Before you go: China entry, payments, internet and getting around

Practical setup for a first trip to Shanghai, checked against official pages with traveller reports kept separate. Rules change; each topic shows when it was last checked. Data version 5e1254c0b277.

Entry documents and arrival

Checked 2026-10-03.

57 countries, 65 ports, 10-day TWOV; passport ≥3 months

1. Check that your passport is from one of the 57 countries.

2. Enter through one of the 65 designated ports.

3. Stay no more than 10 days (240 hours).

4. Carry an ordinary passport valid for at least 3 months.

5. Carry interline tickets with confirmed seats and departure dates to a third country or region.

6. Work, study and news reporting still need the matching visa.

7. Fly into Pudong Airport or Hongqiao Airport, or arrive at Shanghai Port.

8. Apply on arrival; no embassy pre-contact is required and final approval is on-site.

9. Check the eligible list, which includes the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Russia, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

10. Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam were added on 20 August 2026 (Announcement No. 4 of 2026).

11. Do not confuse the two programs: TWOV is transit, while the 30-day unilateral visa-free list is a different legal path.

12. A US passport on the 240-hour list does not get 30 visa-free days.

13. A stay under 10 days still needs the third-country onward ticket and the 3-month passport validity.

• Shanghai.gov.cn FAQ Q5 says travellers may move across the designated 24 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. City-level limits inside some provinces are on the NIA English image and were not transcribed this round, so this item does not claim province-wide free movement.
• Shanghai.gov.cn's FAQ also names Shanghai Port (Passenger).

Sources: National Immigration Administration, National Immigration Administration, Shanghai Municipal People's Government, National Immigration Administration

Stay clock starts 00:00 the day after entry

1. Count your visa-free stay from 00:00 on the day after you enter, not from your landing time.

2. For the 240-hour program, the period starts at 00:00 on the day after arrival.

3. You may stay up to 240 hours within the permitted areas.

4. The 30-day unilateral list (compiled 17 February 2026) uses the same clock, from 00:00 on the day after the date of entry.

5. Example: if you pass immigration at 23:00 on 3 October 2026, the clock starts at 00:00 on 4 October 2026.

6. The landing hour does not cut the first night.

• The 00:00 start comes from the NIA 10-measures news (c187308) and Shanghai.gov.cn FAQ Q3 (20 August 2026).

Sources: National Immigration Administration, Shanghai Municipal People's Government, National Immigration Administration

50-country 30-day visa-free; end dates differ by nationality

1. Check the NIA 50-country compilation for ordinary-passport holders entering visa-free for business, tourism, visiting relatives or friends, exchange visits or transit.

2. Stays are up to 30 days.

3. It has no single global expiry.

4. Note that the United States is on the 240-hour TWOV list, not this unilateral list.

5. For the United Kingdom, the 30-day visa-free access runs until 31 December 2026.

6. For Russia, the unilateral visa-free policy for ordinary passports runs to 24:00 on 31 December 2027.

7. It covers business, tourism, visiting relatives or friends, exchange visits or transit not exceeding 30 days.

8. Treat these as nationality-specific windows, not competing readings of one worldwide end date.

9. Confirm your own passport with NIA or the Chinese embassy that issued the latest notice for that nationality.

• The NIA English 50-country page is a compilation as of 17 February 2026. The UK and Russia end dates come from FCDO and the PRC embassy in Russia, not from that compilation.
• The NIA 50-country compilation is dated 17 February 2026 and was not re-verified country by country after that date.
• The UK date comes from FCDO print advice (updated 27 August 2026, still current on 3 October 2026).
• The Russia date comes from a PRC embassy notice dated 20 May 2026.

Sources: National Immigration Administration, UK FCDO, Embassy of the PRC in the Russian Federation

Prefill at s.nia.gov.cn; paper still OK; filling is free

1. Prefill the card on the official PC form at https://s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/.

2. Or use the NIA government site, the 12367 app, the WeChat or Alipay mini programs, or a QR code at the port.

3. Online filling started on 20 November 2025.

4. If you cannot prefill, complete the card at the port (QR code, kiosk or paper card).

5. Seven groups are exempt, including 24-hour airside transit without leaving the restricted area, same-cruise in-and-out, designated fast lanes and foreign crew.

6. Use only the NIA URL or the QR code shown at the port.

7. Overseas copycat sites have charged fees; the official filling service is free.

8. Photograph the bio page of your travel document.

9. For Shanghai immigration questions, call +86-21-12367.

• The copycat-site warning is from a Chinese NIA notice dated 2 December 2025.

Sources: National Immigration Administration, National Immigration Administration, Shanghai Municipal People's Government, National Immigration Administration

Carry the original passport, not a copy

1. FCDO: always carry the original passport; copies are not accepted as ID.

2. Hotels register you with the passport.

3. Border inspection issues a temporary-entry permit sticker used for hotel check-in and accommodation registration.

4. FCDO: railway tickets and boarding require the passport.

• The temporary-entry sticker rule is Shanghai.gov.cn 240-hour FAQ Q6.

Sources: UK FCDO, Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Shanghai Municipal People's Government

Hotel registers you; other stays: 24 hours

1. If you are staying in a hotel, they will register you when you check in.

2. The 24-hour clock is the non-hotel path.

3. If you stay somewhere that is not a registered hotel, complete registration within 24 hours of arrival.

4. Visa-free stays are included.

5. NIA has been expanding online accommodation registration; confirm the current channel on the NIA/government page before a homestay.

• The city how-to is the Shanghai.gov.cn accommodation page (22 September 2026); the check-in statement is FCDO's.

