Shanghai · Visitor Guide
The Bund (外滩, Wàitān)
The Bund is Shanghai's iconic waterfront, a 1.5 km stretch of historic European buildings along the western bank of the Huangpu River. From here, you can see the dramatic contrast of colonial Art Deco architecture against Pudong's futuristic skyline across the water.
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Quick Answer
Is The Bund worth visiting?
1.5 km waterfront promenade facing Pudong's skyscrapers. Best at sunset. Free, 24/7.
Quick facts
| Ticket | Free to walk. River cruise: ¥120 (day) / ¥180 (night). Huangpu River ferry: ¥2. |
|---|---|
| Hours | 24/7. Best at sunset (sunset times vary by season) and evening (skyscraper lights on 19:00-22:00). |
| Recommended duration | 30 min to 2 hours depending on pace. |
| Best time to visit | Sunset to 21:00 when the Pudong skyline is illuminated. |
| How to get there | East Nanjing Road station (Metro Line 2/10). Nanjing East station (Metro Line 2). |
| English signage | yes |
| Wheelchair accessible | yes |
| Length | 1.5 km |
| Historic buildings | 52 (colonial era 1910s-1930s) |
| Pudong skyscrapers visible | Shanghai Tower (632m), Jin Mao, Shanghai World Financial Center |
| Also known as | Waitan (外滩) — "Outer Beach" |
What to expect
The Bund was the financial center of Shanghai from the 1840s to the 1930s, when foreign concessions lined the river. The 52 surviving buildings were built between 1910 and 1937 in styles ranging from Gothic to Art Deco, earning the Bund the nickname "Wall Street of the East."
Across the river, Pudong's Lujiazui financial district was farmland in 1990. The Shanghai Tower (632m, completed 2015) is now the world's second-tallest building. The contrast of old Bund and new Pudong is Shanghai's defining image.
The Bund is a working tourist area with river cruises, museums (the Shanghai Pudong Development Bank building houses the Shanghai Museum of Urban Development), and the famous Bund Bull (a bronze statue of a bull, replica of Wall Street's Charging Bull).
How to get there
Metro Line 2/10 to East Nanjing Road station (Exit 1, walk 5 min east). Nanjing East station is on Line 2. Multiple bus lines stop along the Bund.
Best photo spots
- The view from the Bund promenade at sunset looking across to Pudong
- The viewing platform at Chen Yi Square (the Bund's central point)
- From a Huangpu River cruise boat at night
- Behind the colonial buildings, looking back at the riverside façades
Tips
- Come at sunset and stay for 30-60 min to see the buildings light up
- The north end is less crowded than the central section
- A river cruise (¥120-180, 45 min) gives a different perspective
- Walk north to the Waibaidu Bridge (the iconic steel bridge) for the classic Shanghai photo
- Visit the Peace Hotel next door — a 1929 Art Deco masterpiece
Scams to avoid
- Overpriced river cruises sold by touts (book through official channels)
- "Tea ceremony" invitations to "traditional houses" — usually lead to high-pressure sales
- Unlicensed money changers on the Bund offering bad rates
Frequently asked questions
Is the Bund worth visiting?
Yes — it's Shanghai's most iconic view. The 1.5 km waterfront is free to walk, and the contrast of colonial architecture and modern Pudong skyline is unique. Best at sunset or evening when the skyscrapers are illuminated.
What is the best time to see the Bund?
Sunset to 21:00 when the Pudong skyscrapers are illuminated. The lighting on Shanghai Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center, and Jin Mao Tower turns on at 19:00 in winter, 19:30 in summer. Avoid weekends if you dislike crowds.
How long should I spend at the Bund?
30 minutes for a quick photo stop. 1-2 hours to walk the full 1.5 km and enjoy the views. Add 45 min for a Huangpu River cruise to see the skyline from the water.
How do I get to the Bund from Pudong Airport?
Maglev train to Longyang Road (7 min), then Metro Line 2 to East Nanjing Road (45 min). Total: 60-75 min. DiDi/taxi: 45-60 min, ¥200-300.
Is the Bund accessible for wheelchairs?
Yes — the promenade is flat and wide, with accessible ramps at most entry points. Restrooms at the north and south ends. The river cruise boats are also accessible.
What is the Bund Bull?
A bronze sculpture near the south end of the Bund, a replica of the Charging Bull on Wall Street. It's a popular photo spot. The original is in New York; Shanghai's version was donated by a local investment group in 2010.
Can I see the Bund at night?
Yes — and you should. The Pudong skyline (Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower, Jin Mao Tower) is illuminated from 19:00-22:00 daily. The reflection on the Huangpu River is the most iconic Shanghai view.
Is the Bund the same as Nanjing Road?
No — they're adjacent but different. The Bund is the waterfront promenade. Nanjing Road is the main shopping street that runs perpendicular to the Bund, ending at People's Square. Walk from one to the other for a complete experience.
How much is a Huangpu River cruise?
¥120-180 for a 45-minute cruise with audio guide in English. The most scenic time is at sunset. Book at the official pier (Pudong or Bund side) or through your hotel. Avoid touts selling discounted tickets — they're often scams.
