Cheapest fares to Shanghai (Pudong)
Round trip
¥34,265〜
cheapest of any date
One way
¥34,265〜
cheapest of any date
📅 Cheapest by month — Cheapest month: May 2026 ¥15,889〜
2026-05
¥15,889
Prices are cached samples from Travelpayouts and may differ from live search. Click the button above to find current fares for your dates.
When to Visit
Shanghai's subtropical climate brings hot, humid summers (June–August, often 32°C/90°F+) and cool, occasionally gray winters (December–February, around 5°C/40°F). Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) offer the most comfortable weather and clearest skies. The Chinese New Year holiday (late January or February, exact dates vary yearly) brings crowds and higher prices, though many restaurants and smaller shops close for 1–2 weeks. October's Golden Week national holiday also draws domestic travelers. Plan flexibility into your schedule if visiting during these periods.
Getting There
Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) lies about 30 km east of central Pudong. The airport handles direct international flights from across Asia—Tokyo, Bangkok, Singapore, Seoul, Hong Kong—and from several European hubs including London, Paris, and Frankfurt. Limited direct service exists from North American cities (some via connecting flights through Asian hubs remain faster). The Maglev train (magnetic levitation) connects PVG to Longyang Road Metro Station in 8 minutes, followed by metro connections citywide. Airport shuttle buses and taxis are also available; expect 45 minutes to an hour to reach downtown Pudong depending on traffic.
What the City Is Known For
Lujiazui's skyline of supertall buildings—including Shanghai Tower (632 m), the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, and the Shanghai World Financial Center—dominates the eastern bank of the Huangpu River and defines the district's visual identity. The area functions as China's primary financial district, housing stock exchanges, banking headquarters, and multinational offices.
Xijiaohui (near Huaihai Road in Pudong) contains luxury malls, high-end apartments, and international restaurants. Nanjing Road E, one of China's busiest retail streets, stretches through central Pudong with department stores, flagship shops, and crowded foot traffic, especially on weekends.
The city's food reputation rests on xiaolongbao (steamed soup dumplings), best sampled at restaurants like Jia Jia Tang Bao or older dim sum halls in surrounding neighborhoods. Regional Shanghainese dishes include eel, braised pork belly, and mooncakes. Street-level noodle and dumpling vendors throughout the district offer cheap, quality meals.
Pudong's industrial heritage—historically a manufacturing zone before the 1990s transformation—remains visible in converted warehouses and creative districts along the riverside, though new development continues at a rapid pace.
Practical Tips
Currency is the Chinese Yuan (RMB). ATMs dispensing cash are widespread. However, Shanghai has essentially gone cashless; mobile payment via Alipay (Alipay app, linked to a Chinese bank account or international card in some cases) and WeChat Pay dominates everyday transactions—taxis, restaurants, convenience stores, and shops all expect it. Foreign credit cards (Visa, Mastercard) now work at many larger retailers, hotels, and restaurants, but carry backup cash (100 RMB notes are easiest to spend). Linking a Western card to Alipay or WeChat Pay before arrival, or doing so at a convenience store like Family Mart, solves most payment friction.
The Shanghai Metro is clean, efficient, frequent, and English-signage-friendly. A metro card (T-card) purchased at station booths or via app works across trips. Taxis are abundant and metered, though language barriers can occur; the ride-hailing app Didi (the Chinese equivalent of Uber) is easier for foreign users and highly reliable.
Internet Reality
Google, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, X (formerly Twitter), ChatGPT, and nearly all mainstream Western social media and news platforms are blocked throughout mainland China, including Shanghai Pudong, by the Great Firewall. This is city-wide infrastructure, not a local Pudong policy. Email services like Gmail are unreliable. VPN tools that circumvent these blocks do exist, but you must research and install a reliable VPN solution on your device *before arriving in China*. Once in the country, VPN provider websites themselves are often blocked, making installation extremely difficult. A working VPN restores access to these services and is considered essential by most international travelers; however, specific VPN brand names and recommendations fall outside practical travel guidance here. Contact your usual tech support or research current options from outside China.
One-Line Summary
Pudong suits travelers seeking insight into modern urban China, high-end shopping and dining, efficient infrastructure, and those comfortable navigating internet restriction through advance preparation.
Direct flights from Japan to Shanghai (Pudong)
| From | Airline | From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CTS Sapporo (New Chitose) | Japan Airlines (JL) | ¥57,587〜 | Search → |
| CTS Sapporo (New Chitose) | China Eastern Airlines (MU) | ||
| FUK Fukuoka | Air China (CA) | ¥37,607〜 | Search → |
| FUK Fukuoka | Japan Airlines (JL) | ||
| FUK Fukuoka | China Eastern Airlines (MU) | ||
| HIJ Hiroshima | Japan Airlines (JL) | Search → | |
| HIJ Hiroshima | China Eastern Airlines (MU) | ||
| KIX Osaka (Kansai) | Spring Airlines (9C) | ¥34,265〜 | Search → |
| KIX Osaka (Kansai) | Air China (CA) | ||
| KIX Osaka (Kansai) | Shanghai Airlines (FM) | ||
| KIX Osaka (Kansai) | Juneyao Airlines (HO) | ||
| KIX Osaka (Kansai) | Japan Airlines (JL) | ||
| KIX Osaka (Kansai) | China Eastern Airlines (MU) | ||
| KIX Osaka (Kansai) | All Nippon Airways (NH) | ||
| NGO Nagoya (Chubu) | Air China (CA) | ¥78,997〜 | Search → |
| NGO Nagoya (Chubu) | China Southern Airlines (CZ) | ||
| NGO Nagoya (Chubu) | Japan Airlines (JL) | ||
| NGO Nagoya (Chubu) | China Eastern Airlines (MU) | ||
| NGO Nagoya (Chubu) | All Nippon Airways (NH) | ||
| NRT Tokyo (Narita) | Air China (CA) | ¥42,712〜 | Search → |
| NRT Tokyo (Narita) | Delta Air Lines (DL) | ||
| NRT Tokyo (Narita) | Japan Airlines (JL) | ||
| NRT Tokyo (Narita) | China Eastern Airlines (MU) | ||
| NRT Tokyo (Narita) | All Nippon Airways (NH) | ||
| OKA Okinawa (Naha) | Juneyao Airlines (HO) | ¥44,991〜 | Search → |
| OKA Okinawa (Naha) | Japan Airlines (JL) | ||
| OKA Okinawa (Naha) | China Eastern Airlines (MU) | ||
| SDJ Sendai | Air China (CA) | Search → | |
| SDJ Sendai | All Nippon Airways (NH) |
📡
Internet reality in China
Google, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, X, ChatGPT, and most Western news sites are blocked. Set up your VPN and test it BEFORE you fly — installing one inside China is much harder.