The Shanghai World Financial Center is a skyscraper nicknamed 'the bottle opener'. Money and prices in Shanghai

Before my arrival in Shanghai, I had been in China for more than a week, so it seemed that little could surprise me. However, already on the way from the airport to the hotel, I realized that this city was not like anything I had seen before. It was as if I had mixed up flights and landed somewhere in the wrong place.

After gray communist Beijing, dirty and stuffy Guangzhou and provincial Shanghai became a breathtaking place for me fresh air. Looking at the architecture, people, shops, cars, I began to understand why this city is called the “Window on external world" and "East Paris". It’s probably true that East and West meet each other somewhere here. It seemed to me that even time in Shanghai felt different, and the usual Eurocentric picture of the world was becoming a thing of the past.

How to get there

Of course, the best way to get from Moscow or St. Petersburg to Shanghai is by plane. You probably can’t think of a more reasonable way to cover approximately 7,000 kilometers. In this case, it makes sense to think about ground transport only for residents of the Far East, but it is worth remembering that you will have to make a transfer (or even more than one) in Beijing or northern Chinese cities, because PThere is no direct rail or even bus service along this route.

By plane

Most best option flight – direct flight without transfers. Two airlines fly from Moscow almost daily on this route: Aeroflot and China Eastern Airlines. In both cases, the departure is from Sheremetyevo, and we arrive at Pudong International Airport, which is located 30 kilometers from the city center. Flights from China Easten Airlines and VIM Avia fly non-stop from St. Petersburg.

Travel time will average nine hours, so stock up on music and books. Ticket prices in economy class range from approximately 45,000 to 90,000 rubles for flights from Moscow and from 70,000 rubles for flights from St. Petersburg. From personal experience I can say that you won’t be able to fly there and back for less than 50,000 rubles. The sooner you take care of your tickets, the higher your chances of saving. Price options for the dates you are interested in can be viewed at.

The option of a flight with a transfer looks tempting, since the cost of such tickets is two times lower. However, not everyone will like the idea of ​​spending almost a day on the road. Typically, most connecting flights fly through or Guangzhou.

The most convenient way to get from Pudong Airport to the center is in three ways:

• Metro: Line 2 (green) runs through the city center and connects two airports - Pudong and Hongxiao. Pudong International Airport station is located right at the airport, it is very convenient, but along the way you will have to change at Guanglan Road station (you will be reminded about this in Chinese and English in the carriage).
• Maglev Train: This is something like our Aeroexpress, only several times faster. In about ten minutes, the miracle train will take you to the Longyang Road metro station, from where you can continue your journey by subway, bus or taxi. Tickets cost 7.5 USD or 50 yuan (15 USD or 100 yuan in business class).
• Taxi: The best option, in my opinion, for those who value their time and nerves. Taxi stands are located at the exits of the terminal. The cost of the trip will cost you approximately 19 USD or 130 yuan (landing 14 yuan, then 2.4 yuan for each kilometer).

By train

For those who prefer the romance of long journeys accompanied by the sound of wheels, getting to Shanghai will be very difficult.

If you are coming from Moscow, you can take train 043 - or 020 - Vostok, which departs from Yaroslavsky Station. Travel time – 6 days 2 hours. Ticket prices start from 29,000 rubles (according to the Russian Railways website).

In Beijing you will have to change trains: either to the modern high-speed train G1, or to a regular train in a compartment or reserved seat. In the first case, you will be in Shanghai in 5-6 hours, but will spend a decent amount on tickets (92 USD, or 574 yuan), in the second - in 15-20 hours, but will save money (tickets cost from 44 USD, or 300 yuan) and gain unforgettable impressions from Chinese long-distance trains. No one has yet been left indifferent by the three-story reserved seat carriages, saturated with the smell of freshly brewed noodles. By the way, bed linen on Chinese trains is changed only once, at the final station, so if the train is passing through, do not rely on the freshness and cleanliness of your sleeping place.

Another important point: these trains go through Mongolia (043 for sure, but Vostok may go bypass, you need to check when buying tickets), so you will need a transit visa for this country.

You also need to know that return train tickets can only be purchased at Chinese railway ticket offices.

By bus

The bus route looks about the same as the train route. For example, from Vladivostok or Ussuriysk there are bus services to Harbin, Suifenhe or Hunchun. Tickets cost around 2000-3000 thousand rubles, travel time is 7-10 hours. However, getting from these cities to Shanghai is not very easy. In some cases, you will have to make additional transfers or even change the type of transport along the way. Most affordable option– train Harbin – Shanghai, which takes about 30 hours and costs about 90 USD or 600 yuan for a seat in a reserved seat.