Sources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government, UK FCDO

Traveller tips

• A June 2025 Pudong landing. A traveller on Reddit (June 2025) landed at Pudong and went through fingerprints on a self-service machine, then the arrival card, then the officer. They were visa-free, were not asked for hotel bookings, and only had to confirm a return flight on the card. They used a pre-installed eSIM, kept their home line for SMS, and had already linked Alipay cards. Visit June 2025, before the 20 November 2025 online arrival-card launch. Kiosks and paper cards remain valid on NIA pages. This is one landing, not proof that 2026 first-timers skip the online card. (cv-x, 2025-06-24)
• Prefill is free; avoid paid copycats. A NIA notice dated 2 December 2025 says people who cannot prefill still complete the card at the port with a kiosk or paper card. The same notice warns that overseas copycat sites charge fees and that official filling is free. Use only s.nia.gov.cn or the QR code shown at the port. (National Immigration Administration, 2025-12-02; National Immigration Administration)
• Hotels look for the 240-hour sticker. Under the 240-hour visa-free program, border inspection puts a temporary-entry permit sticker in your passport. Hotels use that sticker for check-in and registration (Shanghai.gov.cn FAQ Q6, 20 August 2026). (Shanghai Municipal People's Government, 2026-08-20)
• US passports: TWOV, not the 30-day list. The NIA 240-hour interpretation lists the United States under North America; the 17 February 2026 unilateral 30-day compilation does not. A US visitor planning more than 10 days needs a visa unless another policy applies. TWOV still needs a third-country onward ticket and a passport valid at least 3 months. (National Immigration Administration, 2026-08-20; National Immigration Administration, 2026-02-17; National Immigration Administration)
• Count from 00:00 the next day. Both the NIA 10-measures English news and the Shanghai 240-hour FAQ Q3 start the clock at 00:00 the day after arrival. Example: enter at 23:00 on 3 October 2026, and the 240-hour or 30-day clock starts at 00:00 on 4 October 2026. (National Immigration Administration; Shanghai Municipal People's Government, 2026-08-20)
• UK visa-free runs to 31 Dec 2026. FCDO China print advice (updated 27 August 2026, still current on 3 October 2026) tells British citizens the unilateral 30-day visa-free access runs until 31 December 2026. Recheck FCDO and NIA before booking after that date. (UK FCDO, 2026-08-27)
• Russia visa-free runs to 31 Dec 2027. A PRC embassy notice in Russia dated 20 May 2026 extends the unilateral visa-free policy for ordinary Russian passports to 24:00 on 31 December 2027, for business, tourism, visiting relatives or friends, exchange visits or transit not exceeding 30 days. (Embassy of the PRC in the Russian Federation, 2026-05-20)

Paying in China

Checked 2026-10-03.

Bind a foreign card in Alipay or Weixin

1. Download Alipay (blue icon) or WeChat before you travel.

2. Register Alipay with an overseas number; you can change it later if you get a Chinese SIM.

3. Add a card in Alipay under Me → Bank Cards.

4. In Weixin Pay, use Me → Services → Wallet → Bank Cards.

5. Use an eligible international card.

6. Keep a number that can receive SMS.

7. WeChat's English help says a Chinese +86 number is not required if your international number can receive texts.

8. Passport users are asked to upload a copy.

9. Check that your card is eligible even if its network is supported.

10. Weixin Pay lists Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Discover and Diners Club.

11. Eligibility still depends on the issuer, and not every merchant accepts every bound card.

12. Ask at the airport one-stop desks in PVG T1/T2 international arrivals or SHA T1 for payment-app setup help.

13. Bring a passport or other valid ID.

• The overseas-number registration is described on Shanghai's English government pages.

Sources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government, WeChat Help Center, Shanghai Municipal People's Government

Check in-app: $5k/$50k vs WeChat RMB caps

1. Check the limits in the app, because two official pages differ.

2. Shanghai government English payment pages give the USD limits for linked overseas cards.

3. Up to $5,000 per transaction and $50,000 per year for Alipay or Weixin Pay.

4. Check the app for your account's limits.

5. The city pages say transactions of 200 yuan or less are generally exempt from the platform service fee.

6. Above 200 yuan, a 3 percent fee may apply to the full amount.

7. Check the payment page before confirming; issuer FX fees are separate.

8. Note the different RMB caps on WeChat's English help centre.

9. 6,500 RMB per transaction, 50,000 RMB per month and 65,000 RMB per year.

10. On the fee, that page says below 200 yuan versus above 200 yuan and does not spell out the equal-200 case.

11. Do not treat the two pages as identical at 200 yuan.

• The USD figures on shanghai.gov.cn and the RMB figures on WeChat help are both printed. This item does not convert them or pick a winner; prefer the in-app confirmation screen on the day of payment.
• The USD limits are on Shanghai government English payment pages dated 20 and 21 September 2026.
• Sources disagree:
• english.shanghai.gov.cn 2026-09-21: single $5,000, annual $50,000 for overseas cards linked to Alipay or Weixin Pay. (Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Shanghai Municipal People's Government)
• help.wechat.com international-card guide: 6,500 RMB single, 50,000 RMB monthly, 65,000 RMB yearly. (WeChat Help Center)

Sources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Shanghai Municipal People's Government, WeChat Help Center

POS networks; ATM generally ¥3,000 per withdrawal

1. At participating merchants, look for UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Diners Club or Discover logos.

2. Withdraw RMB from an ATM that shows your card's network logo.

3. Shanghai.gov.cn gives a general limit of 3,000 yuan per ATM transaction.

4. Your issuer may add daily or monthly caps.

5. Carry a little cash if you want.

6. FCDO says cashless QR is almost universal.

7. Counterfeit 100-yuan notes exist, including from ATMs, and banks will not replace them.

8. Pay at participating mainland merchants with overseas e-wallets on Alipay+.

9. Examples: Kakao Pay, Naver Pay, Toss Pay, AlipayHK, GCash and TrueMoney.

10. The city page lists others.

• The city ATM and POS pages do not say small change is scarce. Keep some smaller notes as an editor precaution, not as an official finding.

Sources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Shanghai Municipal People's Government, UK FCDO

Tour Pass / TourCard: no official new-issue notice found

1. Use the path the city pages describe: link an overseas card inside Alipay or Weixin Pay.

2. Those pages do not present Tour Pass or TourCard as the visitor product.

3. They also do not say those products are closed to new users.

4. Treat Tour Pass and TourCard as different product names seen in commercial English pages.

5. Official silence is not evidence that leftover cards can still be issued.

6. It is also not a dated Alipay retirement notice.

7. Two commercial 2026 guides say new TourPass or TourCard sign-ups are no longer offered.

8. Those pages are commercial and do not replace an Ant International English notice.

• Not confirmed by an official source yet.

Sources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government, China Neighbor, MapTrip

