Transportation
Tourist Attractions
General information of Shanghai

 

[Top]Transportation

From Airports to Conference Venue (Grand Central Hotel Shanghai)

There are two airports in Shanghai, suburb Pudong Airport (PVG) (for most international flights and some domestic flights) and the in-the-town Hongqiao Airport (SHA) (for most domestic flights).
Maps of the airport:
http://www.chinatouristmaps.com/travel/shanghai/airport.html

Metro Line 2 not only connects the two airports of Shanghai, but also reaches most of the major scenic spots and some famous hotels.
Shanghai Metro Map 2012
http://www.exploreshanghai.com/metro/

The conference venue (Grand Central Hotel Shanghai) is located in the city centre, at intersection of Metro Line 2 and Metro Line 10. The following map will provide you with a rough orientation.

If you arrive by Metro line 2 then go straight to exit 4.
If you arrive by Metro line 10, then before you go to the exit, head in the direction of Interchange line 2 and then go to exit 4.
When you come outside exit 4, you will see both “Grand Central Hotel Shanghai” and “Central Hotel Shanghai” on Jiujiang Road like this photo we took a few days ago at the beginning of May.
 

 

 

Transport from Pudong International Airport to Grand Central Hotel:

Recommended Transport

Out of the airport, take metro Line 2 at Pudong International Airport Station (origin station) and get off at East Nanjing Road Station, get out of the station from Exit 4. Grand Central Hotel (conference venue) is on 505 Jiujiang Road, just a few minutes’ walk from the metro station. Jiujiang Road is parallel to East Nanjing Road. You can find Grand Central Hotel where Jiujiang Road crosses Fujian Zhong Road (use the map below).
http://hotels.english.ctrip.com/shanghai-hotel-map-68110/grand-central-hotel-shanghai
(Please note that another hotel--Central Hotel is on the other side of Fujian Zhong Road, just next to Grand Central Hotel.)
Normally, Metro Line 2 in this direction is available from 5:30 am to 22:45 pm (local time). When you arrive, please feel free to seek help from the airport staff.

Taxi is a convenient alternative. In rush hours, you need to queue up in order to take a taxi from the airport. The total fee is about 200 RMB in the daytime but much higher at night.

From Pudong International Airport to Longyang Road Station on Metro Line 2, there is a maglev line that can expedite your trip. In this direction the maglev is available from 7:02 to 21:42. It costs 40-50 RMB. If you have interest in that please feel free to seek help from the airport staff.

 Buying Subway Tickets

The Shanghai Metro is the urban rapid transit system of China's largest city, Shanghai. The system incorporates both subway (under the ground) and light-rail (over the ground) lines. Line 2 and Line 10 are complete subway lines. During commuting rush hours and on weekends, we suggest you avoid taking Line 1/2/8 at People Square Station.
There are two ways to buy single-journey tickets:
First, you can buy tickets in the ticket booth. Tell the clerk your destination and the clerk will help you calculate the fee. Usually one subway trip only costs you CNY 4 (4 RMB yuan) or so.
Second, you can do self-service ticketing at a multifunctional ticket machine:
(1) Click the number of the metro line you want to take on the screen;
(2) click your destination station;
(3) click the number of the tickets you want;
(4) When the total price appears on the screen, put a certain sum of notes or coins into the slot on the machine;
(5) Click “OK” and take the tickets as well as the change (if available).
A single journey ticket can be used only one time on the day you buy it within the subway lines and stations you choose. You should insert the ticket into the slot on the turnstile controller when you check out. If the station which you actually want to exit is inconsistent with that recorded in the electronic ticket, please seek help from the nearest ticket booth.

Besides the single-journey ticket, there are other types of tickets that can be bought in ticket booths:
A Shanghai Public Transportation Card is convenient to pay the subway fare. The card can be used not only on the subway, but also public buses, ferryboats, maglev trains and even taxies. Such a card issued in Shanghai is also functional in neighboring cities like Suzhou and Hangzhou. For the subway, one card is only for one person as you need to hold it over the card reader on the turnstile controller, both when checking in and when checking out. It is common for the new users to pay CNY 100 for the card, including a CNY 20 deposit and CNY 80 for use. The card can be used repeatedly and you can recharge it at the ticket booths. Additionally it allows for once an overdraft of CNY 8. You can return the card in a few designated stations and get back the deposit before you leave Shanghai. If you frequently use public transportation in Shanghai, this card is a really powerful tool.