In general, a bus trip to Shanghai can be classified as extreme tourism.

Clue:

Shanghai - the time is now

Hour difference:

Moscow − 5

Kazan − 5

Samara − 4

Ekaterinburg − 3

Novosibirsk − 1

Vladivostok 2

When is the season? When is the best time to go

The ideal time of year to travel to Shanghai, in my opinion and in the opinion of my friends who have lived in this city for many years, would be spring. The weather during this period is simply excellent: the hellish cold is already behind us, and the inferno has not yet arrived. And there are not so many tourists, because the season of vacations and mass pilgrimages of foreigners to the Celestial Empire begins in June.

Shanghai in summer

Most tourists come to Shanghai in the summer. And they make a big mistake. It is clear that many people are starting their holidays, and it is simply not possible to do this at any other time. But if you have the opportunity to choose other months to travel, take advantage of it. Summer Shanghai is a glass-concrete capsule of twenty-four million people that melts in indescribable heat 24 hours a day.

Sometimes it’s simply impossible to be outside. Plus, the already bad air becomes even dirtier and unbearable, so you are unlikely to part with your gauze mask. And, of course, you will fully experience unique smell China, which will remain in your memories for a long time.

Shanghai in autumn

If you decide to travel to Shanghai in the fall, the best time to do so is in late September and October. True, it can ruin someone’s mood frequent rains, but as for me, walking in rainy weather is even more interesting: the city becomes somehow especially cozy and hospitable.

Shanghai in spring

As already mentioned, it is spring that will make your trip to Shanghai as comfortable and unforgettable as possible. The warmth comes very early here; nature begins to awaken already in mid-February. In March, sakura blooms in the Garden of Joy, and in May everyone is already wearing shorts.

Shanghai in winter

The first thing you need to know about China: this country does not have central system heating as such. Neither in the south nor in the impossibly cold north will you find a single battery. The only source of heat in the rooms are ordinary air conditioners, which are set to warm mode. Therefore, in this country (with the exception, perhaps, of the southernmost cities with a subtropical climate), winter is a real torture for the body.

I had a chance to visit Shanghai in winter. It was December, but during my stay in the city the weather was unusually warm. I even had to put away my winter clothes because it was downright hot in my boots. But this is pure luck. Because Shanghai is usually very cold and damp in winter. Due to the increased humidity, temperatures below +5 feel like bitter frost. Naturally, this discourages any desire to go outside. All in all, winter period, it seems to me, not best time for a trip to Shanghai if your goal is to visit as many attractions as possible and walk around the city from morning to evening.

Shanghai - weather by month

Clue:

Shanghai - weather by month

Districts. Where is the best place to live?

As a guide, one of the central tourist destinations is People's Square (marked in purple). The eastern shore - Pudong (marked in red) - may be interesting for its legendary skyscrapers and business centers. This is one of the most expensive areas to live, so I would not recommend it for accommodation.

When choosing housing in Shanghai, I recommend not acting according to the principle far/close from the center, and navigate exclusively using the metro map. The metro will be the most convenient and cheapest way to travel around the city, and having decided on the route for exploring Shanghai, you can easily choose the line that is most convenient for you. Even if your hotel is not located in the historical center, but within walking distance from a metro station, you can reach anywhere in the city in a few minutes.

Personally, I stayed at a hotel called Tian Lin Hotel, which is located a 15-minute walk from Guilin Road Subway Station (Line 9). This is not the center-center, but not the outskirts either (the location of the hotel on the map is marked with a black arrow in the lower left corner). In my opinion, great option in terms of price-quality ratio. I got to the center in about 30 minutes (including the walk to the metro), which suited me quite well. There were many shops and restaurants nearby, as well as a huge Walmart and fruit stands.

Strange fact: in China, the rooms of almost all hotels (at least in those where I have been, and I have lived in more than 15 hotels of different levels) have a glass wall in the shower. That is, the wall that separates the sleeping space from the bathroom is transparent, so all your bath procedures will be visible to your roommate. It is quite difficult to find any reasonable explanation for this phenomenon. Therefore, if you will be sharing a room with someone, think about this to avoid discomfort.

What are the prices for holidays?

Usually, when Russian tourists come to Moscow, they are most pleasantly surprised by the prices. So, this does not apply to Shanghai. This is one of the most expensive cities in the world, so don’t expect that here you can buy things or equipment for almost nothing, because the cost of goods and services is almost the same as in Russia. This injustice is especially felt in Lately in conditions of rising exchange rates.

