What would you do if you only have a total of 24 hours to spend in Shanghai? Will you be restaurant hopping to try the best xiaolongbao in city? Temple hopping? Skyscraper hopping maybe? Or just sit along The Bund promenade and be in awe because the futuristic skyline of Lujiazui is in front you. Well, why not do all these instead?

On this blog post, I will be sharing with you an itinerary on how you can maximize your 24 hours of stay in Shanghai. This is perfect for those who are transiting through the city or for those who just want to explore another city from another country for 24 hours.

Last April 15, 2019, I was invited to join Cebu Pacific Air inaugural flight from Cebu to Shanghai. With my work schedule and upcoming trips, I can’t really afford to file another long vacation that’s why I decided to spend only 24 hours in Shanghai. Good thing, 2 of my blogger friends decided to join along my itinerary. The flight schedule of Cebu Pacific Air from Cebu to Shanghai is perfect to achieve this 24 hour itinerary.

Cebu Pacific 5J 58 left Cebu at 6:50pm and we arrived in Shanghai around 11pm. Our flight back to Cebu the following day was scheduled at 11:55pm, so it’s a little over 24 hours stay technically.

Shanghai Pudong International Airport to/from Shanghai City Center

Shanghai Pudong International Airport is located about 30 kilometers away from the city center. You have an option to ride a bus, taxi or train going to the city. Train services from/to the airport and the city halts at around 11pm though. We decided to take the bus because we arrived late and to save some money.

Before we heading to the bus stop, we picked up our Maglev & Metro Pass that we purchased on Klook. We will be using this pass on Shanghai Metro and Maglev train on our way back to the airport.

The bus fare from the airport to our bus stop near The Bund is RMB22. It is important that you have your hotel and bus stop name written in Chinese characters because people who speak and read English in Shanghai are limited. The travel time from Shanghai Pudong International Airport to our bus stop (East Yan’an Road Middle Zhejiang Road) took about an hour.

Where to Stay in Shanghai

If you want to maximize your 24 hours in Shanghai, I suggest you stay in The Bund area. This location is perfect because it’s very near to most of the must visit places in Shanghai. We stayed at Captain’s Hostel and it is literally a few steps away from The Bund Promenade.

Sample 24 Hour Itinerary in Shanghai

11:00pm – arrival in Shanghai
1:00am – arrived at the hotel and rest

5:00am – Sunrise at The Bund

The Bund or also known as Waitan is a waterfront area in Shanghai located along the west bank of Huangpu River. It is famous for western-style architectures featuring Gothic, baroque and neoclassical designs.

The Bund waterfront promenade is a popular spot to see the futuristic skyscrapers of Luziajui. I suggest going early in the morning if you want to avoid the crowd. Waking up early was so worth it because it was almost empty except for the locals who do their morning exercises.

One of the notable statues located at The Bund is the Shanghai Bull. It was designed by the world-famous sculptor Arturo Ugo Di Modica who also designed Wall Street’s Charging Bull sculpture in New York. Shanghai Bull is a symbol of Shanghai’s effort to build a financial center that serve China’s economy.

After taking lots of photos, it’s time to head back to the hostel to prepare and eat breakfast.

Getting There
Access by Train: East Nanjing Rd Station, Line 2 and Line 10

6:00am – prepare for check out and eat breakfast

8:00am – Gucun Park

One of our travel goals in visiting Shanghai is to see cherry blossoms, and this lead us to Gucun Park. We visited Shanghai mid-April and according to our research, the cherry blossoms around the park bloom as late as early may.

Gucun Park is a large park located in Baoshan District north of the city center. The park is popular to locals on regular days because of its picnic areas, green spaces, lakes and running/biking paths.

As soon as we arrived outside Gucun Park, we were welcomed by a line of cherry blossom trees and most of them were still in bloom! It was so surreal to see thousands of pink petals being blown by wind and creating a carpet of petals on the ground. Inside there were only a few trees that were in bloom but it still looks amazing.

The park features variety of flowers that blooms in different seasons just in case you visit outside spring.

Getting There
Access by Train: From East Nanjing Rd Station take Line 2 to Jing’an Temple Station then transfer to Line 7 and get off at Gucun Park Station. Take Exit 3. Travel time is about 30 minutes.

12:00pm – Yang’s Fried Dumpling in Huanghe Road

We went to Huanghe Road primarily because of xiaolongbao or soup dumplings. We were supposed to go to the famous Jia Jia Tang Bao but the line was so long. We spotted Yang’s Fried Dumpling across the street with a lesser crowd and it did not disappoint.