Traveller tips

• First purchase may ask for a selfie. A traveller on Reddit (March 2026) set up both apps in advance; on the first purchase Alipay asked for a passport photo plus face recognition. They wrote it was manageable as long as you are not holding up a line. One traveller's March 2026 first purchase, not a rule for every account. (frog_n_rosbif, 2026-03-02)
• Check Identity information reads verified. A commenter on Reddit (March 2026) advised checking Alipay Account → My account → Identity information, which should read 'verified', including the passport and selfie. Setup advice on that thread, not a dated Shanghai visit report. (philipmj24, 2026-03-02)
• Two debit cards would not bind. A traveller on Reddit (March 2026) could not bind two debit cards to WeChat or Alipay. One visitor's cards, not a rule that all debit cards fail. (ApeSander, 2026-03-05)
• One pair's Wise and Apple Card experience. A traveller on Reddit (April 2026) wrote that after trying many cards, Wise and Apple Card were the ones that stayed reliable for that pair of travellers. One individual issuer result, not a product ranking. (PurpleQuantity6688, 2026-04-02)
• A merchant QR that failed in Chinese. A traveller on Reddit (April 2026), British, linked Alipay to Wise. Scanning a vendor QR appeared to work, but the payment did not go through, and the error messages stayed in Chinese even with the interface set to English; a Chinese relative read that it would not work with foreign cards. One traveller's April 2026 attempt, not a general rule about merchant QRs. (Worldly-Fig-5270, 2026-04-26)
• Where home KYC stalled, airport KYC worked. A traveller on Reddit (June 2025) linked Commerzbank, Revolut and other neo-bank cards at home after unlocking international transactions, but identity verification kept asking for a Bank of China card number. After landing, the same flow asked only for a passport plus face and verified. One 2025 landing, not a GDPR diagnosis for every EU visitor. (cv-x, 2025-06-24)
• Top-up may need a Chinese bank card. A traveller on Reddit (November 2025) had WeChat and Alipay verified with an international card added, but in-app top-up asked for a Chinese bank card. The next day, on the same account, payments were working and they did not need to top up. One author's result; it does not prove a general per-scan debit rule. (cubantouch, 2025-11-14; cubantouch, 2025-11-15)
• A Japanese log of Alipay setup. A Japanese travel log (posted 15 August 2026, visit July 2026) registered Alipay with a Japanese number, switched the app to Japanese first, finished passport KYC before departure, spent no cash after a 200-yuan airport withdrawal, and saw a pre-authorization of about 15 yuan on a metro tap, then the real fare. The article contains an ahamo ValueCommerce referral, so this is a commercially linked personal log, not a non-commercial corroboration. Keep the visit details; do not surface the referral. (solo-trip-log, 2026-08-15)
• Confirm the fee on the payment screen. On english.shanghai.gov.cn, 200 yuan or less is generally exempt from the platform service fee, and above 200 yuan a 3 percent fee may apply to the full amount. WeChat help uses below or above 200 yuan in English and does not state the equal-200 case. Check the confirmation page, and remember issuer FX is extra. (Shanghai Municipal People's Government, 2026-09-21; WeChat Help Center)

Internet, SIM and blocked services

Checked 2026-10-03.

Google, Facebook, YouTube and X are blocked

1. Chinese authorities control internet access, according to FCDO China print advice.

2. Some services are permanently blocked, including Google, Facebook, YouTube and X.

3. Other sites may be blocked at times.

4. The same page says internet access can also be limited around key political events and dates.

5. Plan offline copies of tickets, hotel addresses and maps before you rely on those services.

• The FCDO China print advice is updated 27 August 2026 and still current on 3 October 2026.

Sources: UK FCDO

FCDO: VPNs need a Chinese government licence

1. FCDO says China's cybersecurity laws require online products and services, for example VPNs, to be licensed by the Chinese government.

2. FCDO points readers to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

3. This guide restates that licensing requirement. It does not name, recommend or explain how to install or use a VPN.

Sources: UK FCDO

Passport at carrier stores; ISS sells short-term SIMs

1. Buy a SIM at a China Unicom, China Telecom or China Mobile store.

2. Choose a package, show your passport and the SIM size, then purchase and register.

3. At PVG, the baggage-claim zone sells SIM cards, portable Wi-Fi rental and currency exchange.

4. The International Services Shanghai one-stop centres (PVG T1/T2 arrivals, SHA T1) cover payment, tourism, communication and transport.

5. The 7-, 15- and 30-day China Telecom SIM with a passport is on the Pudong ISS report.

6. The Nihao Mobile online path needs photos of the passport bio page and the Chinese visa page.

7. It also needs the entry-stamp page and a selfie video.

8. That is the service-provider flow printed on the government page, not an endorsement by this guide.

9. The page does not say what a 240-hour TWOV visitor should upload if they have no visa page.

10. On the PVG free airport Wi-Fi login page, scan the passport photo page if you do not have a Chinese number.

• The store steps are on the city mobile guide (updated 22 August 2025).
• The PVG baggage-claim zone detail is dated 24 April 2026.
• The one-stop centre page is dated 19 March 2026; the 7/15/30-day SIM is on the 24 April 2026 Pudong ISS report, not the 19 March overview.

Sources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Shanghai Municipal People's Government

No official minute to install or turn on a travel eSIM

1. Do not expect an official activation minute for a travel eSIM.

2. No english.shanghai.gov.cn page ranks travel-eSIM brands or states one.

3. Installing a profile, turning the line on and starting a paid validity window are different actions.

4. Treat the carrier-store and ISS paths above as the official SIM facts; visitor timing stays in the tips.

• Not confirmed by an official source yet.

Sources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government

Traveller tips

• One traveller's eSIM setup timing. A traveller on Reddit (June 2025) installed an Airalo eSIM at home and activated it after landing, and kept a T-Mobile home eSIM for SMS and calls. They still received bank and Alipay SMS on the T-Mobile line in China. The brand names are the author's purchase, not a recommendation. _Outside the 12-month window for visitor_reported main fields as of 3 October 2026._ (cv-x, 2025-06-24)
• A family of four used eSIMs. A traveller on Reddit (January 2026) reported four eSIMs bought through Alipay (Trip.com); one was set up before entering China and three were activated in Shanghai, and they were used in Shanghai and Xi'an. A follow-up the same night said they used hotel Wi-Fi and wrote it was not really needed. One family's January 2026 experience; brand names are that family's purchase. (TheWanderingSalmon5, 2026-01-10; TheWanderingSalmon5, 2026-01-11)
• Keep SMS working for payments. A commenter on Reddit (November 2025) wrote that you will not get verification SMS for Alipay or WeChat in China if you have set everything up correctly at home, which does not say the phone cannot receive SMS. On the same thread, another traveller reported that their bank blocked WeChat purchases without SMS codes, and a follow-up said those codes were reachable only on Wi-Fi because roaming did not work, while a partner's Alipay needed an SMS the partner never received. Keep the ability to receive bank and payment verification SMS during the trip. Two commenters' November 2025 reports; this round does not promise that verification finishes once. (trainerkittyk, 2025-11-18; Nickexp, 2025-11-18; Nickexp, 2025-11-18)
• Airport ISS sells short-term SIMs. At the ISS one-stop in the Pudong public arrivals hall, you can apply for a 7-, 15- or 30-day short-term China Telecom SIM with a passport or other valid ID (Shanghai.gov.cn, 24 April 2026). The baggage-claim area also sells SIMs while you wait for luggage, and the free PVG Wi-Fi accepts a scan of the passport photo page. The 19 March overview does not reprint the 7/15/30-day packages for Hongqiao. (Shanghai Municipal People's Government, 2026-04-24)
• Nihao Mobile online uploads. The city English mobile-services page lists Nihao Mobile as the online path for the three carriers, with required uploads of the passport photo page, the Chinese visa page, the entry-stamp page and a selfie video. A 240-hour TWOV visitor may not have a visa page, and the page does not say what to upload instead; use the airport ISS counter with a passport if the online form does not fit. This is the printed provider flow, not a recommendation of Nihao. (Shanghai Municipal People's Government)
• A local SIM may be optional. A commenter on Reddit (November 2025) wrote that if you are travelling around major Chinese cities for two weeks, you do not really need a local SIM, and that Alipay and WeChat Pay can work without a Chinese number. The same comment reports first-hand eSIM use with a ChillaxSIM after two days in Hong Kong: a partner's line worked, while theirs dropped after three days until support restored it. One commenter's conditional advice and eSIM experience, not a completed two-week itinerary; brand names are that author's purchase. (cutie2k24, 2025-11-04)

Maps, metro, DiDi and airports

Checked 2026-10-03.