What's the difference between the Bund and Nanjing Road?
The Bund is the 1.5 km waterfront promenade along the Huangpu River, famous for colonial architecture and the Pudong skyline view. Nanjing Road is a 5 km shopping street that starts at the Bund and runs west to People's Square, divided into the East Nanjing Road (shopping) and West Nanjing Road (more local).
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A 2-hectare Ming Dynasty garden hidden inside old Shanghai — 30+ pavilions, rockeries, dragon walls, and koi ponds. Surrounded by the Yu Bazaar market. 1.5 hours. ¥40.
Shanghai Tower
632 meters — the world's third-tallest building with the highest observation deck in the world at 562 meters. 360-degree views from the 118th floor. ¥180.
Zhujiajiao Water Town
A 1,700-year-old canal town 45 minutes from Shanghai — stone bridges, boat rides, and lane food. Free entry (attractions cost extra). Half day.
French Concession
Tree-lined streets, 1920s lane houses, and Shanghai's best cafes and boutiques in the city's most walkable neighborhood. Free. Half day wandering.
Nanjing Road
5.5 km shopping street from the Bund to People's Square. Pedestrianized east section. Free. Best at night with neon lights. Historic Shanghai department stores line the route.
Shanghai Tower
World's 3rd tallest building (632m, 128 floors). Observation deck on 118th floor. Best skyline view in Asia. ¥180. 1–2 hours.
Shanghai French Concession
Shanghai's most atmospheric neighborhood — tree-lined streets, 1920s Art Deco buildings, boutiques, and cafés. Free walking area. Best explored on foot or by bike. Half day.
Shanghai Disneyland
The first Disney park on mainland China, open since June 2016 in Pudong, with the tallest Disney castle anywhere (~60 m) and rides you can't get elsewhere like TRON and the redesigned Pirates. Budget a full 10-12 hours; weekday adult tickets start at ¥475 (as of 2026).
Jade Buddha Temple
A working Buddhist monastery in Shanghai's Putuo District, built 1918-1928 around two white-jade Buddhas a monk carried home from Burma in 1882 — the seated one 1.9 m tall and nearly a tonne. Entry is free, allow 1-2 hours, and the ¥30 vegetarian noodles are the real reason locals keep coming back.
Oriental Pearl TV Tower
A 468-meter TV tower of stacked spheres with a glass-bottom corridor at 259m; budget 2-3 hours and arrive before sunset to catch both day and night views of the Pudong skyline.
Xintiandi
A car-free block of restored 1920s shikumen lane houses turned into Shanghai's priciest cafe-and-bar district. Budget 2-3 hours; entry is free but a coffee costs more than your metro ride there.
Museums in Shanghai
Shanghai Museum
China's premier museum of ancient Chinese art — bronze, ceramics, calligraphy, jade, and numismatics. Free entry at People's Square. The bronze collection is among the finest in the world.
China Art Museum
Modern and contemporary Chinese art in the striking former China Pavilion from Expo 2010. Free entry. Home of the animated digital "Along the River During the Qingming Festival."
Shanghai Science and Technology Museum
A family-oriented science museum with robot musicians, a walk-through animal world, and Shanghai's best hands-on physics exhibits — budget a full afternoon.
Shanghai Natural History Museum
10,000+ specimens in a striking biomimetic building. Dinosaur skeletons, a 140-million-year-old Mamenchisaurus, and immersive ecosystems. ¥30. Shanghai's best family museum.
Shanghai History Museum
Shanghai's journey from fishing village to 1930s "Paris of the East" — told through artifacts, photographs, and immersive street scenes. Below the Oriental Pearl Tower. Free.
China Maritime Museum
Maritime Silk Road, Zheng He's treasure ships, and a full-size Ming Dynasty junk replica inside a sail-shaped building near Dishui Lake. China's national maritime museum. ¥50.
Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre
Private collection of Mao-era propaganda posters in a basement gallery. ¥20. One of Shanghai's most distinctive small museums. A window into 20th-century Chinese political art.
Rockbund Art Museum
Contemporary art in a stunning 1933 Art Deco building on the Bund. ¥50. Rotating exhibitions by Chinese and international artists. The building rivals the art.
Long Museum West Bund
Billionaire collector Liu Yiqian's private museum on the West Bund. ¥200. Ancient to contemporary Chinese art in a stunning concrete-and-vaulted industrial building.
Power Station of Art
China's first state-run contemporary art museum, set inside a converted 1897 British-built coal-fired power plant on the Huangpu River — admission is free and 2-3 hours covers the main halls.
Long Museum (Pudong)
Two million RMB and eight years of collecting went into this private art museum in the Pudong riverfront — set aside about 2 hours and arrive before noon.
HOW Art Museum
A private contemporary art museum in Pudong with about 3,000 sqm of exhibition space, walkable in 90 minutes if you skip the gift-shop vortex.
M50 Art District
A converted 1930s wool-spinning mill on Moganshan Road now hosting 130+ artist studios and galleries; plan 2–3 hours for a real walk-through, not a quick photo stop.