Shanghai
China · Country profile
Shanghai is the great port and the commercial heart of China, a city of superlatives that rose in a century from the riverfront of the Bund to the dazzling vertical forest of the Pudong across the water. The Bund holds the grand banks and the trading houses of the colonial era along the Huangpu river, while the towers of the new financial district climb beyond the bridges into the sky. The old city keeps its gardens, its temples and its lanes, and the modern city spreads the art museums, the bars and the endless shopping streets of a metropolis that never stops. Dizzying, glamorous and relentless, Shanghai is the most electric city in Asia.
About Shanghai
Shanghai is a city in China. The city's documented population is around 24,874,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Chinese Yuan (CNY) and Chinese is spoken; the dialling code is +86. It is served by 1 airport in our guide: Shanghai Pudong International Airport.
The Bund, the Pudong and the River Light of the Night
Shanghai is a vast, electric metropolis where the riverside Bund, the gleaming towers of Pudong and the neon of the shopping streets give one of the most dramatic skylines in the world. The city is a mix of the futuristic and the historic: the colonial waterfront, the gardens of the old city and the art museums of the modern era all sit within a short walk or a quick ride of the river. It is a city of the night, of the food and of the enormous crowds, and its energy is its own kind of beauty. The transit is deep, the malls are endless and the river cruise at dusk is the classic introduction.
The Gardens, the Alleys and the Timing of the Seasons
The best weather runs the spring and the autumn, when the city is mild and the sky is clear; the summer is hot and humid and the winter is damp and cold. The Bund, the old town and the museums are the classics, and the observation decks of the new towers book their slots ahead. The metro is the fastest transport of the city, and a transit card or the phone apps handle the fares. The currency is the renminbi, and the app payments dominate, with some cash still needed for the small stalls. The language is limited, so a translation app goes far, and the city is generally safe and orderly.
The Metro, the Maglev and the Soups of the Morning
The Bund is the great riverside promenade of the former trading houses, and its best face comes at dusk, when the towers of Pudong light up across the river; the ferry across the water costs the price of a metro ticket. The old town keeps the garden, the temple and the famous shopping street of the bazaar. The metro is vast and cheap, and the maglev train to the edge of the city still holds the world speed record. The food of Shanghai, from the soup dumplings to the hairy crab of the season, is justly famous, and the street markets and the nightlife of the bars run late. It is a city of big distances, of modern wonders and of the constant hum of China’s future.
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- Country
- China
- Population
- 24,874,000
- Coordinates
- 31.1443, 121.8083
- Capital
- Beijing
- Region
- Asia
- Currency
- Chinese Yuan (CNY)
- Languages
- Chinese
- Calling code
- +86
- Country code
- CN
Entry requirements for China
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting China for tourism.
Getting to Shanghai
Airports we list for Shanghai:
Other airports in the area:
- Beijing Capital International AirportPEK≈ 1,099 km from Shanghai
- Guangzhou Baiyun International AirportCAN≈ 1,203 km from Shanghai
- Shenzhen Bao'an International AirportSZX≈ 1,233 km from Shanghai
- Xi'an Xianyang International AirportXIY≈ 1,273 km from Shanghai
- Chengdu Tianfu International AirportTFU≈ 1,661 km from Shanghai
Cities in China
Other cities we cover in China:
Frequently asked questions
Is Shanghai the capital of China?
No — the capital of China is Beijing.
What currency do I need in Shanghai?
The local currency is the Chinese Yuan (CNY). Languages spoken in China include Chinese.
What is the dialling code for China?
The international dialling code for China is +86.
Which airport should I fly into for Shanghai?
Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) is the airport we list for Shanghai.
How far is Shanghai from the nearest airport?
Shanghai is about 1,099 km from Beijing Capital International Airport.
Do I need a visa to visit China?
It depends on your passport. For the origins we track, the current tourism visa status is Morocco (visa required) and United States (visa required). Check the entry requirements tool for your own nationality.
Flying out of Shanghai? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.