Tap eligible UnionPay/Visa/MC/Amex/JCB at metro gates

1. Tap an eligible contactless card at the metro gate for Tap to Ride.

2. Card networks: UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard, American Express or JCB, plus eligible e-CNY hardware wallets.

3. Turn on password-free small payments and keep a balance or credit.

4. A matching logo is not enough: the 27 June 2025 expansion excludes Type-B and no-ODA cards.

5. At the Maglev gate, tap a Visa, Mastercard, American Express or JCB card.

6. Maglev tap started on 14 June 2025.

7. A dual-brand UnionPay plus foreign card goes through the UnionPay channel first.

8. Pick the right QR product before you scan.

9. Metro Daduhui (and the Shanghai Metro service inside Alipay or WeChat) is the metro QR app.

10. Suishenxing (SH MaaS) generates one integrated code for buses, ferries and metro.

11. The 12306 Suishenma Code, for travellers arriving by train, also names the Airport Link Line, Maglev and ferries, but not Jinshan Rail.

12. Do not copy its cross-mode list onto Daduhui.

13. Buy single-journey tickets at vending machines.

14. For international-card payment, use the card terminals at station service centres.

15. These accept UnionPay and overseas Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, Diners Club and JCB.

16. Consider a one-day pass at 18 yuan or a three-day pass at 45 yuan.

17. The passes exclude the Maglev and suburban railways opened in or after 2024.

18. A Maglev plus metro pass costs 55 yuan single or 85 yuan round Maglev (economy), plus one day of metro.

19. The Airport Link Line has a separate fare: from 4 yuan, 26 yuan for the full journey, about 40 minutes PVG–SHA.

• The Tap to Ride card list is on the city metro page (updated 29 June 2026).

Sources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Shanghai Municipal People's Government

Line 2 from PVG: about ¥7, about 1 hour

1. Take Metro Line 2 from Pudong Airport Terminal 1&2 to People's Square.

2. It costs about 7 yuan and takes about one hour.

3. Pudong is about 30 km from downtown.

4. Treat the last-train time from PVG as unknown here.

5. The operator's own last-train table for Line 2 was not captured as text this round.

6. Do not rely on the summer 2025 extra late trains.

7. They ran only from 4 July to 31 August 2025.

8. Extra Line 2 departures from PVG left at 22:45 and 23:00 on Fridays and Sundays.

9. That window has ended and is not a current last-train guarantee.

• MetroMan (third-party, 28 September 2026) prints a 22:30 last train from PVG, and Bendibao and other unofficial tables print similar figures. None is shmetro.com operator HTML, so they stay in this note rather than as a source_checked last-train time. Use the station screens on the day.
• The Line 2 fare and time are estimates on the city airport-transport page (updated 4 June 2026).

Sources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government

Maglev: about 8 min, ¥50/80, up to 300 km/h

1. Ride the Maglev from PVG to Longyang Road in about 8 minutes at up to 300 km/h.

2. A single ticket is 50 yuan and a round trip is 80 yuan.

3. Tap a Visa, Mastercard, American Express or JCB card at the Maglev gate.

4. Eligible e-CNY hardware wallets work too, with small-amount password-free payment on.

5. Maglev card tap started on 14 June 2025, and a dual-brand card uses the UnionPay channel first.

6. If tapping fails, use cash, the Daduhui app or a local transit card.

7. The metro hotline is 021-6437-0000.

8. Treat the last Maglev departure from PVG as unknown here.

9. It is not printed as text on the fare or tap pages.

• MetroMan prints 21:42 as a third-party Maglev last departure from PVG. That figure is not operator HTML and is not copied into the steps.
• Maglev times and fares are on the city transport page (updated 30 June 2026).

Sources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Shanghai Municipal People's Government

Airport Link: ¥4–26, ~40 min, official last 22:15 from PVG

1. Take the Airport Link Line for a fare from 4 yuan.

2. The full PVG–SHA journey is 26 yuan and about 40 minutes.

3. At PVG T1/T2 the first Airport Link train is 06:00 and the last is 22:15, every 15 minutes.

4. At SHA, the station is Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2, with first 05:45 and last 22:00.

5. That stop is not Hongqiao Railway Station and not Hongqiao Airport T1.

6. Keep both last-train figures in mind and use the station screens.

7. A traveller on Reddit (5 March 2026) reported a last train around 22:39, which does not overwrite the airport-group's 22:15.

• Airport Link fares are on the city metro page.
• The first/last times are on the airport group's 市域机场线 page (PVG updated 15 June 2026; SHA updated 2 April 2026).
• Sources disagree:
• shairport.com 市域机场线, last updated 2026-06-15: PVG first 06:00 last 22:15, interval 15 min. (Shanghai Airport Group)
• u/biubiuf 2026-03-05 after using the line: trains every 15 min, first 06:00, last around 22:39; tap Visa/Mastercard/Amex; fare Hongqiao T2–Pudong ¥26. (u/biubiuf)

Sources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Shanghai Airport Group, u/biubiuf

Taxi estimates; 守航夜宵线 23:00–05:30 on airport-group table

1. Take a taxi from PVG to People's Square: about 180 yuan and 50 minutes.

2. From T1, use Arrival Gate 12 (walk south from gates 4 or 8); from T2, use Arrival Gate 25.

3. From SHA, expect about 30 minutes and 100–150 yuan.

4. From T1 use Arrivals Gate 1; from T2 use Arrivals Gate 4.

5. Use the free PVG T1–T2 shuttle, which runs 24 hours every 10–15 minutes.

6. Catch the 守航夜宵线 night bus from PVG T1 23:00–05:30 or T2 23:03–05:33 the next day.

7. It runs to Hongqiao Hub East Transport Centre via Longyang Road, Century Avenue and Yan'an Road.

8. Buses run by passenger flow, up to 30 minutes apart, and cost 18–34 yuan.

9. The hotline is 021-68346612.

10. The Shanghai Airport Group table says times are for reference and can change with traffic.

11. The hours above come from the airport-group HTML table.

12. The city English page still shows its bus timetable as an image.

• The taxi fares and times are estimates on the city airport-transport page (updated 4 June 2026).
• The airport-group bus table was last updated 31 May 2026 15:29.

