One day in Shanghai: an itinerary in the best order
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- 4 of 6 free; paid: Shanghai Tower, Yu Garden
- Duration
- 8 h 40 min · 09:30–18:12
- Start and finish
- Shanghai Tower → Nanjing Road
- On foot
- ≈ 53 min in total
- Transport
- 1 ride, ≈ 19 min
- Lunch
- around 13:12
- With kids
- fine: short walks
- Best time
- Spring and autumn. Summers are hot and humid, winters damp.
The plan, stop by stop
Times include walking and lunch. Drag a stop by ≡, remove it with the cross or add one nearby — the plan updates.
Shanghai09:30–18:12 · 6 places · 8 h 40 min
Shanghai Tower
· 1 h 30 min · ¥180; students and 60+ ¥120
- 9 min on foot
Lujiazui
· 45 min · Free
- 18 min on foot
The Bund
· 1 h · Free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 17 min on foot
Yu Garden
· 1 h 15 min · ¥30–40 by season
- 9 min on foot
Shanghai Old City
· 1 h · Free
- 19 min · transport or taxi
Nanjing Road
· 1 h · Free
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
What the route costs
4 of 6 are free; 2 charge entry — prices below, check them on site.
| 1 | Shanghai Tower | 58 | 1 h 30 min | ¥180; students and 60+ ¥120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Lujiazui | 48 | 45 min | Free |
| 3 | The Bund | 59 | 1 h | Free |
| 4 | Yu Garden | 46 | 1 h 15 min | ¥30–40 by season |
| 5 | Shanghai Old City | 42 | 1 h | Free |
| 6 | Nanjing Road | 46 | 1 h | Free |
| Total | 6 h 30 min | 4 of 6 free |
Tips for each stop
- 1
Shanghai Tower. China's tallest building, 632 m: the observation deck on level 118, 546 m up. 180 yuan.
- 2
Lujiazui. The skyscraper district across from the Bund: the round footbridge by the Oriental Pearl and the riverside. Free.
- 3
The Bund. 1.5 km of early-20th-century buildings facing Pudong's towers. Free; lights from dusk until about 22:00.
- 4
Yu Garden. A 16th-century classical garden: rockeries, ponds and pavilions. 30–40 yuan; closed Mondays.
- 5
Shanghai Old City. The old walled Chinese city: Old Street, shops and teahouses, the City God Temple. Free to wander.
- 6
Nanjing Road. The main shopping street: 1.6 km of pedestrian street from People's Square to the Bund. Free.
Who this route is for
- First time in Shanghai
- Skyscrapers and the old town in a day
- On foot and by metro
- The French Concession is day two
- Mondays: Yu Garden is closed
Spring and autumn. Summers are hot and humid, winters damp.
What to do in Shanghai in one day
The Huangpu separates skyscraper Pudong from old Puxi. Cross on metro line 2 or the 2-yuan ferry. Towers in the morning, the Bund and Yu Garden in the middle of the day, Nanjing Road and the lit-up riverfront in the evening.
Remove any stop with the cross or drag it with ≡, and add another one nearby — the times recalculate.
Which observation deck?
The Shanghai Tower is the highest at 546 m, 180 yuan. Jin Mao has level 88 looking down its atrium, 120 yuan. The World Financial Center has a glass floor at 474 m, in season only. The Oriental Pearl is the city's icon, 199 yuan.
Shanghai at night
The Bund and Pudong light up from dusk until about 22:00 on normal days. The best view of the lights is from a Huangpu River cruise: about an hour, 120–150 yuan.
How to do it right
- Go up a tower on a clear day: smog hides the view.
- Yu Garden is closed on Mondays.
- Many museums and parks in China admit visitors only with a passport booking — via WeChat, the website or a mini-app, usually 1–7 days ahead. Carry your passport.
- China runs on Alipay and WeChat Pay — link a foreign card before you go; keep some cash yuan as a backup.
- The 2-yuan Huangpu ferry is the best cheap view of both banks.
Questions
What can you do in Shanghai in one day?
The Shanghai Tower, Lujiazui, the Bund, Yu Garden, the Old City and Nanjing Road.
How much is the Shanghai Tower?
180 yuan; students and 60+ pay 120.
When are the Bund lights on?
From dusk until about 22:00, later on holidays.
How much is Yu Garden?
30–40 yuan by season; closed Mondays.
How do I cross the Huangpu?
Metro line 2, the 2-yuan ferry or the sightseeing tunnel.
How much does the day cost?
About 220 yuan in tickets, plus the metro.
Is it good with kids?
Yes: the tower top and the garden are a hit.
How do I get from Pudong Airport?
The maglev to Longyang Road takes about 8 minutes, 50 yuan.
When is the best time?
Spring and autumn.
How do I pay in Shanghai?
China runs on Alipay and WeChat Pay — link a foreign card before you go; keep some cash yuan as a backup.
Sources and fact-check
- Prices, opening hours and time on site come from each place's page, with its own sources and check date
- Shanghai Tower: observation deck
- Wikipedia: The Bund, Yu Garden
