Shanghai

If you intend to stay in Shanghai for more than a few days the Shanghai Jiaotong Card (http://www.sptcc.com/) 上海公共交通卡 is a must. You can load the card with money and use it in buses, the metro and even taxis, saving the hassle of buying tickets at each metro station and keeping change for buses and taxis. You can get these cards at any metro/subway station, as well as some convenience stores like Alldays and KeDi Marts. These come in regular, mini, and "strap" size the latter being made for hanging on mobile phones, with various limited editions available for each. Only regular-sized cards can be loaded at machines with a few exceptions, mainly at line 6/8 stations which have a special type of recharge machine made to take all sizes of cards and only in multiples of ¥50 or ¥100 this applies to the big blue machines- certain smaller machines mostly located in line 8 stations will accept any bills the service counter will as well as most sizes of SPTC. Most likely you will need to go to the service counter to recharge if you have an irregularly-shaped card or you want to recharge in multiples of ¥10 or ¥20.

Also, this card allows you to transfer lines at Yishan Rd, Shanghai Train Station, and Hongkou Football Stadium stations, as well as discounts for bus<->bus and metro<->bus transfer the fare is discounted ¥1 each time you transfer.

By taxi

Taxi "出租车" chūzūchē or choo-tzoo-chuh is a good choice for transportation in the city, especially during off-peak hours. It is affordable ¥14 for the first 3 km, ¥2.4/km up to 10 km, and ¥3.5/km after; when wheels aren't rolling, time is also tracked and billed but first 5 min. are free; a ¥1 fuel surcharge is also applied and saves you time, but try to get your destination in Chinese characters or available on a map as communication can be an issue. Flagfall starts at ¥18 after 11PM. As Shanghai is a huge city, try to get the nearest intersection to your destination as well since even addresses in Chinese are often useless. Most drivers do not speak English or any other foreign languages, so be sure to have the address of your destination written in Chinese to show the taxi driver but should you forget, there is a phone number displayed in the back of the taxi you'll need a mobile phone for this. Dial the number and tell the agent where you want to go English is the only foreign language offered currently. The agent will then, on your behalf, explain where you wish to go. The agent will even find out the address of bars and other spots for you if applicable and this service has very good remarks. If without a mobile phone, try to get a business card of your destination or of something nearby.

Drivers, while generally honest, are sometimes genuinely clueless and occasionally out to take you for a ride. The drivers are very good about using the meter but in case they forget, remind them. It's also the law to provide a receipt for the rider but if your fare seems out of line, be sure to obtain one as it's necessary to receive any compensation. If you feel you have been cheated or mistreated by the driver, you or a Chinese-speaking friend can use the information on the printed receipt to raise a complaint to the taxi company about that particular driver. The driver will be required to pay 3x the fare if ordered by the taxi company so normally they're very good about taking the appropriate route. The printed receipt is also useful to contact the driver in case you have forgotten something in the taxi and need to get it back.

If you come across a row of parked taxis and have a choice of which one to get in to, you may wish to check the driver's taxi ID card that is posted next to or near the meter on the dash in front of the front passenger seat. The higher the number, the newer the driver, thus the likelihood that your driver will not know where he or she is going. Taxi driver ID numbers between 10XXXX and 12XXXX are likely to be the most experienced drivers just make sure to match the picture on the ID card with that of the driver. A number of 27XXXX to 29XXXX is probably going to get you lost somewhere. Another way is to check the number of stars the driver has. These are displayed below the driver's photograph on the dashboard in front of the passenger seat. The amount of stars indicates the length of time the driver has been in the taxi business and the level of positive feedback received from customers, and range from zero stars to five. Drivers with one star or more should know all major locations in Shanghai, and those with three stars should be able to recognize even lesser-known addresses. Remember that it takes time to build up these stars, and so don't panic if you find yourself with a driver who doesn't have any - just have them assure you that they know where they are going and you should be fine.

If you need to cross from one side of the Huangpu River to the other by taxi, especially from Pudong 浦东 to Puxi 浦西, you may want to make sure your driver will make the trip, and knows where he or she is going. Some drivers only know their side of the town and will be as lost as you are once they leave their side of town. Taxis are notoriously difficult to get on rainy days and during peak traffic hours, so plan your journeys accordingly. As the crossings between Pudong 浦东 and Puxi 浦西 are often jammed with traffic, taking a taxi may be a more expensive and less time-efficient alternative to using the Metro to cross. It may be better to take the Metro between both sides, and then catch a taxi on the side that your final destination is on.