Sources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Shanghai Airport Group

City English pages describe Amap; Google Maps is blocked

1. Expect Google services, including Google Maps, to be blocked on mainland networks; FCDO lists Google among permanently blocked services.

2. Use Amap (Gaode Map) multilingual services for arrival-card guidance, airport onward travel, hotel routes and emergency numbers.

3. Main services work without logging in.

4. The city also prints a Popular Apps page titled 'A guide to using AMap in English'.

5. This hub names Amap because the city printed it, not as an official ranking of Apple Maps versus Amap.

• Amap's services are described in english.shanghai.gov.cn Easy Shanghai (13 July 2026).
• The Popular Apps page path is dated 26 August 2026.

Sources: UK FCDO, Shanghai Municipal People's Government (source line: Amap)

Official taxis: meter and receipt

1. Use marked, metered taxis.

2. Shanghai government advice says some taxis with a compatible POS accept overseas cards.

3. Avoid unmarked or unmetered taxis, insist on the meter, and keep the receipt with the taxi number.

4. Do not expect a city English page to walk you through DiDi International versus the Alipay mini program.

5. No such page was captured this round, and visitor DiDi steps stay in the tips.

• Not confirmed by an official source yet.

Sources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government, UK FCDO

Traveller tips

• Airport Link has its own entrance. A traveller on Reddit (March 2026) who had just switched airports recommends looking for 'Airport Link' / 机场联络线 signs, not regular Metro signs. The line has a separate security X-ray and luggage racks that take 24-inch and 28-inch bags, and its Hongqiao stop is T2; the Hongqiao T2–Pudong fare was 26 yuan in 40 minutes. They reported a last train around 22:39. The reported last train of about 22:39 conflicts with the official 22:15 from shairport.com (updated 15 June 2026); keep both. (biubiuf, 2026-03-05)
• Airport Link after a late flight. A traveller on Reddit (March 2026) used the Airport Link after a 13-hour flight that landed late in the evening and still connected onward the same night. One ride, not a last-train timetable. (Ok-Dependent-637, 2026-03-06)
• One traveller's roughly 15 yuan hold. A Japanese travel log (visit July 2026, posted 15 August 2026) reports that a contactless bank-card Tap to Ride produced a 15-yuan notice, then a second notice for the actual fare. The page carries affiliate links, so it is a commercially linked personal log, not a non-commercial corroboration. (solo-trip-log, 2026-08-15)
• DiDi from Alipay with a US card. A traveller on Reddit (July 2026) used DiDi through Alipay on a US iPhone with a Hong Kong eSIM for data and a US Visa attached, and reported no trouble with the rides. One account, not a DiDi official how-to. (gaoshan, 2026-07-13)
• A commenter's account of DiDi phone linking. A commenter on Reddit (July 2026) explained that the DiDi mini app is linked to the number used to register Alipay, that drivers see a call-client button, and that DiDi's server places the call. Product how-to, not a dated ride report. (Moist-Chair684, 2026-07-13)
• Walk to the official taxi area. A traveller on Reddit (December 2025) says to use only the official taxi area and ignore anyone who approaches you; the safety page keeps the full account. What this author stated about the rank, not a fare table. (loganrb, 2025-12-23)
• PVG taxi charged 645 yuan to Hongqiao. A traveller on Reddit (March 2026) was charged 570 yuan plus 75 yuan toll, 645 yuan total, from the official Level 1 PVG stand to Hongqiao Railway Station, against a DiDi quote of 200–250 yuan. The safety page keeps the full case; FCDO says insist on the meter and keep the receipt. One author's fare, not a fare table. FCDO says insist on the meter and keep the receipt. (Am0rph, 2026-03-31)
• Offline taxis still accept cash. A traveller on Reddit (December 2025) wrote that offline taxis still accept cash. Official ranks and meters remain the documented path. Advice on a first-arrival thread, not a metered-fare log. (Equator_Living, 2025-12-26)
• A blogger's Shanghai map: Amap. A blogger (March 2025) named 고덕지도 (Gaode / Amap) together with Alipay and Travel Wallet. Pair it with a Chinese-character hotel address. _Posted March 2025; outside the 12-month window for visitor_reported main fields._ (earlybirdhenry, 2025-03-17)

Arrival day, in order

Checked 2026-10-03.

Land → immigration → bags → ISS → ride → hotel passport

1. Fill your arrival card online at https://s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/, or complete it at the port (kiosk or paper card).

2. Collect your bags, then look in the PVG baggage-claim area for SIM cards, portable Wi-Fi and currency exchange.

3. Go to the International Services Shanghai (ISS) one-stop (PVG T1/T2, SHA T1) for payment help, maps, SIM cards and transport cards.

4. Buy a 7-, 15- or 30-day China Telecom SIM at the PVG public arrivals hall with your passport.

5. Pick your ride to the hotel while trains are still running.

6. At hotel check-in, hand over the original passport for your 24-hour registration.

• Editor checklist before you fly (not one official script): screenshot the arrival-card QR code, finish the Alipay or WeChat identity check if the app asks, keep a phone that can still receive SMS, save your hotel address in Chinese, and unlock two cards for China. Overseas identity checks are not guaranteed for every passport.
• A 240-hour visa-free traveller also gets a temporary-entry sticker in the passport.

Sources: National Immigration Administration, Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Shanghai Municipal People's Government

ATM generally ¥3,000; ISS can walk through a bind

1. Withdraw cash at an ATM with your overseas card.

2. Expect a general ATM limit of 3,000 yuan per withdrawal.

3. Ask the ISS desk to walk you through binding a card to Alipay or WeChat Pay.

4. Keep a few smaller notes as an editor precaution.

• The city pages do not state that small change is scarce.

Sources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Shanghai Municipal People's Government

Passport Wi-Fi, then ISS SIM

1. On the PVG free Wi-Fi login screen, scan the photo page of your passport if you have no Chinese number.

2. Buy a 7-, 15- or 30-day China Telecom SIM with your passport at the Pudong ISS desk in the public arrivals hall.

3. Buy a SIM at a carrier store in the city with your passport.

4. Do not expect the official pages to give a minute for installing or switching on a travel eSIM.

Sources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Shanghai Municipal People's Government

Line 2 / Maglev / Airport Link / 夜宵线; taxi rank as backup

1. Take Metro Line 2 to People's Square: about 7 yuan and about one hour.

2. Or take the Maglev: 50 yuan single, 80 yuan round trip, about 8 minutes, up to 300 km/h.

3. Or take the Airport Link Line: fares from 4 yuan, full PVG–SHA 26 yuan, about 40 minutes.

4. Check that day's last train at the station: the airport group prints 22:15 from PVG, and a traveller reported about 22:39.