Housing

If we talk about housing, the price range here will be approximately the same as in Moscow. An average hotel can cost 30-60 USD or 200-400 yuan per night. You can rent an apartment in a more or less decent area for about 1,000 USD or 6,000-7,000 yuan per month. A room for 500-600 USD or 3,500-4,000 yuan per month. For a shorter period, the price will, of course, be cheaper, but not enough to please you.

Transport

To save on transport, I strongly recommend taking the metro. The cost of the trip depends on the length of the route and starts from 0.5 USD or 3 yuan. If you take a taxi, be aware that the fixed price for boarding is 2 USD or 14 yuan. Next, according to the meter, 0.35 USD or 2.4 yuan for each kilometer. A cunning taxi driver can take you the longest way, and then your trip will cost a pretty penny.

Food

Prices for products in supermarkets are quite decent. Except that fruits may seem expensive (1.5-3 USD or 10-20 yuan). By the way, be careful: in China the price of fruits and vegetables is indicated per 500 grams, not per kilogram. Therefore, if you see an attractive price tag, do not rush to rejoice, but multiply the number by two.

The average check in a cafe will cost 4-7 USD or 20-50 yuan, in more expensive restaurants - from 12 USD or 80 yuan. Water in the store costs about 30 cents, or 2 yuan, noodles, tofu and cookies - 1-2 USD or 3-7 yuan and above.

Clue:

Cost of food, accommodation, transportation and other things

Currency: Rubles, rub. Dollars, $ Euro, €

Main attractions. What to see

It seems to me that it will take at least a week to see even the main attractions of Shanghai. Below I will try to list the most frequently visited places by tourists, which will best help to create an approximate portrait of the city in all its diversity.

Top 5

Churches and temples. Which ones are worth visiting?

Museums. Which ones are worth visiting?

There are several dozen museums in Shanghai, so listing them all would be crazy. Among this diversity, I would highlight the following, in my opinion, the most interesting places:

Among museums with a narrow focus, I would highlight:

Parks

There are a lot of parks in Shanghai, but I would call only a few of them worthy of visiting:

Tourist streets

In addition to the Nanjing Street already mentioned above, I advise you to visit the French Quarter. This is a very beautiful area where you can have a wonderful evening and relax. Here is Huaihai Street (formerly called Joffre Avenue), which was once called Russian, since after the revolution of 1917 Russian white emigrants settled there.

Today this place is quite glamorous, with many expensive (and very expensive) shops and cozy cafes. Huaihai is often compared to the Champs Elysees in Paris and Fifth Avenue in New York. Being in this place, you travel through time and space, since the atmosphere here is absolutely European. The most convenient way to get to the French Quarter is by subway: Line 1, Xujianhui Station.

What to see in 1 day

I don’t envy those tourists who have only one day allotted for sightseeing in Shanghai. In this case, I would advise you to decide on the direction of your mini-review: shopping, walking, historical sites, museums... Because it will be incredibly difficult to cover everything at once. As an option, I suggest the following route:

• Morning: Zoo/Oceanarium/Temple/Museum. Depending on your interests. You need to understand that any of the points will take at least 3 hours, so start your tourist marathon better than a watch at 9 am (earlier, most likely, everything will be closed). By the way, the Shanghai Oceanarium (Lujiazui metro station, line 2) is not a cheap pleasure (24 USD or 160 yuan), but it’s worth it.
• Dinner: People's Square + Nanjing Street/Museum/Park. During lunchtime, you can go to busy, crowded places to eat and shop. At this time, you will not be very tired, so you will have energy for shopping or a walk in the park. Perhaps you will have time to drop by one of the museums in the city center. You will have to spend at least 4 hours on this part of the route.
• Evening: Embankment/Skyscraper Observation Deck/French Quarter/Shopping centers. I recommend leaving walks along the embankment and panoramic views of the city for the evening: at this time the city is transformed thanks to its unique lighting. In the evening, you should also definitely wander along the pedestrian streets, try exotic kebabs, look into the shops and stock up on souvenirs.

What to see in the area

If you have a free day and are easy-going, you can go to the famous City on the Water throughout Asia - Zhujiajiao. This is real Eastern, you can’t call it anything else. Here you can take a boat tour or wander along the canals on foot.

It is located in 50 kilometers from the center of Shanghai. You can get there by bus from Shanghai Stadium Subway Station (Line 5).

Food. What to try

In cafes and restaurants in Shanghai you will find almost all the same dishes of traditional Chinese cuisine as in any other city. Meat, fish and tofu in a million different sauces, dim sum and baozi, rice noodles... There are a lot of interesting things to read about Chinese food.