Taxi colors in Shanghai are strictly controlled and indicate the company the taxi belongs to. Turquoise taxis operated by Dazhong 大众, the largest group, are often judged the best of the bunch. Another good taxi company, Qiangsheng 强生, uses gold-colored taxis. The other large companies include Jinjiang 锦江, which uses white taxis and Bashi 巴士, which uses light green taxis. Watch out for dark red/maroon taxis, since this is the 'default' color of small taxi companies and includes more than its fair share of bad apples. Also private owned taxis You can recognize them easily as they have an 'X' in their number plate and may not be the standard Volkswagen Santana used by most taxi companies are among them. The dark red/maroon taxis will also go "off the meter" at times and charge rates 4x-5x the normal rate - especially around the tourist areas of the Yuyuan Gardens. Bright red taxis and blue taxis, on the other hand, are unionized and quite OK, furthermore there are more 3-star and above taxi drivers working for these companies. The bright orange taxis cover suburban areas only and are not allowed within the "city" area, but their meters start at ¥11 and count at ¥2.4/km no matter how long the journey so they're somewhat cheaper if you're not trying to get downtown rule of thumb- if you're trying to go somewhere within the Outer Ring highway, don't get one, but if your journey ends just within it you may be able to find a driver willing to bend the rules. Also of note is the "Expo taxis"- the Volkswagen Tourans and Buick Lacrosses. Those are the only taxis allowed to travel to the Expo area. Nowadays it's a gamble whether you get one or not; most companies don't have a way to separately ask for one when making a phone booking, so don't rely on having one.

Always try to avoid using ¥100-bills to pay for short rides. Taxi drivers are not keen on giving away their change, and it is not uncommon to get counterfeit smaller notes for change. Taxis are very hard to come by during peak hours and when it's raining so be prepared to wait for a while or walk to a busy pick-up location. Foreign visitors might be surprised at the "lack" of courtesy or lines while waiting for a taxi, so don't be afraid to "jump in" and get one--it's first come, first serve. There are some taxi stops where attendants maintain a well-ordered line; this may be the fastest way to get a taxi in a busy part of town, but there are not very many of them, so expect to walk a ways to get to one.

By ship

A useful ferry runs between the Bund from a ferry pier a few blocks south of Nanjing Road next to the KFC restaurant and Lujiazui financial district in Pudong the terminal is about 10 minutes south of the Pearl TV Tower and Lujiazui metro station and is the cheapest way of crossing the river at ¥2 per person. The ferry is air-conditioned and allows foot-passengers only bikes are not allowed except for folding models. Buy a token from the ticket kiosk and then insert it into the turnstile to enter the waiting room - the boats run every 10 minutes and take just over 5 minutes to cross the river. This is a great and much cheaper alternative to using the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel. However, the ferry stations are not directly connected to the public transport so you need to walk a bit.

By bus

The bus system is cheaper and much more extensive than the Metro, and some routes even operate past the closing time of the Metro route numbers beginning with 3 are the night buses that run past 11PM. It is however slower in general, and all route information at bus stops is in Chinese, but here (http://msittig.wubi.org/bus/) is a handy list of bus routes and stops in English. Once inside the bus, there are English announcements. Most buses do not require any conversation with a driver and/or conductor, while others depend on you knowing your destination and the conductor charging you accordingly. For the latter, pay the conductor directly and you'll get a paper ticket and change, if any. The former bus types do not have a conductor but instead a driver only; there is a fixed price for the route, usually ¥2 and the buses are air-conditioned ¥1.5 on increasingly rare routes running on old buses without; check the bus itself as some routes have a mix of air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned buses. Prepare exact change beforehand and drop it into the container next to the driver. It's best to have exact fare or go to a convenience store if needing change, otherwise you may depend on stating your situation to the driver or other passengers. If you change buses with an SPTC you will get a ¥1 discount on your second bus fare and all subsequent transfers; there is a 90-minute window to do this on so if you're not spending too much time at the destination your transfer discount will apply to the start of your return journey too.

By Metro

You can buy metro cards at many stations ¥20 deposit, recharge machines take ¥50 and ¥100 notes. Shanghai Public Transportation Card can be used for one time by overdraft when you take buses, subway trains or ferries. The overdraft should be less than ¥8. Only ordinary cards can be returned. If your ordinary Shanghai Public Transportation Card is complete and clean, it can be recalled and the deposit can be returned to you. The balance on the card can be immediately returned if it is less than ¥10. If the balance on your card is between ¥10 and ¥2,000, invoice should be taken to ask for the return of money; however, a 5% handling fee will be charged. Some subway stations have special offices for the returning of Shanghai Public Transportation Cards. These stations include:Line 1 - Hanzhong Rd, Hengshan Rd, Jinjiang Park;Line 2 - Jiangsu Rd, E Nanjing Rd, Century Park, Songhong Rd;Line 3 - Dongbaoxing Rd, Zhenping Rd, Caoxi Rd, North Jiangyang Rd;Line 4 - Yangshupu Rd.

Shanghai Public Transportation Card Service Center, No 609, Jiujiang Rd, M-F 9:30AM-6:30PM, Sa Su 9:30AM-4:30PM.