Souvenir Ticket, One-day Travel Pass and Three-day Travel Pass are all essentially souvenir tickets, which means you can keep it after you leave Shanghai.
(1) The Souvenir Ticket can be used only once.
(2) The One-day Travel Pass, sold at CNY 18, allows you to take all the Shanghai subway lines without limit in 24 hours after the first use.
(3) The Three-day Travel Pass, sold at CNY 45, allows you to take all the Shanghai subway lines without limit in 72 hours after the first use.

Please pay attention to your safety and your own belongings when you choose this means of transport. If you have any questions or problems, please feel free to ask the station staff or volunteers.

Helpful Links:
Bilingual List of Shanghai Subway Stations
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/shanghai/transportation/subway-stations.htm
Tips to take Shanghai Metro written by a foreigner
http://www.q2hoo.com/2010/06/tips-to-take-shanghai-metro.htm

 

[Top]Tourist Attractions

Shanghai is an energetic international metropolis. This modern metropolis combined with its rich heritage and Chinese culture has much to see and do. Although you can find all kinds of tour advertisements in Shanghai, here we recommend to you some landmarks in Shanghai, together with some characteristic places for shopping, eating and sightseeing.

1. Shanghai Bund (waitan)
Being the most imposing spectacle in Shanghai, the bund has been seen as the embodiment of Shanghai for a long time.
The bund, which extends from Jinling Road in the south to the waibaidu bridge in the north, is a 1.5-kilometer-long boulevard on the western bank of the Huangpu river. walking along Zhongshan Road, not only can visitors enjoy the scenery of Huangpu River but have a glimpse of the development of Lujiazui district on the other side of Huangpu River. The architecture along the bund is unanimously honored as a "world architectural fair", including all kinds of tall buildings like the gothic style, the baroque style, the roman style, the classical style, the renaissance style and the combination of Chinese and western style.
Map:
http://www.chinatouristmaps.com/travel/shanghai/bund/shanghai-bund-and-architecture.html
Transport:
Metro Line 2/10 ,East Nanjing Road Station
Bus 910, 55, 123 from Tongji University
It’s minutes’ walk from the conference venue, at the east end of East Nanjing Road.2. Nanjing Road & People Square

 

2. Nanjing Road & People Square
Nanjing Road  is the main shopping street of Shanghai, China, and is one of the world's busiest shopping streets. Today's Nanjing Road comprises two sections, Nanjing Road East and Nanjing Road West. In some contexts, "Nanjing Road" refers only to what was pre-1945 Nanjing Road, today's Nanjing Road East, which is largely pedestrianised. Prior to 1949, the road's English name was rendered "Nanking Road" using the standard romanization of the time.
The People's Square is located in the very center of ShanghaiPeople's square is a spectacular space in the heart of the city. it is a garden-type open space surrounded by buildings and facilities for administration, cultural activities, transportation and commerce.
Map:
http://www.chinatouristmaps.com/travel/shanghai/roads-streets-districts/peoples-square-area.html
Transport:
Metro line 1, People Square Station; line 2, East Nanjing Road station, People Square Station, West Nanjing Road Station; line 8, People Square Station
Bus: No. 18, 20, 23, 37, 46, 48, 49, 108, 109, 112, 123, 145, 518

 