My absolute favorite in Shanghai is Malatan or "spicy soup" Do it yourself" as I call him. It can be found in special cafes, where all the ingredients of the future dish lie in front of you. You take a bowl and put in everything that you want to see on your plate: tofu, meat, fish, herbs, vegetables, noodles... Then you hand it over to the cook and after 15-20 minutes you enjoy a hot and satisfying lunch. There are a lot of such restaurants both on the street and in shopping centers. The price of such a dish depends on the weight of the ingredients: mine cost 3-5 USD or 20-30 yuan, and it ended up being a very large portion, so I couldn’t even finish it all. Be careful as the dish is very spicy!

Also be sure to try the street kebabs. It will be scary the first time, but then you will get hooked and won’t be able to live without them. I advise you to pay attention to the eggplant kebab. A huge purple vegetable is fried whole, generously sprinkled with spices, it is very tasty. The price of a kebab is approximately 1 USD or 2-3 yuan.

Finally, my biggest gastronomic discovery related to Shanghai is sweets. Before the trip, many people scared me that in China there are no sweets at all, and what is available is disgusting and inedible. Well, this turned out to be untrue. Shanghai is generally considered the sweetest city in China. And these sweets, like many things in this country, are quite unique, but memorable. However, to some they may not seem so appetizing, because the taste and color, as you know... But, if you have a sweet tooth like me, start with halva. It was a real delight for me. Chinese halva is completely different from oriental halva; it crumbles like sand, so you need to eat it with a spoon. It is made from nut powder and rice flour and does not taste very sweet. But for me this was a big plus, oddly enough, since I don’t like it when dessert squeaks sugar on my teeth. And Chinese sweets in this sense were ideal, not at all cloying.

In addition to halva, I advise you to try sachima, which resembles the Tatar chak-chak in appearance and taste, as well as fruit pastilles, rice cookies, crackers, corn candies, and brushwood. The only thing I recommend giving up is chocolate. He really is very disgusting.

To be honest, when choosing a place for a snack or a full lunch, I don’t trust guidebooks, but my intuition. And she has never let me down yet. There are so many establishments in Shanghai that it is quite difficult to single out at least a few of the very best. If you see that the cafe is full of people, everything is more or less clean and decent, then most likely the place is normal. You can almost always eat safely and tasty in shopping mall food courts.

Budget

• Jia Jia Tang Bao,
• Yang's Fried Dumplings,
• FuChun XiaoLong,
• Din Tai Fung.

Mid-level

• Shanghai Haidilao Hot Pot,
• ShangHai DiShuiDOng,
• xibo,
• Lost Heaven on the Bund,
• Lotus Eatery.

Expensive

• Scena,
• Lao Zheng Xing,
• Hakkasan,
• Bund 18
• Xian Qian Fang-Yong An.

Holidays

Among the local holidays, one can perhaps highlight the Shanghai Tourism Festival. It runs from mid-September to early October. This is a very colorful event: carnival, fireworks, food fair, dancing, theater, circus. This is such an ode to Chinese culture. By the way, it is quite popular among tourists.

The most important holiday, of course, is New Year or Spring Festival, which is celebrated in China at the end of January - beginning of February. It is curious that the Chinese also celebrate Catholic Christmas: streets, shops, and restaurants have been decorated with festive symbols since December, and massive sales begin in shopping centers.

You can learn more about New Year traditions and other Chinese holidays at.

Safety. What to watch out for

On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate Shanghai's safety as a 9, leaving 1 for drunk tourists and foreign students. In Shanghai, even a lonely girl can calmly walk around the city at three o’clock in the morning, without fear of being attacked by a maniac or robber. Severe Chinese laws provide for very harsh penalties for any crimes, especially against foreigners (up to and including the death penalty). The only thing I advise is to keep your ears open daytime days in busy areas, as small ones can operate there thieves And pickpockets, which are almost impossible to catch.

Things to do

If museums and temples are clearly not your thing and you prefer active exploration of the present to admiring the past, then Shanghai will not disappoint you. The most popular type of entertainment for tourists, of course, will be the shopping run. This is exactly what many people go to for, looking at the historical sights and cultural monuments along the way.

For those who want to appreciate the nightlife of this metropolis, fun is also guaranteed. Because Shanghai never sleeps, and you won’t be bored at any time of the day.

Shopping and shops

• All the largest shopping centers located on Nanjing Road. There are so many shops here that, in principle, you don’t have to go anywhere else. The most famous and most-most shopping center is Shanghai No. 1 Department Store. There are 11 floors of shopping arcades at your service, where you can buy absolutely everything.

