ABOUT SHANGHAI

For onsite participants:

Shanghai is one of the four municipalities under the direct administration of the central government of the People's Republic of China. With a population of more than 24 million, it is the largest and traditionally the most developed urban area in China. Shanghai is a global financial, innovation and technology, and transportation hub, with the world's busiest container port. Located in the Yangtze River Delta, it sits on the south edge of the estuary of the Yangtze in the middle portion of the Eastern China coast. Shanghai has been described as the "showpiece" of the booming economy of mainland China. The city is renowned for its Lujiazui skyline, museums, and historic buildings—including the City God Temple, the Yu Garden, the China pavilion, and those along the Bund—and for its sugary cuisine and unique dialect, Shanghainese. Every year, Shanghai hosts numerous national and international events, including Shanghai Fashion Week, the Chinese Grand Prix, and Chinajoy.

Traveling to Shanghai

In most cases, a visa should be obtained from a Chinese embassy or consulate before arriving anywhere in mainland China. Many travel agencies will assist you with the application and some can submit it on your behalf. Plan on applying for a visa at least a month before your trip; if needed, there are services available to expedite the process and shorten the wait time. For further details, please refer to the "Visa" page on this conference website.

By Air

Shanghai-Hongqiao International Airport (IATA: SHA) and Shanghai Pudong International Airport (IATA: PVG) are two major airports in Shanghai. They have both direct international routes and domestic flights. The Hongqiao International Airport is 13 km (8 mi) west from central Shanghai and Pudong International Airport is 30 km (17 mi) east from central Shanghai.

Intra-city Transportation

Taxi

Taxis in Shanghai are abundant. Shanghai taxi drivers almost always use the meter as required by law. During daytime, taxi in downtown charges CNY14 for the first 3km, CNY2.5/km from 3 -15km, and CNY3.6/km over 15km. At night, it charges CNY18 for the first 3km and CNY3.1/km from 3 -15km.

Do not accept solicitations for rides to the city. Sometimes, people will stand at the arrival area and ask if you need a taxi. These are illegally operated and use unmarked vehicles. They usually cost a lot more than licensed taxis since many travelers do not know the cost of airport transportation.

Overall, not many of the city’s taxi drivers speak English. It is therefore important that you present the driver with the name of the destination (in written Mandarin), present them with a printed taxi card from your hotel (see your hotel's website for further details), or be able to point out your destination on a map.

Metro

Opened in 1993, the Shanghai Metro is a rapid transit rail network in Shanghai, operating urban and suburban transit services to 14 of its 16 municipal districts and to Huaqiao Town, Kunshan, Jiangsu Province. The Shanghai Metro system is the world's largest rapid transit system by route length. The fare ranges from ¥3 to ¥14. Most of the signs and announcements are in Mandarin and English. There are currently 17 lines in operation. Metro schedules are available online or at the stations, or apps on your smartphone can help you to navigate the subway system.

Shanghai Metro is the largest component of the Shanghai metropolitan rail transit network, together with the Shanghai maglev train, the Zhangjiang Tram, the Songjiang Tram and the China Railway-operated commuter rail services to Jinshan. The metro system is also integrated with other forms of public transport in Shanghai.

References and Recommended Reading

Travel & Tourist Information

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai

https://wikitravel.org/en/Shanghai

https://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/shanghai/144hours-visa-free.htm

Shanghai Airport

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Pudong_International_Airport

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Hongqiao_International_Airport

https://www.shanghaiairport.com/index_en.html

Shanghai Taxi

https://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/shanghai/transportation/taxi.htm

Shanghai Metro

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Metro

https://www.metrolinemap.com/metro/shanghai

https://www.chinadiscovery.com/shanghai/shanghai-metro.html