3. Shanghai Old Street & Chenghuang Temple & Yuyuan Garden
Shanghai Old Street is the best place to bring you back to the old Shanghai of the early period of 20century. Shanghai Old Street, originally named fangbang middle road, is 825 meters long, whose eastern section extends to Renmin Road and western section, to henan road, south. the architectural style and layout keep the characteristics of residences from late Ming Dynasty to the early republic, even connected to the western culture. all businesses in shanghai old street represent traditional trades and folk culture.
The Chenghuang temple is a Taoist temple, also called Yi temple, which is composed of many a halls such as the grand hall, middle hall, bedroom palace, star gods hall, Yama palace, Xuzhen god hall and so on. the Chenghuang temple had an area of more than 10,000 square meters including two gardens: west garden (Yu garden) and east garden. In this area, you can taste all kinds of Shanghainese traditional food. In addition, some folk arts, like cockfight, penmanship performance and acrobatics, are fairly attractive. A saying goes like this: one can't boast that he had been to Shanghai if he did not pay a visit to Chenghuang temple.
Location: 247 Middle Fangbang Road
Transport:
Metro Line 10, Yuyuan Garden station
bus 66, 11, 23, 24, 43, 782, or by taxi, or on foot
Open Hours: 8:30am－16:00pm
Map: http://www.yuyuantm.com.cn/yuyuan/En/TouristGuides/map_en.jpg
Official website: http://www.yuyuantm.com.cn/yuyuan/En/Index/

 

4. Oriental Pearl TV Tower
The 468 meters high tower, which is the highest in Asia and the third highest in the world, was put into construction on July 30th, 1991 and completed on october 1st, 1994. it faces the bund across the Huangpu River. With eleven steel spheres in various sizes Hanging from the blue sky to the green grassland, the body of the tower creates and admirable image, which is described in an ancient chinese verse as: large and small pearls dropping on a plate of jade. To have a bird’s-eye view of the city of Shanghai, this tower is your best choice.
Open Hours: 8:00-21:30
Transport: Metro 2 Lujiazui Station; Ferry Service: lujin line, taigong line; channel no. 3, 4, 5, 6. The ferry can be found easily on the Bund.
Admission fees: 1 sphere 100RMB; 2 spheres 135 RMB; 3 spheres 150 RMB
Official website: http://orientalpearltower.com/

 

5. Xintiandi
Xintiandi is located downtown nestled between the towering skyscrapers; it is one of the busiest urban tourist attractions and imbued with the city's historical and cultural legacies. Shanghai Xintiandi's Shikumen building was created by converting residential blocks into a multifunctional dining, retail and entertainment center flowing with restaurants, boutiques, cafes and bars of an international standard. It’s one of the best places to enjoy the evening.
Transport: Metro Line 1 South Huangpi Road Station, Metro Line 10 Xintiandi Station.
Bus: 911、926、42
Map: http://www.chinatouristmaps.com/travel/shanghai/roads-streets-districts/fashionable-area.html
Official website: http://www.xintiandi.com/xintiandi/en/index.asp

 

6. Tianzifang
Tianzifang or Tian Zi Fang  is an arts and crafts enclave that has developed from a renovated residential area in the French Concession area of Shanghai, China. It comprises a neighborhood of labyrinthine alleyways off Taikang Road, and is therefore also referred to as Taikang Road or Taikang Lu. Tianzifang is known for small craft stores, coffee shops, trendy art studios and narrow alleys. It has become a popular tourist destination in Shanghai, and an example of preservation of local Shikumen architecture, with some similarities to Xintiandi.
From the beginning of 2007, journalists, visitors and local residents began to visit the area and spread the word about a cosy little lane district that housed some interesting and creative businesses. It’s a space full of surprises.
Transport:
Metro Line 9 Dapu Bridge Station exit 1.
Bus 17，236，304
Map: http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/4770/ma
Official website: http://www.tianzifang.cn/home

 

7. 1933
1933 Shanghai was designed by an Englishman and built by a famous Chinese builder in 1933. It was once a slaughter house but is now a creative workshop. With the unique design people can get to the fourth –floor without passing the middle ones by the slide way. You can experience a lot with its stylish aspects and cultural atmosphere.
It’s one of the most fantastic architectures you can find in Shanghai. You will only be astonished when you get in. In order to leave you with a surprise, we will not reveal its interior image here.
Location: 29 Shajing Lu, near Haining Lu  (Hongkou District)
Transport:Metro Line 4/10 Hailun Road Station
Map: http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/3177/1933_shanghai
Official website: http://www.1933shanghai.com/

 

