Last updated: July 13, 2026.
Brian’s take: Shanghai is easy after you are set up. The part that trips people up is the first few hours: which airport you landed at, whether your phone works, whether your payment works, and whether your hotel address is clear in Chinese.
This page is not a sightseeing list. For your first 72 hours in Shanghai, the goal is simple: get from arrival point to hotel, make your phone and payment reliable, and avoid confusing Pudong, Hongqiao Airport, and Hongqiao Railway Station.
Before arrival
- Confirm your arrival point. Shanghai has Shanghai Pudong International Airport (上海浦东国际机场, Shanghai Pudong Guoji Jichang, PVG) and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (上海虹桥国际机场, Shanghai Hongqiao Guoji Jichang, SHA). They are not close enough to treat as interchangeable.
- If your ticket says Hongqiao, check whether it means airport or railway station. Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station (上海虹桥站, Shanghai Hongqiao Zhan) sits in the same larger transport hub area, but you still need the correct terminal, station hall, or pickup point.
- Save your hotel address in Chinese. Do not save only the English hotel name. In Shanghai, many hotel names sound similar in English, and chain hotels may have several branches in the same district.
- Prepare mobile data before landing. If your eSIM or roaming fails, do not leave the terminal until you have Wi-Fi, the hotel address screenshot, and a backup route.
- Set up and test payment. Install Alipay (支付宝, Zhifubao), WeChat (微信, Weixin), WeChat Pay (微信支付, Weixin Zhifu), and DiDi (滴滴, Didi) before the flight if possible. The real test is a small payment after check-in.
First two hours
If you land at PVG
- Do not rush out of the terminal. First confirm mobile data, hotel address, and payment backup.
- Use the official taxi queue if you are tired or carrying heavy luggage. Show the hotel address in Chinese. Do not follow people who approach you offering a private car.
- Metro and Maglev can be good, but only if your route is simple. The Maglev gets you to Longyang Road; it does not magically take you to every hotel. If you still need a transfer with luggage, a taxi may be easier.
- If arriving late at night, check transport before walking away from arrivals. Some rail options may not fit your arrival time. A hotel pickup or official taxi queue is often the calmer first-night option.
If you land at SHA or arrive at Hongqiao Railway Station
- Read signs slowly. Hongqiao Airport, Hongqiao Railway Station, metro entrances, taxi queues, and ride-hailing pickup points can feel like one giant place when you are jet-lagged.
- Use the exact Chinese destination. If you say only “Hongqiao,” a driver or staff member may need more detail.
- For DiDi, check the pickup point name carefully. A driver may be nearby but on another level, at another gate, or on the wrong side of the hub.
First night
- At check-in, ask the hotel to confirm your Chinese address. Screenshot it and keep it in your photo album.
- Test one small payment near the hotel. A convenience store is better than discovering a payment problem in a taxi or restaurant.
- Open your map app and save the hotel location. Use Apple Maps, AMap / Gaode Maps (高德地图, Gaode Ditu), or Baidu Maps (百度地图, Baidu Ditu). Google Maps may not be reliable enough for local routing.
- Ask the front desk where taxis usually stop. Some hotels have a front entrance, side entrance, basement entrance, or mall entrance. This matters for DiDi pickup.
First full day
- Use metro for predictable city trips. Shanghai’s metro is usually easier than road traffic if your destination is near a station.
- Use DiDi after your phone, payment, and pickup confidence are working. It is useful, but not the best first experiment when you are standing at a complex airport pickup point.
- Carry your passport when taking trains or visiting places that may require ID. Some ticketed or transport situations are real-name based.
- Do not over-plan restaurants on day one. Pick a place with clear prices, easy payment, and a menu you can translate with your phone camera.
Shanghai-specific failure points
- PVG and SHA are different airports. Do not book a connecting flight, train, or hotel transfer assuming they are close.
- Hongqiao Airport and Hongqiao Railway Station are related but not identical. The wrong pickup point can cost a lot of time.
- Line 2 is useful but long. Check direction, final stop, and transfer point before boarding, especially from Pudong.
- Hotel English names are not enough. Save the district, street address, phone number, and Chinese name.
- Late-night arrival changes the best answer. The cheapest route may not be the best route after a long flight with luggage.
What to show if you are stuck
- 请问，我要去这个地址。 (Qingwen, wo yao qu zhege dizhi.)
Please, I need to go to this address. - 请问，出租车排队在哪里？ (Qingwen, chuzuche paidui zai nali?)
Where is the official taxi queue, please? - 请问，这是虹桥机场还是虹桥火车站？ (Qingwen, zhe shi Hongqiao jichang haishi Hongqiao huochezhan?)
Is this Hongqiao Airport or Hongqiao Railway Station?
FAQ
Should I use DiDi straight from Shanghai airport?
You can, but I would not make it your first test if you are tired, offline, or unsure about pickup points. Use the official taxi queue or hotel pickup first, then use DiDi after you are settled.
Is Pudong too far from central Shanghai?
It is farther than Hongqiao for many city districts. The right answer depends on your hotel location, arrival time, luggage, and whether you can handle transfers.
What is the one screenshot I should not forget?
Your hotel name, full Chinese address, district, phone number, and a map pin. That one screenshot solves more problems than a long travel plan.
Official pages to check before you travel
Next: Read how to get from the airport to your hotel or save the taxi and DiDi phrase cards.