TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Transport, Currency Exchange, Hotels, Visitor Checklist

CHINA VISA

Most people require a visa to enter China, although citizens from around 43 countries* are able to enter without a visa for no more than 30 days under the unilateral visa-free policy. China also operates a visa free transit scheme which allows people from certain countries** to stay in China for up to 10 days if they are travelling on to a third country. For example, if you are travelling from Bangkok to Tokyo via Shanghai, you may be able to stay in Shanghai for a few days without the need for a visa if you hold a passport from one of the countries specified. You also need to enter China from specific entry ports to qualify.

These policies and schemes change constantly so it is always wise to check the Chinese embassy or consulate website prior to making your travel plans.

*Visa-free countries include Brunei, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Holland, Malaysia, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Australia, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovenia, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Korea, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Uruguay. [EDIT: Canada and the United Kingdom were added in February 2026]

**The 240-hour transit scheme is available to people from Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States and Indonesia

ALIPAY AND WECHAT APPS

Facebook and WhatsApp are both blocked in China, so WeChat makes it a lot easier to message people in China and is the universal method of messaging for China residents. If you are roaming, using a foreign SIM card, you will be able to use WhatsApp and Facebook, but it will not work if you are connected to local Wifi and roaming can get expensive. A secondary use of WeChat is as a form of payment. Although Alipay is more of a payment app, some places only accept WeChat and not Alipay, so it is helpful if you are able to link a payment card to WeChat pay. It is also useful for sending payments to locals, for instance if you are sharing the cost of a meal at a restaurant.

Alipay is primarily a payment platform and if you are able to connect your bank card to Alipay, it will make things much easier when trying to pay for things in shops and restaurants. For what it's worth, I did manage to connect my UK debit card to Alipay and it does work, but there is a 3% fee for all transactions over 200 RMB, so be aware of that.

There is a kiosk in the arrivals hall of Pudong airport where staff will assist you if you have problems installing Alipay, although I am not sure how helpful they can be.

TIPPING

Tipping is not customary in China and is not required nor expected. In places where tourists are more prevalent, the locals may have become more used to some tourists offering tips and may or may not accept it, but otherwise there will be no expectation of tips and attempt to tip may lead to awkward situations. This may feel strange to those coming from a place where tipping is the norm (eg USA) but those from non tipping countries can act as they do back home.

CURRENCY EXCHANGE

You can exchange foreign currency for RMB at any bank. The rates do not vary significantly across banks, so there's no need to shop around. You will need your passport. If you need to buy foreign currency with RMB, this is more complicated and usually means having to provide tax receipts (and sometimes employment contracts) to prove that tax has been paid on the funds prior to exchange. However, if the amount is below US$500 or equivalent in other currencies, you do not need tax receipts.

If you require foreign currency from less common countries, it is very likely the bank will not have the currency in the branch so you may need to book in advance. This also applies if you want to exchange a common currency like British pounds, but require a significantly large amount of notes, especially at smaller bank branches. Of course, if you do not need the physical notes and just want to exchange RMB for foreign currency to transfer overseas, there is no need to book ahead.

GETTING AROUND TOWN

Subway
Shanghai only had 2 lines back in 1999 but now has 18 lines as well as a link from Hongqiao Airport to Pudong Airport. In other words, it is a very efficient way of getting around the city. It's also very affordable, at least compared to say, London. Short trips cost just 3 RMB while longer trips cost up to 8 RMB.

The Explore Shanghai app is a great way to navigate the subway. It has routes, trip times and fares in English. Highly recommended.

You can buy tickets from the machines using cash or you can buy a travel card which you can top up with credit when needed, which would be the best option if you are going to be using the subway often. The card also works on buses and if you use an iPhone, you can use Apple Wallet and avoid having to carry a physical card.

The main drawback of the subway is that it can get very crowded at peak times, but other than that, it is a great way to travel around the city.

Didi
Hailing a taxi on the street is difficult these days because everyone uses ride hailing apps for taxis and other cars. Didi (a Chinese version of Uber) is by far the most widely used throughout China, so if you only download one ride hailing app, make sure it is Didi. The good news is that Didi has an English interface which you can choose within the app in the settings.