5. If you arrive late, the airport-group bus table lists 守航夜宵线 from T1 23:00–05:30 and T2 23:03–05:33 the next day.

6. As a backup, use the official taxi rank: PVG T1 Gate 12, T2 Gate 25; SHA T1 Gate 1, T2 Gate 4.

7. Ask for the meter and keep the receipt.

8. Expect about 180 yuan and 50 minutes from PVG, and about 100–150 yuan and 30 minutes from SHA.

• The last Maglev and Line 2 trains from PVG are not printed as text in the operator's own pages captured this round. Third-party figures of 21:42 and 22:30 stay in the maps-transport notes only.
• The Line 2 fare and time, and the taxi fares and times, are estimates on the city airport-transport page.

Sources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Shanghai Airport Group, Shanghai Airport Group

Front desk takes the original passport

1. Hand your original passport to the hotel front desk.

2. Let the front desk complete your temporary-residence registration.

3. On a 240-hour visa-free stay, they look for the temporary-entry sticker in your passport.

4. If you are not staying in a registered hotel, register within 24 hours of arrival.

5. Carry the original passport, not a copy, after you leave the desk.

Sources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Shanghai Municipal People's Government, UK FCDO

Traveller tips

• A June 2025 Pudong landing. A traveller landing at Pudong in June 2025 went through fingerprints on a self-service machine, then the arrival card, then the officer. They were visa-free, were not asked for hotel bookings, and only had to confirm a return flight on the card; they used a pre-installed eSIM and kept their home line for SMS. Online arrival-card filling started on 20 November 2025, after this landing. Visit June 2025, before the 20 November 2025 online arrival card. Kiosks and paper cards remain valid on NIA pages. This is one landing, not a claim that 2026 first-timers still skip the online card. (cv-x, 2025-06-24)
• Set up SIM and payment at ISS. At the PVG public arrivals hall, the ISS one-stop desk handles payment support, tourism, mobile communication and a 7-, 15- or 30-day China Telecom SIM with a passport. The 19 March 2026 page describes the same centre type at SHA T1, without reprinting the 7/15/30-day packages. (Shanghai Municipal People's Government, 2026-04-24; Shanghai Municipal People's Government, 2026-03-19)
• Hand your passport to the hotel desk. At a hotel, the original passport is what the front desk uses for check-in. On a 240-hour visa-free stay, they use the temporary-entry sticker in your passport for registration. If you are not staying in a registered hotel, register within 24 hours. Keep the passport out of checked luggage. (Shanghai Municipal People's Government, 2026-08-20; Shanghai Municipal People's Government, 2026-09-22)
• Check late-night transport options. Check that day's late options before you commit: the airport group prints the PVG Airport Link last train at 22:15, and a traveller reported about 22:39, so keep both figures in mind. Check the 守航夜宵线 night bus from 23:00. If you take a taxi, use the official queue only, ignore anyone who approaches you, ask for the meter and keep the receipt. (Shanghai Airport Group; biubiuf, 2026-03-05; loganrb, 2025-12-23; Am0rph, 2026-03-31)
• Add a card, then scan. A traveller on Reddit (December 2025) added a card to Alipay and then used the transport feature to scan into the train. The comment does not name an airport train or a last-train time. (Hot-Cheek-2661, 2025-12-27)
• Follow Airport Link signs, not Line 2. A traveller who used the line in March 2026 reported following the 'Airport Link' signs rather than regular Metro signs, a separate entrance and bag X-ray, and a Hongqiao stop at Terminal 2 rather than the railway station. Tap an eligible contactless card at the gate. The official last train from PVG is 22:15, while this traveller reported about 22:39; the two figures stay in conflict on the maps-transport page. (biubiuf, 2026-03-05)

Bookings, real-name tickets and passports

Checked 2026-10-03.

Internal snapshot: most files list no booking requirement

1. Across the 50 places in this guide (checked 3 October 2026), most list no advance booking.

2. Treat the counts below as a guide-wide snapshot, not a venue operator's notice.

3. Use the snapshot counts: booking.required no=39, unknown=6, yes=3, not_applicable=2; realName none=18, unknown=21, purchase=8, entry=3.

4. Check the required=yes exceptions: Shanghai Natural History Museum, Shanghai Science and Technology Museum and Soong Ching Ling Memorial Residence.

5. Check the required=unknown exceptions: Shanghai Disneyland, Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, Astronomy Museum, M50, Longhua Temple and Sheshan National Forest Park.

6. Read each place page before you go.

7. This hub restates file coverage and does not certify operator notices.

• This is an internal coverage table, not venue facts. Holiday crowd-control can add a temporary booking. State Council holiday dates are not venue booking rules.

Sources: china-travel-plugin v2 (internal, not a venue operator)

Snapshot: passport accepted at 6 of 50 files

1. Across the same 50 places (checked 3 October 2026), passport.accepted is yes=6, unknown=26, missing=13, not_applicable=5.

2. The six yes files are 05-top-of-shanghai-observatory, 09-shanghai-disneyland, 12-shanghai-museum-peoples-square, 13-shanghai-natural-history-museum, 15-shanghai-urban-planning-exhibition-hall and 24-shanghai-jewish-refugees-museum.

3. Do not read the 13 missing and 26 unknown fields as refusals.

4. They are already recorded as booking.passport.accepted gaps on those place files.

5. The 6 of 50 is not 'the other 44 refuse passports'.

Sources: china-travel-plugin v2 (internal, not a venue operator)

Rail tickets and boarding need the passport

1. Buy rail tickets and board with the original passport; 12306 and railway windows treat the passport as the ID document.

• This is FCDO's general ID advice for rail, not a per-museum entry scan log.

Sources: UK FCDO

Traveller tips

• Bring the passport you booked with. Disneyland and Shanghai Museum People's Square are among the passport.accepted=yes files in the guide-wide snapshot (checked 3 October 2026). FCDO says copies are not accepted as ID. Check that venue's own booking field, and do not infer the other 44 places from this count. The snapshot is coverage metadata, not an operator circular. (china-travel-plugin v2, 2026-10-03; UK FCDO, 2026-08-27)
• One arrival without a booking check. A traveller on Reddit (June 2025) went through fingerprints, the arrival card and the officer on a visa-free entry and was not asked for hotel bookings; they only confirmed a return flight on the card. Attraction bookings are a separate, later ID check. One European visitor's June 2025 landing, not a rule for every arrival. (cv-x, 2025-06-24)
• Carry the passport after check-in. FCDO says copies are not accepted, and a traveller on Reddit separately recommended a passport case because the original is used constantly after landing. One traveller's recommendation plus FCDO's general rule; not a per-attraction scan log. (UK FCDO, 2026-08-27; cv-x, 2025-06-24)
• Shanghai Museum People's Square walk-in. At Shanghai Museum People's Square, individual visitors no longer need a reservation from 1 September 2025, except at peak periods such as national holidays, summer and winter school breaks, and popular special exhibitions. Book those peaks through the museum WeChat mini program. This is that museum's rule, not a State Council calendar inference. From the city English museum page updated 1 September 2025 and still current on 3 October 2026. (Shanghai Municipal People's Government)

Language and showing addresses

Checked 2026-10-03.