The fast-growing Shanghai Metro (http://www.shmetro.com/En...) network has 12 lines with another 7 under construction and expansions to existing lines, with nearly all lines operating underground Line 3 operates above ground. The Metro is fast, cheap, air conditioned and fairly user-friendly with most signs and station arrival announcements bilingual in Mandarin and English, but the trains can get packed during rush hour. Fares range from ¥3-9 depending on distance. There are also one-day cards available which can be purchased for ¥18 24 hours valid after their first use. Automatic ticket vending machines take ¥1 or ¥0.5 coins and notes and have instructions in English. Most stations on lines 1-3 will also have staff selling tickets, but on the newly-completed lines 6, 8, and 9 ticket purchasing is all done by machine in both Chinese and English with staff there only to assist in adding credit to cards or if something goes wrong. You can transfer between lines freely with a single ticket except at Shanghai Railway Station, Hongkou Football Stadium, and Yishan Lu where a subway pass/Shanghai public transportation card is required for transfer. Metro rides can be paid for using use Shanghai's public transportation card non-contact. Be careful; certain stations exist on two different lines with the same name but are located in different places Yishan Lu- Line 3/9 and line 4 are now linked together by stairs only; Pudian Lu- line 4 and line 6; go to either Century Ave or Lancun Lu to transfer between these lines; Hongkou Football Stadium, Line 3 and 8- transfer is only possible with a Metro pass.

If there are seats available but more passengers boarding than seats, be prepared to see a mad dash literally as passengers wrestle for the available seats. This is the norm so move quickly if you want a seat. Be mindful of pickpockets who may use this rush to their advantage.

By bike

For locals, bicycles are slowly being eclipsed by electric scooters but they still remain an easy means of transportation for visitors who may be hesitant to communicate with drivers or board crowded mass transit--or simply to soak up some sunshine. Go to Baoshan Metro station and get a vintage bicycle for approx ¥300; they are also easily found for sale on the street around Suzhou Creek or in the residential part of the old town.Beware of the driving habits of locals: the biggest vehicles have the priority and a red light does not mean you are safe to cross the street.Bicycles and mopeds are not allowed on many major roads signs designate this, as well as in the tunnels and on the bridges between Pudong and Puxi the only way to cross is by ferry.

By Scooter/E-Bike

Whilst motorcycle rental is practically non-existent, for long-term visitors e-bikes and scooters are a cheap, fast, practical way of getting around. E-bikes don't require a driving license and are cheaper, but only have a short battery range about 50 km and a low top speed, and are a frequent target of thieves. A cheap e-bike can be picked up from any major supermarket - expect to pay around ¥1500-2500 for a new model. Small shops also sell converted e-bikes motor scooters converted to run on electricity which are more expensive but are faster, more comfortable and have longer battery ranges. 50cc motorcycles require registration but don't require a drivers license, whilst anything bigger will require a driving license. Motorcycles can be bought from used-bike dealers mostly located in residential working class neighbourhoods - a used 50cc moped will be about ¥2000 whilst a 125cc will cost a lot more depending on condition and mileage. If you plan on riding a motorcycle, stick to automatic transmission scooters as they are much easier to ride in dense traffic than a manually-geared bike.

Motorcycles are expected to use the bicycle lane and cross intersections via pedestrian traffic lights, which is often quicker when car traffic reaches a standstill. Be careful, particularly at night, of people riding with their headlights off or riding on the wrong side of the road - remember that e-bikes don't require any driving license and therefore drivers often flout traffic laws and take creative but dangerous paths through traffic. Parking is easy - most sidewalks serve as bike-parking, although in quiet streets you may risk getting your bike stolen so make sure you have a couple of good locks. At busy places there are attended bike parks that charge around ¥0.5-1 per day.

By car

Driving is definitely not recommended in Shanghai for a variety of reasons, even for those with driving experience in the country. Not only do you have to cope with a very complex road system and seemingly perpetual traffic jams, but also Chinese driving habits and ongoing construction. In addition, parking spaces are rare and almost impossible to find. Bicycles, scooters and pedestrians are also all over the place--a city with a real metropolitan feel. It is also not unheard of for cyclists, motorcyclists or pedestrians to suddenly dash in front of a car without any warning. In short, do not drive if you can help it and make use of Shanghai's excellent public transportation network instead.See also Driving_in_China.

By Sightseeing Tunnel

A bit of a misnomer, as the entire journey is underground and doesn't reveal any real sights of the city. This is the fastest way of crossing between the Bund in Puxi and the Pearl TV Tower in Pudong but also the most expensive ¥45 one way/¥60 return and is essentially a tourist trap--but may also be a good bet for the directionally-challenged or those struggling to find a taxi during rush hour. Glass pods running on train tracks take a few minutes to run through a tunnel under the Huangpu River lined with a psychedelic light show and some bizarre commentary in English and Chinese. After arriving you'll be dropped off in a hall full of tourist-trap shops, which should come as no surprise since the entrance is a few meters from the TV Tower and is by no means a practical mode of transportation for locals. Avoid if possible - it's a very tacky experience - unless you're prepared to spend some cash to look at some flashing lights instead of walking 5 min to the south and taking the aforementioned ferry or walking 5 min west to Nanjing East Rd subway station and taking the Metro. On the other hand, it is also significantly less packed than either of those during peak hours.