• Considered the coolest shopping center Pacific Plaza(Xujiahui Subway Lines 1 and 9). Shopping here is quite expensive. The shopping center features mainly European luxury brands.
• My favorite shopping center in Shanghai would be Global Harbor(Jinshajiang Road Subway Lines 3 and 4). This is, in general, an ordinary shopping center, not even in the center, but I always had good shopping there.

For those who really want a handbag from Chanel and Louis Vuitton, but are not ready to pay several thousand yuan for it, there are markets. This is where you can find some pretty good replicas of products. famous brands. However, I must warn you that everything here is individual. For example, I was unable to buy almost anything in Chinese markets, because the prices seemed too high to me and I was not ready to pay a lot of money for such quality. Among the largest markets I would highlight Fake Market(Technology Museum metro station, line 2). Don't hesitate to bargain! If you really like something, bargain like it was the last time! It is very important. For example, I managed to reduce the price from 50 USD to 11 (from 350 yuan to 80). It’s possible to get an item at a price that’s two or three times less than the price listed!

Sales in Shanghai take place mainly on the eve of major holidays. The most pleasant discounts can be obtained during the New Year period.

Bars. Where to go

For those who cannot imagine their holiday without hot parties, Shanghai has an ideal area in this regard, where most of the city’s nightlife establishments are concentrated.

This is the block Xintiandi(Xintiandi metro line 10). Located in the very center of Shanghai, not far from People's Square. Fun is in full swing here around the clock, a lot of stylish bars and in general it’s a pretty atmospheric place.

In general, Shanghai bars are almost no different from Russian or European ones. Alcohol flows like a river, the fun does not subside until dawn, the range of drinks is almost the same as everywhere else, but the most popular of them is beer. The Chinese drink it a lot. The price range fluctuates around 50-100 USD for an average check in an average bar.

Great bars:

• Bar ROUGE,
• Da-Da
• Jazz Club at the Peace Hotel,
• Cloud 9,
• DR Bar.

Clubs and nightlife

Most nightclubs are located in the city center. The presence of a dress code depends on the specific location: most often it is established in very expensive and famous establishments that are visited by celebrities and important people. If you are a person with a European appearance, you can rest assured: you will be allowed in always and everywhere, no matter who you are. It just so happens that the “laowai” or “foreigner” in China enjoys great respect and all sorts of privileges.

Great clubs:

• M1nt,
• Archam,
• Babylon
• Modu,
• Lola.

Souvenirs. What to bring as a gift

The first thing I would advise you to bring as a souvenir is sweets. Each region of China is characterized by certain food preferences, so all the sweet tooths have gathered in Shanghai. Here you can find a lot of interesting things even in ordinary supermarkets.

Most candies and cookies are made from rice flour, and many confectionery products are flavored with green tea. On Nanjing Street there are shops where you can find sweet gifts in bright and original packaging. If you are planning a trip to another city in China after Shanghai and are hoping to buy something similar there, you will be sorely disappointed. Many delicious and unusual sweet souvenirs can only be found in Shanghai. Tested by personal experience.

Girls may want to buy themselves a traditional Chinese women's dress - qipao. Shanghai is very big choice these robes, but such an outfit costs a lot of money. Chinese women advise buying qipao in Suzhou. This city is 30 minutes by high-speed train from Shanghai.

Otherwise, Shanghai is quite predictable in terms of souvenirs. Teas, fans, coins, jade jewelry... You can read about what is better to bring or not to bring from China

How to get around the city

In addition to land and underground transport, you can also move around the center of Shanghai by water. Ferries operate on the Huangpu River from the pier at the Bund to the pier near the financial center in Pudong. Ticket cost is about 50 cents or 2-3 yuan. So in an interesting way you can get from one bank to the other in just 5 minutes.

Taxi. What features exist

To take a taxi in Shanghai, you can either ask to book one at the hotel reception, or go outside and hail a taxi yourself. If you decide to vote, remember that the free taxi has a green checker. If you see one, try to attract the driver's attention. If the checker is not lit, it means there is already a passenger in the taxi or the driver is not working at the moment. It is usually not difficult to catch a taxi on the street. Drivers stop immediately.

The following payment system operates in Shanghai: landing, as I wrote above, costs 2 USD or 14 yuan, and then 30 cents or 2.4 yuan, according to the meter for each kilometer. On average, a trip around the city will cost 5-6 USD or 30-40 yuan.

Taxis from the airport can be ordered at special counters located at the exit of the terminal. The cost of the trip will cost you approximately 20 USD or 130 yuan (according to the same system where landing costs 2 USD and then 30 cents for each kilometer).