12345 is 24h in 18 foreign languages

1. Call 12345 for help in Chinese or 18 foreign languages, including English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Italian, Persian and Russian.

2. The line is 24 hours.

3. Expect the page's handling targets, not a guaranteed result.

4. Targets: respond within 24 hours, minor issues within five days, complex matters within 15 days.

5. The website is sh12345.gov.cn.

6. The page does not document a 'press 7' option; follow the current voice prompts.

• The 18-language list and 24-hour service are on english.shanghai.gov.cn.

Sources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government

Save the Chinese address and show it

1. Use marked, metered taxis and keep the receipt.

2. Save the Chinese address to help show your destination.

• Editor practice, not an official instruction: save hotel and attraction names in Chinese characters plus the phone number, and show that screen. It stays an editor suggestion until a city page or a matching firsthand account describes the same action.
• The metered-taxi and receipt advice is FCDO's; the city English pages captured this round do not print the screenshot how-to itself.
• Not confirmed by an official source yet.

Sources: UK FCDO

Download an offline pack; Google Translate cloud may fail

1. Download an offline language pack before you go.

2. A Google Translate cloud lookup on a mainland SIM may fail, because FCDO lists Google among the blocked services.

3. It may fail even if the app is installed.

4. This hub does not rank Pleco, Apple Translate or the in-app Alipay translators; no city English ranking of those tools was used.

• Editor preparation that does not rank apps: download an offline language pack on a tool you already use, and keep a Chinese address and phone number as images you can show without live data.
• FCDO lists Google among the blocked services.

Sources: UK FCDO

Traveller tips

• Alipay errors may stay in Chinese. A traveller on Reddit (April 2026) had the Alipay interface in English but saw payment errors still in Chinese characters; a relative translated that foreign cards were refused on that merchant QR. Screenshot-translate the error before you leave the counter. One traveller's April 2026 experience; error language and merchant card acceptance can differ. (Worldly-Fig-5270, 2026-04-26)
• 12345 vs 12367 for languages. Call 12345 for 24-hour service in 18 foreign languages; the page does not mention a 'press 7' option. For immigration questions, 12367 (page updated 17 August 2026) has Chinese, English, French, Russian, Japanese and Korean: English is a direct voice response, and French, Russian, Japanese and Korean open a three-way interpreter call. ISS email is intlservices@shanghai.gov.cn. (Shanghai Municipal People's Government; National Immigration Administration via english.shanghai.gov.cn)
• Show the Chinese address instead. Editor suggestion: lock-screen or screenshot the hotel name in Chinese plus the desk number, then point at it. No matching firsthand account of that exact lock-screen step was kept this round, and FCDO still wants a metered taxi and a receipt. _Editor suggestion, not a visitor_reported method._ (UK FCDO, 2026-08-27)

Safety and getting help

Checked 2026-10-03.

Police 110, fire 119, ambulance 120

1. Call the right number: fire 119, police 110, medical emergency 120, government service 12345.

2. Also: train tickets 12306, tax 12366, customs 12360, property 962121.

3. Call 110 for crime, theft, robbery or a personal crisis you cannot resolve.

4. Give the time, location and your personal information.

5. Shanghai's 110 hotline has eight foreign languages: English, Japanese, Russian, German, French, Spanish, Arabic and Korean.

6. Call 119 for fire or another critical incident.

7. Give the street, alley and house number or a landmark, and say whether anyone is trapped.

8. The emergency page says 119 and 120 are available in English.

9. Call 120 for an ambulance (Shanghai Emergency Medical Center).

10. The service is in Chinese; operators can connect a third-party translator, with possible delay.

11. You can usually choose a hospital once in the ambulance.

12. In critical cases you go to the nearest suitable hospital, about 3–5 km.

13. For immigration questions, call 12367 in Chinese, English, French, Russian, Japanese or Korean.

14. English is a direct voice response; French, Russian, Japanese and Korean open a three-way call with an interpreter.

15. The app and mini-program are 24/7 in Chinese and English.

16. Email 12367@nia.gov.cn or call Shanghai +86-21-12367.

• Live calls to 110, 119 and 120 were not placed, so a webpage language list is not a test of a live dispatcher. The ambulance fee sketch on the 120 page (30 yuan base, 7 yuan/km after the first three km) is that page's 21 August 2025 wording, not a 3 October 2026 price promise.
• The hotline table is the Shanghai government table (updated 2 June 2026).
• The 12367 page was updated 17 August 2026.

Sources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Shanghai Municipal People's Government, National Immigration Administration via english.shanghai.gov.cn

12345 is 24h in 18 foreign languages

1. Call 12345 for 24-hour service in Chinese or 18 foreign languages.

2. These include English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Italian, Persian and Russian.

3. Expect the handling targets, not a result guarantee.

4. Respond within 24 hours, minor issues within five days, complex matters within 15 days.

5. The page has no 'press 7' instruction.

• The language list is on english.shanghai.gov.cn.

Sources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government

ISS email intlservices@shanghai.gov.cn

1. Use Meet in Shanghai (meet-in-shanghai.net), the official Shanghai China travel website of the municipal culture and tourism administration.

2. Visit an International Services Shanghai one-stop centre at PVG T1/T2 international arrivals or SHA T1.

3. It covers payment, tourism, communication, transport, maps, SIMs and transport cards.

4. Email intlservices@shanghai.gov.cn, printed in the footer of multiple english.shanghai.gov.cn pages.

• The one-stop centre page is dated 19 March 2026.

Sources: Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism, Shanghai Municipal People's Government

Official list: 23 public + 26 foreign-funded

1. Use the city directory 'Shanghai's medical institutions' to find public hospitals and foreign-funded medical institutions with addresses.

2. Public examples: Huashan Hospital (8F Building 1, 12 Middle Wulumuqi Road, Jing'an).

3. Also Zhongshan Hospital (180 Fenglin Road, Xuhui), Ruijin Hospital (several campuses) and Renji Hospital (Pudong).

4. Foreign-funded examples: Parkway Shanghai Hospital (1172 Jile Road, Minhang).

5. Shanghai United Family Hospital Pudong (1598 New Jinqiao Road) and Changning (699 Pingtang Road).

6. Shanghai Jiahui International Hospital (689 Guiping Road, Xuhui) and Raffles Hospital Shanghai (200 Yuanzhao Road, Pudong).