8. Shanghai Musical Box Gallery
This is the only one of music box Museum in China that exhibited the art and history of the music box in Europe, the collections in the exhibition room has more than 200 pieces, including Western antique music box and automatic puppets. Here you can find the world's oldest music box and a numbers of important people puppets music box are all displayed here. A ancient culture and history, and the ancient production are being records here.
The Museum is inside the Oriental Arts Center in Pudong New District. There are many performances in this center every day.
Address: No. 425 Dingxiang Road, 4th floor
Open Hours: 10:30am-5pm
Transport: Metro Line 2, Shanghai Science and Technology Museum Station.
Map: http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/2190/Shanghai_Oriental_Arts_Center_shanghai

 

9. Duo lun Culture Street
The road is paved with pebbles. along the road, there are western-style buildings  freshly painted  with their doors opened for visitors,many of these  shops  have beautiful displays of calligraphy, paintings, antiques and mahogany furniture for sale. the street is hard to identify on the map but it once had a great influence on the history of Chinese culture. Many famous cultural figures who shone through history, like Lu Xun, Qu Qiubai, Guo Moruo and Mao Dun  once assembled here and fought here. Places like league of leftist writers, Zhonghua Arts University, Shanghai Arts Theater and Gongfei Café were their battle fields. For more than a century, Duolun street and several streets nearby represent the historical   cultural growth centre of Shanghai. the Zhian Arch and Yongan lane are  in the 1930s style.
Transport: Metro Line 3 Dongbaoxing Road Station, Metro Line 4/10 Hailun Road Station
Map: http://www.smartshanghai.com/venue/414/Duolun_Museum_of_Modern_Art_shanghai

For your convenience, read the whole tour map:
http://www.chinatouristmaps.com/assets/images/travelmapst/detailed-shanghai-map.jpg

 

[Top]General information of Shanghai

Shanghai is the largest city by population of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The two Chinese characters in the city's name are 上 ("above") and 海 ("sea"), together meaning "Upon-the-Sea". Shanghai is officially abbreviated 沪 (Hu) in Chinese. Another historic name is 申（Shen）.
Located in the Yangtze River Delta in eastern China, Shanghai sits at the mouth of the Yangtze River in the middle portion of the Chinese coast. The city proper is bisected by the Huangpu River, a tributary of the Yangtze. The historic center of the city, the Puxi area, is located on the western side of the Huangpu, while the newly developed Pudong, containing the central financial district Lujiazui, was developed on the eastern bank. The municipality borders Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces to the west, and is bounded to the east by the East China Sea.
Shanghai is a global city, with influence in commerce, culture, finance, media, fashion, technology, and transport. It is the commercial and financial center of mainland China and the busiest container port in the world.
 

Administrative divisions
 
Shanghai is administratively equal to a province and is divided into 17 county-level divisions: 16 districts and one county.
Eight of the districts govern Puxi, the older part of urban Shanghai on the west bank of the Huangpu River:
{Huangpu District –where the conference venue is located;
Xuhui District;
Changning District;
Jing'an District;
Putuo District;
Zhabei District;
Hongkou District ;
Yangpu District-- where Tongji University is located.}
Pudong, the newer part of urban and suburban Shanghai on the east bank of the Huangpu River, is governed by Pudong New District.
Seven of the districts govern suburbs, satellite towns, and rural areas further away from the urban core:
{Baoshan District;
Minhang District;
Jiading District;
Jinshan District;
Songjiang District;
Qingpu District;
Fengxian District;}
Chongming Island, an island at the mouth of the Yangtze, is governed by Chongming County.

Climate
Shanghai's latitude relative to the equator is about the same as New Orleans, Brisbane, or Cairo; the climate is classified as humid subtropical. Summer temperatures at noontime often hit 35–36°C with very high humidity. Despite the fact that winter temperatures are not particularly low, the wind chill factor combined with the high humidity can actually make it feel less comfortable than some much colder places. In between, spring can feature lengthy periods of cloudy, often rainy, weather, while fall is generally mild to warm and sunny.
Please keep an eye on the weather report of Shanghai before your departure.
http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/Shanghai/forecasts/latest

 