Trams

There is only one tram line in Shanghai. It is located in the Pudong region and its length is about 10 kilometers. There is no point in using it, since it is almost impossible to get anywhere along this line.

Metro

It has been written in great detail about the Shanghai metro. Scheme, tickets, fares - in general, comprehensive information. On my own behalf, I can add that the metro is the best way to travel around Shanghai for those who value their time and want to save on transport.

Opening hours from 5:00 to 22:30.

The fare depends on the length of the route. On average, it is 60 cents or 3-4 yuan. Tickets can be purchased from station lobby vending machines (there is a menu on English language).

All information in the metro is duplicated in English. It is very difficult to get lost, as many signs will help you quickly find your way out.

The metro in Shanghai is an absolutely safe form of transport. Some inconvenience can only be experienced during rush hour due to large crowds of people.

Buses

Buses are also quite convenient for getting around Shanghai. They are a little slower than the metro, but you can see the city from the window. Bus fare costs 30 cents or 2 yuan. To pay for travel, you need to put money in a special cash register next to the driver. You won't get change, so prepare your change in advance. The bus network is very well developed, you can get to any point at any time of the day (there are special night lines).

As for tourist buses, there are two types: Big Bus double deckers and Shanghai Sightseeing Bus buses. All of them run along the main attractions. You can catch them near almost all historical places and key points of the city. Detailed list of stops. To cover as much as possible interesting places, I advise you to take these buses in the People's Square area.

Big Bus tickets cost 44 USD or 300 RMB and are valid for 48 hours. This ticket allows you to visit the Jade Buddha Temple and Jin Mao Tower for free. Sightseeing Bus is cheaper: from 5 to 7 USD or 30-50 yuan. Their routes are almost no different. All buses have free audio guides, including those in Russian.

Transport rental

It is almost impossible for a foreigner to travel by personal or rented transport in China. The fact is that, according to Chinese law, any foreign citizen who wants to personally manage vehicle on the territory of the PRC, must fulfill a number of special requirements:

• Inform the Chinese state in some way (through a tour operator or in any other incomprehensible way) about the clear schedule of your route. Any deviation from the agreed plan is considered a serious violation of the law.
• The car you are going to drive there must undergo technical inspection in China and have documentary evidence of this.
• It is necessary to undergo a medical examination at a Chinese clinic.
• Finally, the most important point: throughout the entire period of travel in China, you must have a licensed Chinese guide with a driver’s license with you, who will drive the vehicle in areas where driving by foreigners is prohibited.

Failure to comply with even one point can result in a huge fine or imprisonment for you.

Renting a car with a guide will cost at least 150 USD per day. You can see price options for a car without a driver.

This, of course, will greatly surprise the locals, since they are not going to let anyone through and will calmly crush the madmen, but neither you nor the Chinese guide sitting next to you need any problems, so be compliant and careful.

Shanghai - holidays with children

In China there is a cult of children. Here they are called little emperors and are literally idolized. Therefore, if you take your child on a trip to Shanghai, I believe you will not regret it. This city is best suited for children's recreation.

Top children's entertainment in Shanghai:

• Shanghai Wild Animal Park (this is not just a zoo, but a real safari; you can feed giraffes and llamas).
• Oceanarium.
• Circus "Era" (world-famous acrobatic show).
• Shanghai Children's Museum (for children from 2 to 12 years old; something like a city of science, where children can try on the roles of astronauts, underwater explorers, doctors, salesmen, stylists or farmers).

Needless to say, the selection of children's toys in Shanghai exceeds all boundaries of imagination?

Shanghai World Financial Center (China) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.

• Last minute tours To China
• Tours for May Worldwide

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The Shanghai World Financial Center, built in 2008, is a building that is visible and recognizable from almost any part of the city. Moreover, the reason is not only its height of 492 m, but also its very unusual shape, thanks to which the skyscraper began to be called an “opener”. Today, thousands of Shanghai guests are eager to see this masterpiece of architecture and engineering. By the way, the building ranks 6th in the top ten tallest buildings in the world.

The unique “cap” of the skyscraper serves to reduce its windage. A similar technique was used in the construction of the Kingdom Center tower in Riyadh, and it is also called the “opener”.

Initially, the tower was planned to be 460 meters high, but subsequently the plan was finalized, increasing its height and number of floors from 94 to 101. The creators also wanted to make a round window at the top of the skyscraper, symbolizing the Gate of the Moon - a traditional element of Chinese architecture, but later due to the similarity with with the rising sun (the symbol of Japan), they decided to make the window in the shape of a trapezoid. This is how the skyscraper acquired its present appearance.

