# Nanjing Road, Shanghai

> Nanjing Road is Shanghai's best-known shopping street. Its pedestrian stretch runs about 1.6 km from People's Square to the Bund, past department stores from the 1910s–30s and a wall of neon. It's free and open around the clock; shops keep roughly 10:00–22:00. Walking it takes 20–30 minutes, or 1–2 hours with browsing and a snack.

Web page: https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/nanjing-road

- City: [Shanghai](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai), China
- YesGo score: 46/100 (Yes, if nearby)
- Time on site: 1 h
- Opening hours: Street open 24/7; shops roughly 10:00–22:00, each with its own hours (unofficial)
- With kids: Fine with kids
- Entry: Free, open 24 hours
- Pedestrian stretch: ≈ 1.6 km from Xizang Road to the Bund, 20–30 minutes non-stop
- Shops: Roughly 10:00–22:00, varies by store
- Sightseeing tram: ¥5 or ¥10 one way — guides disagree; runs until about 22:00
- Metro: East Nanjing Road (Lines 2 and 10) for the middle; People's Square (Lines 1, 2, 8) for the west end
- Payment: Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to a foreign card, UnionPay, cash; contactless Visa/Mastercard at metro gates
- Time needed: 1 hour for the walk, 2–3 hours with shopping and dinner
- District: Huangpu, central Puxi on the west bank of the Huangpu River
- Coordinates: 31.23472, 121.47444
- Facts checked: 04.11.2026

## Key facts

- **≈ 1.6 km** — pedestrian stretch: ≈ 1.2 km from Xizang Road to Henan Road plus the ≈ 500 m extension to the Bund (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; China Daily)
- **Free** — an open city street — no tickets, no closing time (source: Travel China Guide; Wanderin China)
- **1999** — the central section was pedestrianised (Wikipedia dates the rebuild to 2000) (source: China Daily; English Wikipedia)
- **12 Sept 2020** — the pedestrian extension from Henan Road to the Bund opened (source: China Daily; Huangpu District government)
- **1917–1936** — the ‘Big Four’ department stores opened: Sincere, Wing On, Sun Sun and The Sun (source: English Wikipedia; Wanderin China; shanghailander.net)
- **1862 or 1865** — the Municipal Council named it Nanking Road — sources differ (source: English and Russian Wikipedia (1862); China Daily, Wanderin China (1865))
- **Park Lane** — its first name, when it ran from the Bund to Henan Road (source: English Wikipedia; China Daily)
- **1929** — Sassoon House, now the Peace Hotel, was completed at the Bund end (source: China Daily; Wanderin China; English Wikipedia)
- **≈ 5–5.5 km** — length of the whole road, East and West together (source: English Wikipedia; Travel China Guide)
- **4 stations** — on Line 2 along the road: East Nanjing Road, People's Square, West Nanjing Road, Jing'an Temple (source: English Wikipedia; Travel China Guide)

## Is Nanjing Road worth visiting?

Yes — as a walk, not as a shopping trip. The brands are the same ones you'll find in any big Chinese mall. What makes it worth an hour is the route: century-old department-store buildings, neon after dark, old-school food halls, and an ending right on [the Bund](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/the-bund), facing the Pudong skyline. It's also simply the easiest way to get from People's Square to the river.

Nanjing Road comes in two halves. **East Nanjing Road** is the pedestrian street most people mean; **West Nanjing Road** carries traffic and runs past luxury malls towards [Jing'an Temple](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/jingan-temple). They meet at Xizang Road, on the corner of [People's Park](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/shanghai-peoples-park).

> **Say no to the ‘tea ceremony’** Friendly ‘students’ who want to practise their English work Nanjing Road, the Bund and People's Square. The invitation to a tea house or an art show ends with a bill for hundreds or thousands of yuan. Smile, decline and keep walking — and ignore touts offering ‘watches’ and ‘bags’ down a side alley.

## Things to do on Nanjing Road

- **Spot the old department stores.** Between 1917 and 1936 four Chinese-owned giants opened here — Sincere, Wing On, Sun Sun and The Sun. Wing On (1918), with its corner clock tower, trades again under its old Chinese name 永安; The Sun's building near the west end houses Shanghai No. 1 Department Store.
- **Snack your way along.** Guides place Shanghai No. 1 Food Store in the former Sun Sun building, and old bakeries sell mooncakes and local pastries. Eating as you go is half the point.
- **Catch the neon.** After sunset the vertical signboards light up — the street's signature shot. The middle stretch between Zhejiang Road and Henan Road has the most of it.
- **Take a break at Century Square**, a small plaza with a stage and seating halfway along.
- **Walk the East Extension.** Past Henan Road, shops give way to the stone façades of early 20th-century banks and offices, ending at Sassoon House (1929), now the Peace Hotel.
- **Finish at the river.** The street spills out onto the Bund, straight across from the towers of [Lujiazui](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/lujiazui).