Xiaolongbao is a type of Chinese dumpling that is filled with soup inside. It is usually prepared in Xiaolong, which is a small bamboo steaming basket. What makes Yang’s Fried Dumpling unique is they fry them after steaming. I like how it gives the dumpling a crunchy and fried taste. It is also amazing how they retain the soup inside.

Getting There
Access by Train: From Gucun Park Station take Line 7 then transfer to Line 2 and get off at People’s Square Station. Take Exit 9 or 10.

1:00pm – People’s Square

Located at the south-end of Huanghe Road is the People’s Square, a large public square home to a vast greenery where the locals love to gather for family bonding, relaxing or exercising.

People’s Square is also home to Shanghai’s largest and busiest metro station where 3 major subway lines passes through.

Some of the major sights in People’s Square are the Shanghai Museum and the Shanghai Municipal Government Building.

Getting There
Short walk from south-end of Huanghe Road.
Access by train: Shanghai Metro Lines 1, 2 and 8 passes through People’s Square Station.

2:00pm – Starbucks Reserve Roastery

For Starbucks fanatics, Starbucks Reserve Roastery located in West Nanjing Road is a must visit. This multi-story store opened in December 6, 2017 and considered as the second largest Starbucks in the world. Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Shanghai features its own roasting facility, and unique coffee and tea based drinks that are not available in a normal Starbucks store. The food available here is also prepared by Princi Cafe, a Milan-based cafe that offers pastries, pizza and alcoholic beverages.

Getting There
Access by Train: From People’s Square Station take Line 2 to West Nanjing Rd Station. Take Exit 11.

3:00pm – Shanghai Old City and Yuyuan Garden

Shanghai Old City is a picturesque and touristy area in Shanghai that features old style buildings. This place is also popular for shopping for local snacks and food, and souvenirs.

Yuyuan Garden is located within Shanghai Old City. It is a classical Chinese garden that dates back to the Ming Dynasty. It features pavilions, halls, rockeries and ponds. Some of the notable features of the garden are the Nine-turn bridge, Cuixui Hall, Sansui Hall, Wanhua Chamber and the Exquisite Jade Rock.

Getting There
Access by Train: From West Nanjing Rd Station take Line 2 to East Nanjing Rd Station then transfer to Line 10 and get off at Yuyuan Garden Station. Take Exit 1.

4:30pm – Lujiazui

Just across the Huangpu River from The Bund is Lujiazui, an area in the Pudong New District that was developed to be Shanghai’s new financial district. In 1992 , Lujiazui was allocated as a special investment zone. This was also the time when the development of Lujiazui’s skyline started.

Some of the modern and tallest skyscrapers in the world are located in Lujiazui. Some of the notable and popular ones are the Shanghai World Financial Center, Oriental Pearl Tower, Jin Mao Tower, and the second tallest building in the world, the Shanghai Tower.

Getting There
Access by Train: From Yuyuan Garden Station ride the train to East Nanjing Rd Station then transfer to Line 2 and get off at Lujiazui Station. Take Exit 3.

5:30pm – The Bund

It’s almost sunset and it’s time to marvel on Lujiazui’s skyline at night. If you think Luijiazui’s skyline looks futuristic already during day time, wait until the skyscrapers light up at night. The playful and colorful lights will make you feel like you were teleported to another dimension.

Getting There
Access by Train: From Lujiazui Station ride a train to East Nanjing Rd Station.

7:30pm – leave Shanghai Pudong International Airport

It’s time to head to the airport and one of the best ways to get there is by riding the Shanghai Maglev Train. This is the fastest commercial train in the world with the highest speed of 430 km/hr. It runs between Longyang Rd Station and Shanghai-Pudong International Airport. It’s a 30 km journey but only takes 8 minutes.

Getting There
Access by Train: From East Nanjing Rd Station take Line 2 to Longyang Rd Station.

That’s it for a whole day of touring around Shanghai. Make sure you wear comfortable shoes as this involves lots of walking too.

24 Hour Shanghai Budget

RMB22 – Bus fare from Shanghai-Pudong International Airport to city center
RMB60 – One night stay at Captain’s Hostel
RMB20 – Dinner
RMB20 – Breakfast
RMB20 – Gucun Park entrance
RMB20 – Lunch at Yang’s Fried Dumplings
RMB40 – Snacks and other essentials
RMB20 – Dinner at Airport
RMB212 – Php1580* TOTAL

*RMB1 = Php7.50