What's interestnig

The Chinese failed to make the tallest building on the planet, but they set another record - on the 100th floor of the building, 472 m above the ground, there is the highest (and most expensive in terms of cost of visit) observation deck. You can get there by high-speed elevator in just one minute. The other two sites are located on the 94th and 97th floors.

On floors 87 to 93 there are restaurants, some of which boast wonderful Shanghai panoramas. These are some of the most expensive establishments in the city - politicians, businessmen and show business stars meet here. Floors 70 to 93 are occupied by the Park Hyatt Shanghai hotel with 174 rooms, which are recommended to be booked a month in advance.

The middle floors are given over to the offices of various organizations, and the lower ones, which are at the same time the most visited by locals and visitors, serve as a huge shopping complex. There is everything here: an incredible number of shops and fashion boutiques, souvenir shops and electronics stores, cafes and restaurants, slot machines, recreation rooms and entertainment rooms for children.

If you want to continue your walk through the architectural giants of the Celestial Empire, you can go to the Jin Mao Tower, which is right next door. And for those who want to have fun, Nanjing Street, located a 10-minute walk from the skyscraper, will provide its bright lights.

Practical information

Address: Shanghai, Pudong District, Century Avenue, 88.

You can get there by Subway Line No. 2 (Lujiazui stop) or buses No. 583, 799 and 939 (Garden Stone Bridge Road stop) and No. 791, 870, 939 and 985 (Lujiazui Ring Road stop).

Ticket price for observation decks: 184 CNY. Prices on the page are as of September 2018.

Over the past 20 years, the business center of Shanghai Lujiazui has been significantly updated: new offices, companies and, of course, skyscrapers have appeared. The Shanghai World Financial Center especially stands out against the backdrop of modern buildings, and the reason for this is not only its big name, but also the gigantic height of the building, its design, and construction history.

From the article you will learn:

Shanghai World Financial Center design

According to the architects, the building combines not only concrete, metal and glass, but elements of traditional motifs and new design solutions. The structure is a rectangular prism intersected along by lines. Toward the top, the hexagon narrows, forming one line, which indicates the unity of contrasts - Yin and Yang, and also shows the interaction between two powerful elements - earth and sky.
The top of the building is not decorated with the spire that is usual for skyscrapers, but with literal emptiness, which, in fact, makes SWFC similar to a bottle opener. But, like every element of the building, the presence of a huge round opening is justified.

The 46-meter void is a stylized Moon Gate, which can be found quite often in traditional Chinese buildings. However, in the traditional version, the gate should be round, but due to the fact that the circle also resembles the symbol of the Land of the Rising Sun - this caused a storm of negative emotions among local residents - it was decided to make it in the form of a trapezoid. And it was successful: in 2008 Chinese advice By high-rise buildings named SWFC skyscraper of the year.

Setting aside tradition for a moment, there is a practical side to the location of the Moon Gate at the Shanghai World Financial Center: it makes it easier for the building to withstand strong winds.

Difficult construction

The construction of the skyscraper was fraught with many obstacles. Construction began in 1997 and was suspended just a year later when the financial crisis reached Shanghai. The work was frozen for 5 years.

Changes were made not only to the design, but also to the structure itself. So it was originally planned to build a 460-meter building, but later it was decided to increase the height to 492 m and the number of floors (from 94 planned to 101 final).

The fact is that in 2003, when the Mori Corporation (by the way, SWFC is sometimes called the Mori skyscraper) decided to resume work, the Malaysian skyscrapers Petronas Towers and Taiwanese Taipei were already being completed and became the main competitors in height.

The head of the company and the architect William Pedersen decided to make adjustments and “grow” the project, however, even here the leadership did not work out: the ready-made foundation was designed for a building no higher than 460 m, so only the Malaysian giants were able to bypass. There were proposals to cheat by installing a decorative peak, but the management abandoned this idea, considering the building to be perfect and not in need of distracting elements. As a result, the Shanghai World Center became No. 2 in height, losing the championship to Taiwan's Taipei (508 meters).

Significant changes have also been made regarding security. After the tragic events of 2001 in the USA, it was decided to build a dozen fireproof shelters and install 2 outdoor elevators. In addition, the design of the skyscraper was changed so that the building could withstand air attacks.

Center interior

The building houses hotels (the Park Hyatt Shanghai hotel occupies 174 rooms), conference rooms, entertainment centers, restaurants, three underground level reserved for car parking.

From the 94th to the 100th floors there are museums, exhibitions and observation decks (on the 94th, 97th and 100th floors), the entrance to which is available to everyone. The extreme observation deck – “Glass Bridge” with a transparent floor – is located at an altitude of 472 meters: Shanghai is in full view. You can get to the observation deck by high-speed elevator.