Transportation
(1) Metro
The fast-growing Shanghai Metro network has 12 lines with another 7 under construction (and expansions to existing lines), with nearly all lines operating underground (Line 3 operates above ground). The Metro is fast, cheap, air conditioned and fairly user-friendly with most signs and station arrival announcements bilingual in Mandarin and English, but the trains can get packed during rush hour. Be mindful of pickpockets who may use this rush to their advantage.
(2) Bus
The bus system is cheaper and much more extensive than the Metro, and some routes even operate past the closing time of the Metro. All route information at bus stops is in Chinese, but once inside the bus, there are English announcements. It's best to have exact fare or go to a convenience store if needing change. If you change buses with a Shanghai Public Transport Card you will get a ¥1 discount on your second bus fare (and all subsequent transfers; there is a 90-minute window to do this on.
(3) Taxi
Taxi is a good choice for transportation in the city, especially during off-peak hours. It is affordable (¥14 for the first 3 km, ¥2.4/km up to 10 km, and ¥3.5/km after; when wheels aren't rolling, time is also tracked and billed but first 5 min. are free; a ¥1 fuel surcharge is also applied) and saves you time. Flagfall starts at ¥18 after 11PM.
Most drivers do not speak English or any other foreign languages, so be sure to have the address of your destination written in Chinese to show the taxi driver, but should you forget, there is a phone number displayed in the back of the taxi (you'll need a mobile phone for this). Dial the number and tell the agent where you want to go in English. This service has very good remarks.
If the drivers forget to use the meter, remind them. It's also the law to provide a receipt for the rider but if your fare seems out of line, be sure to obtain one as it's necessary to receive any compensation. It also helps you contact the driver in case you have forgotten something in the taxi and need to get it back.
(4) Sightseeing bus
There are several different companies offering sightseeing buses with various routes and packages covering the main sights such as the Shanghai Zoo, Oriental Pearl Tower, and Baoyang Road Harbor. Most of the sightseeing buses leave from the Shanghai Stadium's east bus station.
(5) Ferry
A useful ferry runs between the Bund and Lujiazui financial district in Pudong (the terminal is about 10 minutes south of the Pearl TV Tower and Lujiazui metro station) and is the cheapest way of crossing the river at ¥2 per person.
(6) Sightseeing tunnel
A bit of a misnomer, as the entire journey is underground and doesn't reveal any real sights of the city. This is the fastest way of crossing between the Bund in Puxi and the Pearl TV Tower in Pudong but also the most expensive (¥45 one way/¥60 return).

Telephone
Shanghai's area code for landlines is 21, adding a "0" at the beginning if calling outside of the city.
To call any phone number in Shanghai from abroad, you need to dial +86 first.
Calling any foreign number from China requires dialing 00 first, followed by the country code, area code, and desired number of the destination.

Electricity
In China, the standard power supply is 220V, 50Hz, AC. (Hong Kong is 200V; Taiwan is 110V). Most of the hotels in China have both 110V and 220V electrical outlets in the bathrooms, though in guest rooms usually only 220V sockets are available.
Chinese sockets accept USA’s Type A, Type C, and Type I categories of plugs.
Type A: Shaped like 2 parallel flat blades;
Type C:Shaped like 2 parallel round rods;
Type I: Shaped like 3 pin flat blades.
A transformer and an adaptor might be necessary to you. You can ask the hotel clerks if they can provide that.

 

Currency
Chinese Yuan (CNY) is the official currency of China. You can change money at the banks or many hotels.
Tipping
Taxi drivers, waitresses, and hotel front desk staff do NOT expect tip. As for other services, it depends.
Dialect
The native language of locals, Shanghainese, is part of the Wu group of Chinese languages, which is not mutually intelligible with Mandarin, Cantonese, Minnan (Taiwanese/Hokkien) or any other forms of Chinese. However, in Shanghai, as with elsewhere in China, Mandarin is the lingua franca.
The modern Shanghainese language is based on the Suzhou dialect of Wu, the Ningbo dialect of Wu, and the dialect of Shanghai's traditional areas now within the Hongkou, Baoshan and Pudong districts, which is simply called "the local tongue". Shanghainese includes a number of loan words, like “cement”, “smart” (meaning fashionable) and “gossip”. Here to know more about the dialect: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_Chinese
Cuisine
Chinese cuisine is world-famous. We are proud to recommend the local dishes to our visitors. Please consult local citizens for genuine recommendations, especially for Shanghainese food. You can find dining information via these links.
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_cuisine
http://www.best-shanghai-restaurants.com/
http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/asia/china/shanghai/restaurants.html