What currency is used in Shanghai?

Shanghai uses the Renminbi, counted in yuan (CNY).

What is the emergency number in Shanghai?

In Shanghai, call 110 for police, 120 for ambulance, 119 for fire.

How much does a day in Shanghai cost?

Roughly $40-65 a day in US dollars on a backpacker budget (a hostel or shared room, street food and public transport), and $110-190 mid-range (a private room and restaurants). These are broad estimates, last reviewed October 2026.

Is Waypacker free to use in Shanghai?

Yes. Joining is free and stays with hosts carry no nightly rate or booking fee.

Are Waypacker hosts ID-verified?

Every host's ID and selfie are checked by hand by a real person before they can host. Nothing is sent to an AI service.

Can I meet locals in Shanghai without staying with anyone?

Yes. You can join meetups and city groups, or ask locals for tips, without booking a stay.

Will anyone see my exact location?

No. Hosts and meetups appear as a neighbourhood-sized area about a kilometre wide, and exact addresses are never stored.

Shanghai travel guide

China

China's biggest commercial city, where colonial-era banks on the Bund face the glass towers of Pudong across the river. Its plane-tree-lined lanes and dumpling shops are as much of a draw as the skyline.

Essentials

Language: Mandarin Chinese, alongside the local Shanghainese; English is limited outside hotels and tourist areas
Currency: Renminbi, counted in yuan (CNY)
Plugs: Types A, C and I, 220 V
Emergency number: 110 for police, 120 for ambulance, 119 for fire
Tipping: Not customary; upmarket hotels and restaurants may add a service charge.

Rough daily budget

Approximate spend per person per day, in US dollars:

Backpacker: $40-65, with a hostel or shared room, street food and public transport.
Mid-range: $110-190, with a private room and restaurant meals.

Last reviewed: October 2026

Where to stay in Shanghai

The Bund: the riverside promenade of 1920s and 1930s buildings, best walked after dark.
Former French Concession: leafy streets, old villas, cafés and small bars.
Jing'an: a central, well-connected base around Jing'an Temple with shops and restaurants.

Getting around Shanghai

The metro is extensive, cheap and signed in English, and you can pay with single tickets or a transport QR code in Alipay or WeChat. Ride-hailing through DiDi is easy for late nights.

Best time to visit Shanghai

April to May and late September to November, mild and drier than the hot, wet summer.

Top things to do in Shanghai

Walk the Bund in the evening when both the old facades and the Pudong towers are lit up
Explore Yu Garden, a Ming-dynasty garden of rockeries and pavilions in the old city
See the ancient bronzes, ceramics and jade at the Shanghai Museum, whose main permanent galleries are now at its East branch in Pudong
Wander the narrow shikumen lanes of Tianzifang, now full of small shops and cafés
Ride to the observation deck of the Shanghai Tower in Lujiazui for a view over the whole city

What to eat in Shanghai

Xiaolongbao: soup-filled pork dumplings, steamed in bamboo baskets
Shengjian bao: pan-fried pork buns with a crisp base, topped with sesame and spring onion
Hong shao rou: pork belly slowly braised in soy sauce, rice wine and sugar
Cong you ban mian: noodles tossed in fried spring-onion oil and soy sauce

Day trips from Shanghai

Zhujiajiao: an old canal town of stone bridges and boat rides, about an hour by metro
Suzhou: classical gardens and canals, around 30 minutes by high-speed train
Hangzhou: West Lake and the tea villages in the hills around it, about an hour by high-speed train

Local etiquette

Carry your passport, as it is needed to buy train tickets, check into hotels and book some major sights. Sharing dishes from the centre of the table is normal, and leaving chopsticks standing upright in rice is best avoided.

Staying connected

Local SIMs are sold at the airport with a passport, but Google, WhatsApp and many Western apps are blocked on Chinese networks, so many travellers use a roaming plan or an international eSIM instead.

Staying safe

Violent crime is rare, but a well-known scam starts with friendly strangers around Nanjing Road or People's Square inviting you to a tea ceremony or bar that ends with a huge bill. Watch for silent electric scooters on pavements and at crossings.

A local tip

Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card before you arrive, because many small shops and food stalls prefer mobile payment to cash.

Visas:rules depend on your nationality and change often – check your own government's official travel advice before you go.

Meet people in Shanghai on Waypacker

Waypacker is a free travel community: stay with ID-verified local hosts, join meetups and city groups, and ask people who live in Shanghai for advice. We are new here, so if you live in Shanghai, you could be one of the first hosts.

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Questions about Shanghai

What currency is used in Shanghai?: Shanghai uses the Renminbi, counted in yuan (CNY).
What is the emergency number in Shanghai?: In Shanghai, call 110 for police, 120 for ambulance, 119 for fire.
When is the best time to visit Shanghai?: April to May and late September to November, mild and drier than the hot, wet summer.
How much does a day in Shanghai cost?: Roughly $40-65 a day in US dollars on a backpacker budget (a hostel or shared room, street food and public transport), and $110-190 mid-range (a private room and restaurants). These are broad estimates, last reviewed October 2026.
Is Waypacker free to use in Shanghai?: Yes. Joining is free and stays with hosts carry no nightly rate or booking fee.
Are Waypacker hosts ID-verified?: Every host's ID and selfie are checked by hand by a real person before they can host. Nothing is sent to an AI service.
Can I meet locals in Shanghai without staying with anyone?: Yes. You can join meetups and city groups, or ask locals for tips, without booking a stay.
Will anyone see my exact location?: No. Hosts and meetups appear as a neighbourhood-sized area about a kilometre wide, and exact addresses are never stored.

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