You can use Didi to hail taxis as well as cars covering all levels from economic smaller cars to 7 seater Buick GL8 type vehicles if you have a larger group or just like to travel around in a bigger car. Fares are very reasonable - expect to pay less than 20 RMB for a typical short trip. An airport run will cost you from around 160 RMB, depending on the class of vehicle.

Shared Bikes
There are several companies offering shared bikes all over the city and they are very easy to find and use. Unlike some countries, you can just leave the bikes anywhere and do not need to return them to specific stations. You will need to download the Meituan app or use Alipay to scan the QR codes on the bikes in order to use them. Costs are very affordable and depend on the amount of time your journey takes. Shared bikes are great for those journeys that perhaps are too short to take a Didi, but too far to walk.

Maps
Google Maps does not work well in China even if you have a VPN. There is usually an offset, which will mean you are never where the map says you are. This isn't accidental, it's deliberate. If you want a more technical explanation, most of the world uses WGS-84 and this is what GPS uses. But in China, they use a different, Chinese coordinate system called GCJ-02. It is based on WGS-84 but uses an algorithm to add random latitude and longtitude offsets as a security measure. Any mapping service needs to have approval from the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping to use GCJ-02.

Apple Maps works fine if you have an Apple device, otherwise Baidu Maps works well but is only in Chinese. Another option, perhaps the best option, is Amap, know as Gaode map in Chinese (高德地图), which does also have an English option and seems to work well.

VPN

VPNs are the only way to access many of the sites that are blocked in China including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Google etc. If you have a foreign SIM card (including Hong Kong SIM cards) then you can also access those websites, although you may find it costly with roaming charges added on, depending on your package. Astrill is one of the most popular and most reliable VPN providers with expats and if you are just visiting, they do have monthly plans. I have been using Astrill for many years.

In the interest of full disclosure, the above Astrill link is an affiliate link, which means if you subscribe to their services via this link, I will be paid a small commission which helps support the work I do maintaining this website and there is no additional cost to you.

If you are going to require a VPN while in China, it is better to set it up before you arrive because most providers' websites are blocked in China, creating a chicken and egg situation (you can't setup a VPN because the site is blocked).

HOTELS

Whether you're here for a week or a year, most people will need a hotel or some form of accommodation, even if it is just until they find an apartment. The good news is that hotels in China are relatively cheap compared to say, Europe, where it isn't uncommon to pay 200-300 Euros for a hotel room for a night. In Shanghai, that gets you quite a nice 5 star brand like Westin, Hilton or Marriott to name a few. There are hotels to cover most budgets and here, I have listed just a few to get the ball rolling. I highly recommend Trip Advisor as a good way to find your accommodation and then book on whichever platform has the best deal. Trip Advisor always indicates which platform has the best price, but the platforms to check are usually Agoda, Booking.Com, Hotels.Com, Expedia, Trip.Com and you can sometimes get a good deal booking directly with the hotel itself.

These are just examples of what's possibile in Shanghai. Where you stay will ultimately depend on the purpose of your visit, your budget and what part of town you want to stay. I live in Shanghai, so my first hand experience of hotels is somewhat limited apart from the off staycation, but I have had friends stay and often share their feedback with me. Most of these hotels are centrally located. There are a lot of options available further out which are great, but I have focused on the more central options to avoid having to worry too much about transportation. Shanghai is usually a very walkable city, although in July and August, it can be hard walking around in 40 degree heat.

Budget Hotels (less than 500 RMB per night)

Campanile Hotel Jing'an (Wulumuqi Road)
This hotel is a favourite with a good friend of mine whenevr he comes to stay. It is just a few minutes walk from bustling Jingan Temple / Nanjing Road West where you can find lots of shopping malls, restaurants and bars. It's strictly no frills, but it is clean and comfortable for the price. They have other locations around town, including one on Huaihai Road and one near The Bund. This location is priced at around 500 RMB.

