The best one-day trip to Shanghai

It’s not easy for a family of five to travel together, so you have to do what you can. It’s best not to squeeze into buses or queue up for taxis during the National Day. Make full use of the advantages of the subway. Here are some of my little suggestions.

Strategy 1 - Try to stay in a hotel near Nanjing East Road Pedestrian Street, close to Metro Lines 1, 2 and 8, and not far from Metro Line 10. If you want a more affordable hotel, you need to stay at least three blocks away from the pedestrian street.

Tactic 2 - Go early in the morning to go to the Oriental Pearl Tower, so you won’t have to wait in line for too long. You can let parents and children line up first, and then the couple goes to buy breakfast nearby and eats it back to the place where they are queuing up. If you can spare an hour, you can probably watch the Oriental Pearl Tower in one morning. It is easier to arrange time in the afternoon.

Routes and Attractions

October 1st

Morning - Take the high-speed rail to Shanghai. Buy a map with subway routes at the train station, then take Metro Line 1 and get off at People's Square Station, then check in at a hotel near Nanjing East Road Pedestrian Street. Just put down your luggage and start having fun. At noon, we had lunch at a restaurant on the pedestrian street.

Afternoon - Pedestrian Street, Wax Museum, buy some candies and pastries, eat them all, and play all the way to the Bund. Then take the Time Tunnel Sightseeing Bus to Pudong on the other side.

Evening - Have dinner in Pudong, and then watch the night view of the Bund from across Pudong, which is very spectacular and beautiful. Then take Metro Line 2 back to People’s Square. Go back to the hotel early to rest, so you can get up early to see the Oriental Pearl Tower tomorrow.

October 2nd

Morning - Take Metro Line 2 to Pudong (only two stops, get off at Lujiazui Station) Oriental Pearl Tower. To visit the Oriental Pearl Tower, leave at noon and take Metro Line 2 toward People’s Square for one stop (get off at Nanjing East Road Station) and transfer to Metro Line 10 to Yu Garden.

Afternoon - Have lunch at Nanxiang Xiaolongbao shop at the entrance of Yuyuan Garden, then visit Yuyuan Garden and City God Temple. In the evening, take Metro Line 8 to Xintiandi for a walk, and then go to Jiaotong University. After visiting Jiaotong University, we went to Xujiahui for dinner.

Evening - Have dinner at the "Shanghai Old Station" restaurant next to Xujiahui Metro City. This hotel is very unique. There are two old locomotives and carriages inside. One was for Empress Dowager Cixi, and the other was for Soong Ching Ling. They serve standard Shanghainese food. After dinner, go shopping at the Ganghui Plaza opposite.

October 3

Morning - Take Metro Line 8 at People’s Square and get off at Yaohua Road to see the China Pavilion at the World Expo. Had lunch there.

Afternoon - Take Metro Line 8 back to People’s Square and visit the Shanghai Museum. Then take Metro Line 1 back to the train station and return to Nanjing.

Have a great time.