Practical information

Finding the Shanghai World Financial Center is easy. Address: Pudong District, Century Avenue, 88.
Entrance ticket price: 15-23 dollars

The sites are open to tourists from 8:30 to 22:00.
You can get there by bus 939, 799, 583 (Lujiazui Ring Road stop), or by going to the metro station. Lujiazui (Line No.2)

General information about construction
More than $1 billion was invested in the construction of the World Financial Center in Shanghai. The main investor was the Japanese company Mori Building Corporation. In addition, another 40 companies from different countries peace. The World Financial Center building is located next to the Jinmao Tower, which is the second tallest building in Shanghai. The central part of the building has a height of 492 meters and 104 floors, including 3 underground floors.

Building layout
The building has 3 underground floors containing parking, shops and office premises. Conference centers are located on floors one to five, offices are located on floors 7 to 77. Floors 79 to 93 are occupied by a hotel, which is managed worldwide famous company Hyatt Group. On floors 94 to 100 there are observation decks and exhibition halls. To protect the building from swaying during strong wind, engineers have developed a special system. Adjustable vibration isolators have been installed on the 90th floor of the World Financial Center, which can keep the building from deflecting too much during a wind storm or even an earthquake. There are three observation decks on floors 94 to 100. On the 94th floor there is an exhibition hall and an observation platform with a total area of ​​more than 700 square meters. m. On the 100th floor there is an observation pavilion 55 m long. This observation deck is the highest in the world. It is taller than the observation platform at the Canadian Television Tower, which is 447 meters high, and taller than the Dubai Tower, which rises 440 meters above the ground.

Sightseeing at the World Financial Center Shanghai
The World Financial Center is the tallest building in Shanghai. Together with the Oriental Pearl Tower and Jinmao Tower, they are the city's main modern architectural landmarks. It only takes 1 minute to get from the 1st floor to the 95th floor by elevator. The speed of movement in this elevator is 10 m per second.

From the 100th floor, viewing the city from the observation pavilion, visitors can see the very top of the Oriental Pearl Tower and the upper floors of the Jinmao Tower. While in this 55-meter-long gallery, visitors can also see everything under their feet thanks to transparent floors. The pavilion is specially placed outside, so visitors can see the streets of the city under their feet. The observation bridge at the very top of the building is the highest observation deck in the world.

Ticket price

The Shanghai World Financial Center opened to the general public on August 30. Currently, the price for visiting the 94th floor is 100 yuan, visiting the 94th and 97th floors is 110 yuan, and visiting the 94th, 97th and 100th floors will cost you 150 yuan. The number of visits to these observation decks is expected to reach 300 million in the future.

Address: Shanghai, Pudong District, Lujiazui, Z4-1 Financial and Trade District

Total area: 381600 square meters

Number of floors: 101 floors above ground, 3 floors underground.

Height: 492 meters

Architects: Kohn Pedersen Fox and East China Institute of Architecture and Design

Development company: Mori Building Corporation

Contractors: State Construction and Engineering Corporation of China and Shanghai Main Construction Company.

Shanghai World Financial Center- a majestic skyscraper standing in the Pudong business district, in close proximity to the skyscraper and the television tower.

The Shanghai World Financial Center was founded in 1997. However, the financial crisis stopped work, which was resumed in 2003. By that time, the skyscraper design itself had changed a little; a few more tens of meters in height and several floors were added to it. As a result, the roof of the building rose 492 meters, and its top, 101st floor, is at an altitude of 474 meters.

The high-rise is distinguished by its original design; the shopping center is especially distinguished by its trapezoidal window at the very top, which reduces air resistance. Initially, the window was supposed to be round, but this shape made many Chinese think of the symbol of the rising sun on the Japanese flag, and therefore, to relieve political tension, the shape of the hole was replaced. As a result, to many, the building's design resembled a giant bottle opener.

The architects, the American firm Kohn Pedersen Fox, tried to introduce many interesting and useful innovations into their creation. In particular, the sad experience of the September 11 tragedy in New York was taken into account, and several evacuation options were provided for people on the upper floors. In addition, every 12 floors the building is divided by a special block, a protected floor with a reinforced reinforced concrete frame, as well as glass windows, which can be broken if air needs to be admitted.

The Shanghai World Financial Center, like its brothers, has become a multifunctional skyscraper. The building contains office rooms, conference rooms, shopping centers. The top floors, from 79 to 93, are occupied by the Park Hyatt Shanghai hotel, which has 174 rooms.