop between East Nanjing Road and Lujiazui or board the 2-yuan public Dongjin Line ferry from Jinling East Road Ferry Pier.
  • High-speed trains to Suzhou and Hangzhou depart primarily from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station at the western end of Metro Line 2 and Line 10.

Sources: Shanghai Government: Airport Transport, Oriental Pearl Tower geographic reference (Q223207)

Where to stay in Shanghai

Your choice in Shanghai is between classic riverfront views on the Bund, leafy neighbourhood cafés around Jing'an and the Former French Concession, or modern high-rise towers in Pudong.

  • Waitan (The Bund) and East Nanjing Road: walk straight out to dawn and evening skyline views across the Huangpu River and walk south to Yu Yuan Garden.
  • Jing'an and Former French Concession (Xuhui/Huangpu): plane-tree avenues, historic shikumen lane houses near Tianzifang and direct Line 2/Line 7 metro access at Jing'an Temple.
  • Staying in Lujiazui (Pudong) puts you inside the supertall towers but feels quiet and corporate after 21:00 compared with the dining streets on the Puxi side.

Sources: Oriental Pearl Tower geographic reference (Q223207), Shanghai World Financial Center geographic reference (Q80852)

Two-day route for Shanghai

Keep Day 1 centred on both banks of the Huangpu River and the Old City garden, then use Day 2 for southern temples and a half-day metro excursion to a Ming-era canal town.

  • Day 1 (Old City, Waitan and Lujiazui): enter Yu Yuan Garden right at morning opening before tour groups fill its zigzag bridges, walk north along the Waitan promenade to photograph the Oriental Pearl Tower across the river, and cross to Pudong before sunset for the 100th-floor skywalk at the Shanghai World Financial Center.
  • Day 2 (Longhua Temple and Zhujiajiao Water village): visit the historic pagoda and halls of Longhua Temple (Lines 11 and 12) in the morning, then ride Metro Line 17 west from Hongqiao Hub to Zhujiajiao Water village for arched stone bridges and canal boats, returning via Jing'an Temple or Tianzifang in the evening.
  • Rainy day alternative: spend the afternoon inside the Shanghai Museum (East Campus in Pudong or People's Square) or the West Bund art museums.

Sources: Shanghai Government: Airport Transport, Oriental Pearl Tower geographic reference (Q223207), Shanghai World Financial Center geographic reference (Q80852), Longhua Temple geographic reference (Q41912)

Seasonal timing and practical rhythm

Shanghai has a humid subtropical four-season climate: mild springs, a June-to-early-July plum-rain (Meiyu) period followed by hot July-August days, crisp sunny autumns and damp, chilly winters.

  • October to November and April to May offer the most pleasant 18 to 25 °C temperatures and clear visibility from the Shanghai World Financial Center observation deck.
  • Waitan and the Oriental Pearl Tower decorative skyline lights typically switch on around 18:00 to 19:00 and turn off at 22:00 (23:00 on peak holidays); time your evening river walk accordingly.

Sources