## How long does it take to walk Nanjing Road?

About 20–30 minutes end to end if you don't stop, for roughly 1.6 km between Xizang Road and the Bund. Most people take 1–2 hours with window-shopping, photos and a snack; add another hour if you plan to shop properly or have dinner along the way.

Walk it west to east, from People's Square towards the river, and time it so you start about 90 minutes before sunset. You get the façades in daylight, the neon switching on halfway, and the Bund at the moment Pudong lights up. Weekday evenings are calmer; weekends and Chinese holidays such as Golden Week in early October get extremely crowded, so keep your phone in a front pocket.

## How to get to Nanjing Road

1. From the Bund: the street starts right by the Peace Hotel — cross Zhongshan East 1st Road and head west.
2. By metro to the middle: **East Nanjing Road** station (Lines 2 and 10). Follow the signs for Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street; the Bund is about 10 minutes' walk east.
3. By metro to the west end: **People's Square** station (Lines 1, 2 and 8), northern exits towards Nanjing Road and People's Park.
4. From Pudong Airport (PVG): the Maglev to Longyang Road (¥50, or ¥40 with a same-day boarding pass), then Line 2 towards Hongqiao to East Nanjing Road.
5. From Hongqiao Airport or Hongqiao Railway Station: Line 2 direct to East Nanjing Road, no changes.
6. Metro fares are ¥3–14 by distance. Gates take foreign contactless Visa, Mastercard and UnionPay cards as well as Alipay's metro QR code.

## Nanjing Road sightseeing tram

A slow open-sided tourist train — the ‘dangdang’ tram (铛铛车) — trundles along the pedestrian street between Xizang Road and Henan Road. It doesn't run on the East Extension to the Bund. Board at the west end near New World City or halfway along at Century Square.

Fares differ between guides: **¥5** (Travel China Guide) or **¥10** (Wanderin China) one way, with a start of 8:30 or 9:30 and a finish around 22:00. We found no official timetable, so treat these as unofficial. It's handy with small children or tired legs, but on foot you see more and you're barely slower.

## Paying for things on Nanjing Road

China runs on QR payments. Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay before you arrive and link your foreign Visa or Mastercard with your passport — that covers shops, food stalls and the tram. UnionPay cards and cash also work; shops must accept yuan notes but may be short of change, so carry small notes.

Worth buying: Shanghai pastries and mooncakes from the old food halls, silk and tea from shops with marked prices. Skip any ‘designer’ goods offered by touts who lead you off the street.

## East vs West Nanjing Road

|  | East Nanjing Road | West Nanjing Road |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Where | People's Square to the Bund | People's Park west towards Jing'an Temple |
| Traffic | None — pedestrian | Normal street with cars |
| What's there | Historic department stores, food halls, neon, river views | Plaza 66, Kerry Centre, HKRI Taikoo Hui, luxury boutiques |
| Line 2 stations | East Nanjing Road, People's Square | West Nanjing Road, Jing'an Temple |
| Best for | A first walk in Shanghai | Upmarket shopping, cafés, Jing'an Temple |

First time in Shanghai? Walk East Nanjing Road. Add the West end only if you're heading to Jing'an Temple anyway.

## Before you go: checklist

- [ ] Alipay or WeChat Pay set up, a few small yuan notes
- [ ] Starting about 90 minutes before sunset
- [ ] Comfortable shoes — 1.6 km plus the Bund
- [ ] Phone and wallet in a front pocket
- [ ] Ready to turn down ‘tea’ invitations
- [ ] The Bund or a river cruise next

## Shanghai after dark, compared

Shanghai places that shine after sunset, rated by YesGo.

