Getting around

What should my first 24 hours in Shanghai look like?

Q: What should my first 24 hours in Shanghai look like?

Land, get online, get to your hotel, and ease in. From Pudong (PVG) take the Maglev plus metro, a taxi, or DiDi; from Hongqiao you're already close to the centre. Drop your bags, test your payment app on a small purchase, then take a gentle first walk — the Bund or the former French Concession — and sleep early.

Last updated Jun 7, 2026

From the airport to your hotel

Pudong (PVG) is far east of the city: the Maglev + metro is fast and cheap, while a taxi or DiDi is simplest with luggage or a late arrival.
Hongqiao (SHA) is much closer to the centre and well connected by metro.
Use the official taxi rank or DiDi, and have your hotel address in Chinese ready to show.

Get set up before you explore

Confirm your eSIM or roaming is working and your maps and translation apps load.
Make a small first purchase — a bottle of water at a convenience store — to confirm Alipay or WeChat Pay works.
Note your nearest metro station; Shanghai's metro is clean, cheap, and easy to use.

An easy first day

Don't over-plan around jet lag. A riverside walk along the Bund at dusk, or a wander through the leafy former French Concession, is plenty. Eat something simple nearby and turn in early so you wake up ready for the rest of the trip.

Your next step

Next: plan your airport-to-hotel route

Tell the PVG → Hotel Planner your arrival time, luggage, and hotel area and get a route, the taxi/DiDi/metro tradeoffs, and the address reminder. Save it to your Arrival Plan.

Open the PVG → Hotel Planner

Keep reading

Next steps

Planning the whole trip?

Build your China Arrival Plan.

Start with your first city, then save payment, internet, arrival, and final-check recommendations into one return link.

Build my Arrival Plan

Payment-app support, visa rules, and connectivity change. Verify time-sensitive items with official sources before departure.