In Shanghai, they speak a dialect of Shanghaiese which is very different to the standard Mandarin which I speak. As the most cosmopolitan city in mainland China English is more widely spoken and understood by the local population, and it is more common to find menus, exhibitions and other such things in English as well as Chinese. The truth is that you do not need to speak Chinese to travel in China, however speaking Chinese makes things much easier and will give you a very, very different experience. This is always a tricky question to answer. Crowds at Hongqiao Station Do you need to speak Chinese? As a word of warning the signing at Longyang Road is not the best, so you may end up completing a couple of circles in confusion. From Pudong, you can also take the ultra-fast Maglev train to Longyang Road. Certainly, during rush hour, this option can be especially chaotic. Very often the train will stop halfway and you will need to disembark and get on another line 2 train. From Pudong, it’s slightly less of a straight shot on line 2. From Hongqiao, it’s a straight shot into the city centre on line 2. Both are accessible on public transport, however, there are a couple of things to bear in mind. Most international flights come into Pudong on the eastern edge of the city, domestic flights tend to come into Hongqiao on the far west of the city. If this happens, just refuse and get another. On the plus side, taxis are reasonably priced but do be aware that taxi scams do exist in Shanghai. You will need to pay a 20rmb deposit but you can get this back upon handing back in the card at the end of your trip.Īs a word of warning avoid rush hour if at all possible as it can be hectic, especially on any line that heads into the centre of the city. Pick up a subway card from almost any station. The city subway system is huge and inexpensive. Giving a certain style of town planning more commonly seen in Japan than in China. There are still plenty of huge streets throbbing with cars and buses, however, in some of the city’s central areas, these are nowhere to be found. In contrast to most of China’s megacities, Shanghai is unique in its lack of a grid-based system and the amount of small winding roads. It is certainly different to China’s other megacities, owing to its location on the banks of the Huangpu and being a stone’s throw (by China standards anyway) from the East China Sea. However, in comparison to Beijing, Shanghai ranks a little lower in terms of sites and history (although the site of the first Communist Party took place near modern-day Xintiandi). There is probably enough to keep you interested for at least a couple of days, possibly more if you wanted. With gorgeous tree-lined streets around the French Concession, the stunning Lujiazui skyline and fantastic food, Shanghai does have a lot going for it. In terms of the “real China,” Shanghai is certainly not it, however, it is a city with a charm all of its own. Pretty much every visitor to China sets foot in Shanghai for a day or two so naturally, it makes sense to put together a post about the city. Visit the site of the first Communist Party CongressĬhina’s most populated city is a mixture of dizzying skyscrapers, tree-lined boulevards and temples.Visit the Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre.Take a stroll around futuristic Lujiazui and climb the Oriental Pearl Tower.Get up to date on Chinese history at the Shanghai Museum.
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