- [The Bund](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/the-bund) — YesGo score 59/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free
- [Shanghai Tower](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/shanghai-tower) — YesGo score 58/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · ¥180; students and 60+ ¥120
- [Shanghai World Financial Center](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/shanghai-world-financial-center) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 15 min · CNY 180, seasonal
- [Oriental Pearl Tower](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/oriental-pearl-tower) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ¥199 — two spheres
- [Lujiazui](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/lujiazui) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free
- [Jin Mao Tower](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/jin-mao-tower) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ¥120; Skywalk from ¥288
- [Nanjing Road](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/nanjing-road) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free
- [Xintiandi](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/xintiandi) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free
- [Bund Sightseeing Tunnel](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/bund-sightseeing-tunnel) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · ≈ ¥50 one way, ¥70 return
- [Huangpu River cruise](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/huangpu-river-cruise) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ ¥120–150; ferry ¥2
- [Tianzifang](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/tianzifang) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free
- [Former French Concession](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/shanghai-french-concession) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free
- [Shanghai Disneyland](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/shanghai-disneyland) — YesGo score 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · ¥475–799, priced by date
- [Xitang](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/xitang) — YesGo score 16/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · ≈ ¥95 by day, free in the evening

## From People's Park to the Bund and the river

The park and square by day, Nanjing Road towards sunset, the Bund's lights and an evening cruise. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

1. [People's Park](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/shanghai-peoples-park) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free
2. [People's Square](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/shanghai-peoples-square) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free
3. [Nanjing Road](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/nanjing-road) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free
4. [The Bund](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/the-bund) — YesGo score 59/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free
5. [Huangpu River cruise](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/huangpu-river-cruise) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ ¥120–150; ferry ¥2

## Good to know

Nanjing is a separate city, the capital of Jiangsu province; the road just carries its name. East Nanjing Road and West Nanjing Road are also two different metro stations with People's Square between them — check which one your map means.

## Tips

- Walk west to east, from People's Square to the river — the walk ends on the Pudong skyline instead of a traffic junction.
- Start in People's Park: at weekends it hosts the marriage market, and the pedestrian street begins at its corner.
- From the Bund you can step straight onto an evening [Huangpu River cruise](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/huangpu-river-cruise).
- Legs tired? East Nanjing Road and People's Square are one stop apart on Line 2.
- To cross to Lujiazui, Line 2 from East Nanjing Road is one stop under the river.
- Façades without crowds: early morning. Neon: after sunset.

## Questions

### What is Nanjing Road famous for?

It's Shanghai's historic shopping street: the 1910s–30s department stores, neon signs and the pedestrian walk that ends on the Bund.

### Is Nanjing Road worth visiting?

Yes, for the walk and the atmosphere rather than the shops. Combine it with People's Square and the Bund and go towards sunset.

### How long should I spend on Nanjing Road?

20–30 minutes to walk the 1.6 km pedestrian stretch; 1–2 hours with browsing and a snack; longer if you shop or eat dinner.

### Which metro station is closest to Nanjing Road?

East Nanjing Road (Lines 2 and 10) for the middle of the street, People's Square (Lines 1, 2 and 8) for the west end.

### Is Nanjing Road free?

Yes. It's an open public street, free at any hour. You only pay for shops, food and the tourist tram.

### Is Nanjing Road better at night?

Most people think so: the neon comes on after sunset. Go just before dusk to see both the buildings and the lights.

### How much is the Nanjing Road tram?

¥5 or ¥10 one way, depending on the guide. It runs between Xizang Road and Henan Road and doesn't reach the Bund.

### What is the difference between East and West Nanjing Road?

East is the pedestrian street with historic stores that runs to the Bund. West carries traffic and has luxury malls and Jing'an Temple.

### Are there scams on Nanjing Road?

Yes: the ‘tea ceremony’ and art-show invitations from friendly strangers, and touts selling fake designer goods. Decline politely and walk on.

## How we checked

The length of the pedestrian stretch adds two figures: ≈ 1.2 km from Wikipedia and the ≈ 500 m extension from China Daily. The year the road was named Nanking Road differs — 1862 in Wikipedia, 1865 in China Daily — so we show both; pedestrianisation is 1999 in China Daily and 2000 in Wikipedia. Tram fares and hours differ between two guides and there's no official source, so they're marked as being checked. Shop hours and payment details are unofficial. We don't give metro exit numbers: guides disagree and some exits are closed from time to time.

## Sources

- English and Russian Wikipedia: Nanjing Road, Wing On, Sincere Department Store; Wikidata Q579977
- China Daily, 14.09.2020 — opening of the pedestrian street's eastern extension
- Huangpu District government (Shanghai Information Office), 22.09.2020
- Shanghai municipal government (english.shanghai.gov.cn): Nanjing Road development plan, 02.12.2024; contactless cards on the metro, 14.06.2025
- Travel China Guide: Nanjing Road, updated 24.07.2026
- Wanderin China: Nanjing Road guide, updated 08.06.2026
- shanghailander.net — history of the Nanjing Road department stores

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