Shanghai
Best tours in Shanghai: walking, food and day tours
Book one small-group walking tour of the Bund and former French Concession lanes, and one food tour in the evening; add a Suzhou or Hangzhou day tour only if you have a spare day. Skip big-bus city loops and anything sold as a fixed shopping stop. Prices below are 2026 estimates.
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GuideShanghai
Key facts
- Best first bookingcheck
- Half-day walking tour: Bund + former French Concession lanes, 3–4 h, ¥150–400 per person (2026 estimate)
- Best evening bookingcheck
- Small-group food walk, 3 h, ¥300–600 including tastings (2026 estimate)
- Day tour worth the timecheck
- Suzhou or Hangzhou by high-speed rail, 10–12 h door to door (2026 estimate)
- Book aheadcheck
- Weekend slots and English-language guides in Apr–May and Oct; 2–7 days is usually enough
- Skip
- Big-bus city loops, 'jade/tea/silk factory' stops, and touts at the Bund offering boat tickets
- Payment
- Most operators take Alipay or WeChat Pay; set both up before you fly
- Language
- Independent guides usually speak English; big-bus tours often run Chinese-first with an audio headset
Top picks
Shanghai rewards walking more than bus-riding. The Bund is a 1.5 km promenade you can cover on foot in 40 minutes, and the former French Concession is a grid of plane-tree lanes best seen slowly with someone who can read the buildings. A guide earns their fee on context, not transport.
For a first visit, pick one half-day walking tour and one food tour. That covers the two things a guide does better than a map: explaining what you are looking at, and ordering food you would not order alone. Add a day tour outside the city only if you have a fourth day in Shanghai.
Small groups (8–12 people) cost more than big buses but move faster and stop where you want. Private guides cost roughly double a small-group seat and make sense for families, mobility needs or a tight schedule.
- Best value: a half-day walking tour on your first morning, so you can navigate alone afterwards.
- Best for food: an evening small-group walk with tastings included.
- Best for a spare day: Suzhou by high-speed rail (about 30 min each way).
- Best for families: a private half-day guide, so you set the pace.
| Tour | Length | Price (2026 estimate) | Book ahead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bund + old city walking tour | 3 h | ¥150–300 | 1–3 days |
| Former French Concession lanes walk | 3–4 h | ¥200–400 | 1–3 days |
| Evening food walk (xiaolongbao, street snacks) | 3 h | ¥300–600 incl. tastings | 2–5 days |
| Shanghai Museum or art district guided visit | 2–3 h | ¥200–400 | 1–3 days |
| Suzhou gardens day tour by rail | 10–12 h | ¥600–1,200 incl. rail | 3–7 days |
| Hangzhou West Lake day tour by rail | 10–12 h | ¥600–1,200 incl. rail | 3–7 days |
| Zhujiajiao or Qibao water town half-day | 5–6 h | ¥300–600 | 1–3 days |
| Private guide, half day | 4 h | ¥800–1,500 per group | 3–7 days |
Prices are per person unless marked per group; rail fares and entry tickets vary by operator (check).
Prices and hours
Most walking tours run twice a day, morning (09:00–10:00 start) and afternoon (13:30–14:30 start), and last three to four hours. Food walks usually start 18:00–19:00 and finish around 22:00. Day tours to Suzhou or Hangzhou leave 07:30–08:30 and return 18:00–20:00.
Expect to pay in yuan by Alipay, WeChat Pay or cash; some operators also take cards. Tipping is not standard in China and is not expected on group tours. Museum entry is often free but needs a timed reservation, which the guide usually handles.
Check the meeting point before you pay: many tours meet at a metro station exit rather than a hotel lobby, and no-shows are not refunded.
- Bring your passport: museums and some ticketed sites check ID.
- Wear shoes you can walk 8–10 km in; lanes and the Bund are all pavement.
