China Tours from Shanghai

Shanghai is China’s biggest city (no mean feat!) with an astonishing 26 million people calling it home. Historically, Shanghai has been a port city, and during the 1930s, it flourished as a commercial and trading hub, not just for Asia, but internationally too. It has been dubbed the ‘Pearl of the Orient’ and ‘Paris of the Orient’ for its style, glamor, food, and art. Shanghai’s appeal doesn’t appear to be waning either, with many aspects of its commercial, trading, and cultural pedigree retained today. Must-see sights before making your way to visit the rest of China include The Bund, Shanghai Tower, Yuyuan Garden, and the Shikumen Museum.

Incredibly, Shanghai is one of just five cities in the world that records over 100 million air passenger traffic annually. Amazing! You can literally feel the city hum when you arrive to start your adventure. Shanghai connects to the world with flights to over 280 cities; virtually every country around the globe.

Shanghai is also an important port for international cruises, and you will find most reputable cruise companies have established operations in Shanghai. Fun fact: An international tourist group on a cruise can enjoy a 15-day visa-free entry to China if the cruise arrival port is Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal or Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal. Travelers interested in this travel option should join a tour group (minimum of two people) that has been organized by a travel company registered in China. This will permit travel to twelve provinces and cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Liaoning, Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan along with the cruise berthing schedule.

Passengers who join the tour group and do not depart China on the same cruise can apply for a 24-hour visa-free transit, then leave within the specified time. Alternatively, they can enjoy a 144-hour visa-free transit and depart China from any one of Shanghai’s airports, train stations, or cruise terminals. Travelers may also depart from Lukou Airport in Nanjing and Xiaoshan Airport in  Hangzhou.

You can also enjoy Shanghai by train because it seems China’s high-speed train network knows no bounds. Shanghai is just one of many major cities that are now connected by railway lines that have significantly reduced travel times between destinations. Be sure to enquire about your travel options when booking your vacation.

Shanghai is perfectly located for travel to gorgeous destinations like Hangzhou, Suzhou, Yunnan, Guizhou and Yangtze River. While each of these places is special in its own right, when visited as part of China tours from Shanghai, you’ll enjoy an experience of China that will remain with you as a beautiful travel memory long after you’ve arrived home.

Keep in mind too that the Shanghai-Jiangsu-Zhejiang region is open for international visitors traveling under the generous 144-hour visa-free travel policy. This means travelers can enjoy tours of Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou within the time period covered by the visa. Taking advantage of the 144-hour visa-free travel in Shanghai offers other benefits too. It means travelers can include additional destinations on their wish list. Providing tourists don’t go any further than these destinations, which include Suzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Wuxi, Wuzhen, Nanxun and many other cities in Zhejiang and the Jiangsu Provinces, there is the chance to become deeply immersed in the region and discover what makes it truly special

Ready to launch? Let’s get you on your way! Reach out to our team of specialist tour designers today.