No.425, North Wulumuqi Rd,200040 Shanghai, China
上海市静安区乌鲁木齐北路425号

Hanting Seasons Hotel Shanghai Jing'an Temple
This is probably the only hotel here I have no knowledge of, but wanted to include one Hanting hotel because it is one of the popular budget chains along with Home Inn. Worth a look if you are on a budget, especially as the location is a good one, but don't expect too much. Cost around 400 RMB per night.

No.105 Wanhangdu Road, Jing'an District, Shanghai China
静安区万航渡路105号

Mid-Priced Hotels (500 RMB to 1000 RMB per night)

Jin Jiang Hotel
Reasonably priced and well positioned close to the busy Huaihai Road, not too far from Xintiandi. Priced at around 700-800 RMB.

161 Changle Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai 200020 China
上海市黄浦区长乐路161号

Crowne Plaza Nanjing Road
This is a very centrally located hotel in People's Square, part of the IHG chain. One entrance is on the busy (and touristy) pedestrianised part of Nanjing Road East and the other entrance is on Jiu Jiang Road which is where your taxi will be able to drop you. You can walk towards The Bund or walk west along Nanjing Road for more shops and restaurants. If you like being right in the center of the action, this could be a good option. The hotel itself is not that new, so bear this in mind when deciding. Price around 800 RMB.

700 Jiujiang Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai 200001 China
上海市黄浦区九江路700号

Renaissance Shanghai Yu Garden Hotel On The Bund
Roughly 900-1000 RMB per night, this is by the Yu Gardens and just a short walk to The Bund.

159 South He Nan Road, Huang Pu District, Shanghai 200010 China
上海市黄浦区河南南路159号

SSAW Hotel
I used to live in the apartment complex behind this small, older hotel and it was one of the hotels I recommended to guests coming for my wedding many years ago. Location-wise, it is just a stone's throw away from Yu Gardens to the east and the begining of the busy Huaihai Road to the west. It's also very convenient for Yu Gardens subway station (line 10) which goes to Hongqiao airport. Price around 700 RMB. The price reflects the location more than the hotel and its facilities, but if you want something quite centrally located, this isn't a bad choice. There's nothing in the immediate vicinity, but shops can be reached after a short 5-10 minute walk.

No.839 Renmin Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai 200010 China
黄浦区人民路839号

High End Hotels (up to 2000 RMB per night)

Mandarin Oriental (Pudong)
This is one of my favorite hotel chains. It is in Pudong which means it is slightly less convenient for most of the attractions in Puxi, but it's definitely a good choice if you have to be on that side of the river. Around 1500 RMB.

111 Pudong Road South, Shanghai 200120 China
上海市浦东新区浦东南路111号

Shanghai Edition Hotel
Another of my favourites at the higher end, you're looking at around 2000 RMB depending on the time of year, located close to the Crown Plaza on Nanjing Road East which is pedestrianised and very popular with tourists. The hotel itself has several bars and restaurants, some with great views of the city. There's a roof garden and the Punch Room, Yone Restaurant and Bar has spectacular views, great place to impress a date and there's also Shanghai Tavern on the ground floor.

199 Nanjing Road East, Shanghai 200002 China
黄浦区南京东路199号

Luxury Hotels (3000 RMB or higher per night)

Bvlgari Hotel
If you really want to splurge, Shanghai definitely has a few options to choose from including the relatively new Bvlgari Hotel, opened in 2018, which will set you back around 5000 RMB per night. It's slightly away from the main busy spots, around the Suzhou Creek area, but the Bund can be reached in about 10 minutes by walk. In warmed weather, you're going to want to check out the rooftop bar.

Be sure to use the Chinese address when traveling to this hotel because there's another road in Shanghai that is sometimes spelled exactly the same way in English although it is different in Chinese (陕西 vs 山西).

Lane 108 North Shanxi Road, Shanghai 200085 China
上海市静安区山西北路108弄

Peninsula Hotel
Opened in 2009 and located right on The Bund, The Peninsula is a great option for those who want to be close to The Bund. In the summer, you can enjoy a bite and some drinks at Sir Elly's Terrace while enjoying spectacular views of the Huangpu River, Suzhou Creek and the Pudong skyline. Prices are from around 3000 RMB per night.

No. 32 Zhong Shan Dong Yi Road, Shanghai 200002 China
黄浦区中山东一路