Getting There & Away
Shanghai is China's second-largest international air hub or the third one if
you count Hong Kong and if you can't fly direct, you can go via Beijing or Hong
Kong. Its rail and air connections to places all over China, ferries
traveling up the Yangzi River, many boats along the coast, and buses to
destinations in adjoining provinces allow you to get an easy access to wherever
you wish to visit in China.
Shanghai is a connection for international flights. The New airport
near Pudong is just about an hour drive from the city centre, handling most
international and some domestic flights. Buses and taxis connect the new
airport to the city centre and Hongqiao airport. Only 18 km (11mi) from
the Bund, Hongqiao airport can be reached via bus, shuttle or taxi, having some
international and most domestic flights.
As well, Shanghai is at the junction of the Beijing-Shanghai and Beijing-Hangzhou
train lines. Many parts of the country are reachable by direct train from
Shanghai since those branch off in various directions. Most trains arrive
and depart from Shanghai station.
A few long-distance bus stations are also in Shanghai. The most useful
one is probably Hengfeng Lu, a 13-hour trip to Beijing from this station.
One of the fastest ways of leaving Shanghai and often the cheapest are
possibly boats. Ferries travel up the Yangzi River and there are many
boats that stop along the coast. Regular ships and ferries to Korea and
Japan are also available.
Getting Around
You can walk around in some areas, but it's not really recommended since new
road developments, building sites, and shocking traffic conditions will only
blow your mind down. It's also hard to travel by buses as the routes and
particularly the stops are not easy to figure out and buses are crowd at rush
hours. However the metro and light railway system are good.
Taxis are cheap and hassle-free if you avoid the rush hours. Perhaps
the best way to get around the town is by Shanghai's subway system. Trains
are fast, cheap, clean and easy. The new Mag Lev (Magnetic Levitation)
line has started regular services between the city and Pudong airport, taking
just eight minutes.
It's also possible to hire a car there, but not really worth the
hassle. Shanghai's Volkswagen taxis are reasonably cheap and easy to flag
down, except during rush hours. Always go by meter though most taxi
drivers are surprisingly honest.
This article is authored and copyrighted
by Royal Exclusive Travel
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TRANSPORTATION