7. Shanghai East International Medical Center (551 South Pudong Road).

8. Treat the directory as a facilities list, not a list of international outpatient departments only.

9. It is not a 24-hour pharmacy directory and not a paid-clinic recommendation.

10. Ambulance remains 120.

• The directory's source is the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Health (updated 13 August 2026).

Sources: Shanghai Municipal Commission of Health via english.shanghai.gov.cn

Carry passport; skip tea-tasting invites

1. Carry the original passport; FCDO says copies are not accepted.

2. Serious crime against foreign nationals is relatively rare, but watch your belongings at tourist sites.

3. Decline strangers who invite you to tea or a massage and then demand a large fee, with threats or card fraud.

4. FCDO tells readers to learn about QR-code phishing because QR payments are widespread.

5. Avoid demonstrations: national-security laws have broad scope. FCDO links unmarked taxis to assault and robbery reports.

Sources: UK FCDO

Traveller tips

• Which number to call for help. The city hotline table splits police, fire and ambulance. The emergency how-to page says 110 has eight foreign languages including English, and that 119 and 120 are available in English. The 120 medical page (updated 21 August 2025) describes a Chinese dispatcher plus an optional third-party translator, with delay. Use 12345 as the 24-hour multilingual non-emergency line and 12367 for immigration; the ISS email is for service questions, not a heart attack. (Shanghai Municipal People's Government; Shanghai Municipal People's Government; Shanghai Municipal People's Government)
• Confirm hospital hours on its own page. The 13 August 2026 english.shanghai.gov.cn list is the municipal Health Commission directory this round. Jiahui, United Family, Parkway, Raffles and Huashan appear there with street addresses. The list does not publish 24-hour international ER hours or a 24-hour pharmacy subset. (Shanghai Municipal Commission of Health)
• A 645-yuan fare from the official rank. A traveller on Reddit (March 2026) used the official PVG taxi stand and was charged 645 yuan to Hongqiao Railway Station, against a DiDi quote of 200–250 yuan. FCDO says keep the receipt and the taxi number. One author's fare, not a fare table. (Am0rph, 2026-03-31; UK FCDO, 2026-08-27)
• Ignore taxi offers after baggage claim. A traveller on Reddit (December 2025) says the official taxi area is huge and staffed, and that people who approach you are the ones to ignore. Use only the official rank. What this author stated about the rank, not a fare table. (loganrb, 2025-12-23)
• Learn about QR-code phishing. FCDO recommends that travellers familiarise themselves with the risks of QR-code phishing, because QR payments are common. That is the print-page wording this hub keeps. FCDO's general phishing warning, not a claim that every scan is fraudulent. (UK FCDO, 2026-08-27)
• ISS desks are the day-one fallback. The 19 March 2026 city page lists one-stop centres in PVG T1/T2 and SHA T1 that handle payment apps, SIMs, maps and transport cards. (Shanghai Municipal People's Government, 2026-03-19)
• Ambulance fees: secondary detail. The 120 medical page (updated 21 August 2025) prints a 30-yuan base fare, 7 yuan/km after the first three km, plus waiting and pre-hospital care items, typically under 300 yuan unless the distance is long. That is the 2025 page wording, not a live 2026 tariff check. (Shanghai Municipal People's Government)

Public holidays and crowds

Checked 2026-10-03.

2026 holidays: CNY 15–23 Feb; National Day 1–7 Oct

1. The State Council General Office notice 国办发明电〔2025〕7号 (issued 4 November 2025) sets the 2026 dates:

2. New Year: 1–3 January (3 days); work on 4 January (Sunday).

3. Spring Festival: 15–23 February (9 days); work on 14 February and 28 February (Saturdays).

4. Qingming: 4–6 April (3 days).

5. Labour Day: 1–5 May (5 days); work on 9 May (Saturday).

6. Duanwu: 19–21 June (3 days).

7. Mid-Autumn: 25–27 September (3 days).

8. National Day: 1–7 October (7 days); work on 20 September (Sunday) and 10 October (Saturday).

• This calendar is dates and make-up workdays. It does not by itself prove longer metro queues, temporary real-name booking, or museum weekend-versus-workday hours.

Sources: State Council General Office

National Day 2026: later trains and station closures

1. Check the 2026 National Day scheme for 1–7 October 2026.

2. On 30 September–3 October, Lines 1, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 13 run extended operating hours.

3. On 30 September from 20:00, three stations are planned to close until the end of service: Line 2 and Line 10 East Nanjing Road, and Line 14 Yuyuan Garden.

4. On 1–7 October, the same three stations are planned to close from 16:00 each day until the end of service.

5. Line 10 Yuyuan Garden Station stays open, and closures may change.

6. On 6–7 October, extra night trains are planned on Lines 1, 2, 10 and 17 until 00:00 the next day.

7. They aim at hub dispersal including Hongqiao, and the notice also flags Pudong Airport Terminal 1 and 2.

• This is the 2026 National Day metro scheme. It does not set Maglev or Airport Link last trains, and it does not say last trains never stretch.
• The scheme is a shanghai.gov.cn reprint of 申通地铁集团 (article date 28 September 2026 10:09; page published 29 September 2026).

Sources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government / 上海发布

Shanghai Museum People's Square: book at peaks

1. At Shanghai Museum People's Square, individual visitors no longer need a reservation from 1 September 2025.

2. Book at peak periods such as national holidays, summer and winter school breaks, and popular special exhibitions.

3. Treat that as this museum's printed rule, not a city-wide statement that all museums follow make-up workdays.

4. Do not infer it from the State Council calendar alone.

• The rule is on the city English museum page (updated 1 September 2025).

Sources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government

Traveller tips

• Hotel registration on public holidays. FCDO says you must register your place of residence with the local Public Security Bureau within 24 hours of arrival; if you stay in a hotel, they register you at check-in. The city accommodation page's 24-hour clock is the non-hotel path. Hotel check-in registration still happens on 1 October. (Shanghai Municipal People's Government, 2026-09-22; UK FCDO, 2026-08-27)
• National Day metro evenings, 2026. 申通地铁 via shanghai.gov.cn (article dated 28 September 2026, page published 29 September 2026) planned Line 2 and Line 10 East Nanjing Road and Line 14 Yuyuan Garden closed from 16:00 each day on 1–7 October, and from 20:00 on 30 September. Line 10 Yuyuan stays open. Extra last trains on Lines 1, 2, 10 and 17 are planned on 6–7 October until 00:00. Recheck station notices that day. (Shanghai Municipal People's Government / 上海发布, 2026-09-29)
• Recheck notices before the long holidays. The State Council calendar is issued once. The 2026 National Day metro and closure details arrived as a late-September municipal notice. Look again in the 30 days before Spring Festival, May Day and National Day. A place page that lists booking.required=no can still need a slot that week if the venue says so. (State Council General Office, 2025-11-04; Shanghai Municipal People's Government / 上海发布, 2026-09-28)