- Rain cancels few tours — carry a compact umbrella.
| Item | Typical time | Typical cost (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Morning walking tour | 09:00–12:00 | ¥150–400 |
| Afternoon walking tour | 13:30–17:00 | ¥150–400 |
| Evening food walk | 18:00–22:00 | ¥300–600 |
| Full-day rail day tour | 07:30–20:00 | ¥600–1,200 |
| Water town half-day | 08:30–14:00 | ¥300–600 |
| Private half-day guide | flexible | ¥800–1,500 per group |
Hours and prices change by season and operator; confirm at booking (check).
Getting there
Most tours start in the city centre, within walking distance of Metro Line 2 (Nanjing East Road, People's Square) or Line 10/12 (Xintiandi, South Shaanxi Road). The metro runs roughly 05:30–23:00 and a single ride costs ¥3–6 (2026 estimate). A taxi across the centre is usually ¥20–40 and 15–30 minutes outside rush hour.
From Pudong International Airport (PVG), Metro Line 2 or the Maglev plus metro takes about 60–75 minutes to People's Square; a taxi is 45–70 minutes and roughly ¥160–220 (2026 estimate). From Hongqiao (SHA) the metro is about 35–45 minutes.
If your tour meets at the Bund, arrive 15 minutes early: the promenade is crowded at weekends and taxi drop-offs are restricted along Zhongshan East Road.
- Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay before you fly; a foreign card alone will not scan on the metro.
- Save your tour operator's phone number and the meeting point in Chinese characters.
- For rail day tours, your passport is your ticket — carry it.
| From | To city centre | Cost (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| PVG airport | Metro Line 2 / Maglev + metro, 60–75 min | ¥7–50 |
| PVG airport | Taxi, 45–70 min | ¥160–220 |
| SHA airport | Metro Line 2/10, 35–45 min | ¥4–6 |
| Shanghai Railway Station | Metro Line 1/3/4, 15–25 min | ¥3–5 |
| Suzhou day tour | High-speed rail, about 30 min each way | ¥40–60 each way (check) |
| Hangzhou day tour | High-speed rail, about 1 h each way | ¥70–100 each way (check) |
Fares and journey times vary by line, traffic and train type (check).
Tips
Book direct with the operator when you can. Marketplace listings add a markup and sometimes route you to a different guide than the one in the photos. Read recent reviews for the specific guide, not just the company.
Avoid any tour whose itinerary includes a 'factory', 'jade centre', 'silk workshop' or 'tea ceremony' stop with no fixed price. These are commission stops. A legitimate food tour names the dishes and the neighbourhoods in advance.
If you are travelling solo, small-group walks are the cheapest way to spend a few hours with other travellers; check the solo travel page for how that fits a Shanghai itinerary. If you are in town for several days, compare a single day tour against a city pass before you buy both.
- Ask for the group size in writing; 'small group' sometimes means 30 people.
- Confirm the language of the tour, not just the language of the website.
- Cancel free of charge where offered — weather in Shanghai changes fast.
- Photography tours exist for the Bund at dawn and the lanes at dusk; they cost about the same as a walking tour.
FAQ
Questions people ask
What are the best tours in Shanghai?
A half-day walking tour of the Bund and the former French Concession, plus an evening small-group food walk. If you have a spare day, a Suzhou or Hangzhou day tour by high-speed rail. Skip big-bus city loops and tours with factory or shopping stops.
Are guided tours worth it in Shanghai?
Yes for context and food. A guide explains the buildings and orders dishes you would not order alone. Not worth it for transport: the metro is cheap, fast and easy to use on your own.
Which tours should I book in advance in Shanghai?
Book food walks and weekend walking tours 2–7 days ahead, and rail day tours 3–7 days ahead in April–May and October. Weekday walking tours often have same-day space. Private guides need the most notice.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialShanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism
- officialChina Railway 12306 (official ticketing)
- officialShanghai Metro (official)
- officialShanghai Museum (official)
- secondaryWikivoyage – Shanghai
- secondaryOpenStreetMap – Shanghai