China travel blog
Practical Shanghai guides and China-wide preparation articles for your trip.
A first Shanghai visit: choose a few areas, then verify the details
A practical way to group a first Shanghai visit around distinct areas and decisions that still need checking.
China eSIM, local SIM or roaming: choose your connection before you travel
For a short China trip, choose your connection around two needs: mobile data and access to your usual phone number. A travel eSIM can provide data on a compatible unlocked phone. Home-carrier roaming keeps your existing service abroad. A local SIM is worth considering if you need a mainland number. Decide which numbers you must keep before you buy a plan.
How to use Alipay in China with a foreign bank card
You can prepare Alipay before travelling by registering with your usual phone number and linking an eligible foreign bank card. You do not need a mainland Chinese bank account or phone number for this payment route. Finish setup at home, keep access to verification messages, and carry a separate way to pay. A linked card does not guarantee that every transaction will succeed. Ant Group's visitor payment explanation.
Pudong Airport to central Shanghai: daytime and late-night options
For a hotel near People's Square, East Nanjing Road or Jing'an Temple, start by considering Metro Line 2. The Maglev requires another journey from Longyang Road, while the Airport Link Line is especially useful for Hongqiao. After rail services finish, choose the official night bus if its stops suit your hotel, or take a taxi directly. Base the decision on when you reach the arrivals hall, not when your flight lands.
Your first trip to China: a before-you-go checklist
Prepare your China trip in this order: confirm how you can enter, book the first night, arrange phone data and payments, then organise transport and activities. Keep the first day's essential information offline. You will arrive with an address you can show, a way to get there and a backup payment method, even if your flight is late or your phone setup needs attention.
Where to stay in Shanghai for your first visit
Start your hotel search near People's Square or Jing'an Temple if you want a convenient base for a mixed sightseeing trip. Choose East Nanjing Road for repeated walks to the Bund, the Wukang Road area for neighbourhood wandering, or Lujiazui for the Pudong waterfront. Compare actual hotel entrances and metro walks before booking. Shanghai's district names cover much larger areas than these useful starting points.
Three days in Shanghai: a practical first-visit itinerary
Spend your first day around Yu Garden, the Bund and East Nanjing Road; your second in Pudong at Shanghai Museum East and Lujiazui; and your third around Wukang Road, Anfu Road and Jing'an. Swap the order to avoid Monday's Yu Garden closure and Tuesday's museum closure. This plan assumes three full sightseeing days and leaves room for meals, rest and transport between stops.
How to book China train tickets with a foreign passport
Book through the official English 12306 website using a valid foreign passport, checking your passenger details and full station names before paying. Confirm that payment produced a ticket, then bring the same original passport to the station. A saved itinerary helps you find your train but does not replace your travel document. 12306 travel guide
China entry requirements: what to check for your passport and route
China's entry rules depend on your passport, visit purpose, dates and route. As checked on 12 September 2026, ordinary UK and Australian passports are covered by a conditional 30-day visa waiver through the end of 2026. US ordinary passports are not on that general waiver list, but US, UK and Australian nationals appear on the separate 240-hour transit list. NIA visa-waiver list, NIA transit rules
Shanghai in October 2026: planning around the National Day holiday
China's 2026 National Day holiday runs from Thursday 1 October to Wednesday 7 October. If your dates are flexible, plan your main Shanghai stay after that break. If you are visiting during it, confirm transport and accommodation first, choose one booked attraction per day, and leave room to change outdoor plans. Official government holiday calendar
Shanghai cherry blossoms: where to check dates and plan your visit
For Shanghai cherry blossoms, choose a park using a recent bloom report, then check its tickets and transport. March and April are useful months to investigate, but festival dates do not guarantee peak blossom. Gucun Park's last verified festival ran from 9 March to 9 April 2026; dates and bloom forecasts for spring 2027 remain unconfirmed in the official sources checked here. Baoshan's 2026 announcement