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Shanghai Stopover? FREE Tour with Trip.com!
Hey globetrotters! I recently had a layover in Shanghai during a trip to Europe and wanted to share my experience with the FREE layover tour service offered by Trip.com (formerly C-trip). They kicked off this awesome program in April 2024 at Shanghai Pudong Airport.
1. Quick Transit Visa (24 Hours): Super Easy!
- Fill out the 24-hour transit form (it's a separate one with a dedicated line).
- Hop in line and wait for the immigration officers to stamp your passport. They'll ask a few basic questions like who you're traveling with. It took me about 5 minutes!
2. The Amazing FREE Tour by Trip.com:
- Head to 1F in Terminal 1.
- Register for a tour based on your layover duration. Here are the current options:
- 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM: Yu Garden + The Bund
- 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM: Wukang Road + Yu Garden + The Bund
- 6:00 PM - 11:00 PM: Huangpu River Cruise + Yu Garden
- These tours are completely FREE and include an English-speaking tour guide and private transportation! Seriously, you don't pay a dime.
- The 6:00 PM tour includes a Huangpu River cruise where you can admire Shanghai's dazzling nighttime skyline.
- If you take the 9:00 AM or 4:00 PM tour and still have time left, you're free to explore on your own and make your way back to the airport. Just keep in mind that Shanghai summers are HOT and humid!
3. My Personal Shanghai Layover Experience:
- On the way there: I arrived in Shanghai after 9:00 AM and missed the first tour. I tried to combine the second and third tours, but Trip.com couldn't arrange it, so I had to wait for the evening river cruise. Totally worth it! (Shanghai in July is hotter than Hanoi; I was sweating even at night!).
- On the way back: I signed up for the 9:00 AM tour. Since I'd already seen Yu Garden, my guide took me to The Bund. I then asked if I could explore on my own and return to the airport independently. The guide agreed (after signing a waiver, of course!). I spent some time window shopping and then took the maglev train back to the airport.
- Lunch is provided (at your own expense) at Yu Garden: They have these amazing soup dumplings that you drink through a straw. They're delicious but a bit pricey (around 40 RMB). Tea costs about 50-60,000 VND per cup.
- Both times, it was just me, the guide, and the driver (basically a private tour!). Pretty VIP!
- Trip.com also gives me two lounge vouchers per year, and China Eastern flights to Europe are often among the cheapest (the service is decent). So, if you don't mind a transit flight, this could be a great option!
