Field file / SHANGHAI

Asia / China

Shanghai

Tools43

Channels12

Local currencyCNY

Verified21 Jul 2026

Emergency firstPolice — 110

01 / Full local toolkit

Every useful channel.

Traveler-compatibility checks for this destination are still pending. Local notes are useful, but phone, payment and signup eligibility are not yet sourced per service.

Ride-hailing

4 tools

DiDi is the default; most locals hail it as a mini-program inside Alipay/WeChat rather than a standalone app.

DiDi (滴滴出行)Local default

China's Uber — utterly dominant. English UI; taxi + private car. Also lives as a mini-program inside Alipay and WeChat.

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Amap Ride (高德打车)

Ride aggregator inside the Amap map app — compares DiDi plus cheaper local fleets in one tap.

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Meituan Dache (美团打车)

Ride-hailing inside the Meituan app; a fine backup if you already use Meituan.

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T3 Chuxing (T3出行)

EV-fleet challenger; reliable backup, Chinese-only UI.

Food delivery

2 tools

Meituan dominates, Ele.me is #2. Both have Chinese-heavy UIs — easiest via their Alipay mini-programs or on-screen translation.

Meituan (美团)Local default

The default for food delivery, restaurant reviews and deals. Pair with Alipay for foreign-card payment.

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Ele.me (饿了么)

Solid #2, Alibaba-owned; often smoother foreign-card checkout via Alipay.

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Groceries

4 tools

30-60 min fresh-grocery delivery is a Shanghai way of life. Hema/Freshippo and Dingdong are the local heavyweights here.

Hema / Freshippo (盒马)Local default

Alibaba's flagship fresh-grocery + hot-food chain, iconic in Shanghai. ~30-min delivery; pay via Alipay.

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Dingdong Maicai (叮咚买菜)

Shanghai-born fresh-grocery app, dominant in this city (now Meituan-owned). Fast fresh produce delivery.

Xiaoxiang / Meituan Grocery (小象超市)

Meituan's grocery arm — wide coverage and frequent deals.

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JD Daojia / JDDJ (京东到家)

On-demand delivery from local supermarkets via JD's network.

Public transport

4 tools

Ride the metro by QR: scan at any gate using the Metro Metropolitan app OR Alipay/WeChat's transit code. For buses & ferries, a physical Shanghai Public Transportation Card is the cash-free fallback.

Metro Metropolitan (Metro大都会)Local default

Official Shanghai Metro app — QR ride-through at every gate, English supported. Links Alipay, WeChat or a foreign card.

Alipay Transit Code (支付宝乘车码)

Alipay's transport code opens metro and bus gates too — many locals just use this and skip the metro app.

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Amap (高德地图)

Best for planning routes across metro, bus and ferry with live arrival times; English mode.

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Shanghai Metro (WeChat mini-program)

WeChat's transit QR is the equivalent option if you live inside WeChat instead of Alipay.

Payments

3 tools

Alipay and WeChat Pay run nearly everything via QR — install BOTH, some vendors take only one. Both now link foreign Visa/Mastercard/Amex (since 2023). Cash (RMB) is still legally accepted and a good backup, but foreign physical cards are rarely accepted outside hotels.

Alipay (支付宝)Local default

Roughly half of all payments. Links foreign cards, has an English 'TourPass' wallet; QR accepted everywhere.

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WeChat Pay (微信支付)Local default

The other half — built into WeChat, so it's on every phone. Also accepts foreign cards now.

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UnionPay / China UnionPay (云闪付)

Backup if you hold a UnionPay card; some contactless terminals and ATMs prefer it.

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eSIM & connectivity

4 tools

Key trick: a foreign/roaming eSIM routes through an overseas carrier and BYPASSES the Great Firewall — Google, WhatsApp, Instagram all work with no VPN. Buy and install BEFORE you fly (profiles can't be downloaded once inside the firewall). A local SIM (China Mobile/Unicom/Telecom) needs passport registration and sits behind the firewall.

AiraloLocal default

Most popular travel eSIM; its China plan routes through an overseas gateway so Western apps work without a VPN.

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Saily

Made by NordVPN — clean setup, routes around the Great Firewall, no VPN app needed.

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Nomad

Global eSIM with competitive China/Asia plans; also bypasses the firewall via foreign routing.

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Holafly

Unlimited-data daily plans with firewall-bypassing routing; good for heavy users.

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Messaging

4 tools

WeChat is non-negotiable — it IS communication in China. WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Messenger and Line are all blocked by the Great Firewall and only work over a roaming eSIM or VPN.

WeChat (微信)Local default

Everyone uses it for chat, calls, payments and mini-apps. Set it up before arrival; new accounts sometimes need a friend to scan-verify you.

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QQ (腾讯QQ)

Tencent's older messenger, still common with younger users and gamers.

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WhatsApp

Blocked by the Great Firewall — only works via a roaming/foreign eSIM or a VPN.

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Telegram

Also blocked; needs a VPN or foreign-routed eSIM to connect.

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Navigation

4 tools

Use Amap or Apple Maps. Google Maps is unreliable in China (offset location, missing transit, often blocked) — don't depend on it.

Amap (高德地图 / Gaode)Local default

China's #1 map — accurate, live transit and traffic, ride-hailing built in. Has an English mode.

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Apple Maps

Works well in China (uses local AutoNavi data) and is in English — the easy default for iPhone users.

Baidu Maps (百度地图)

Strong #2 with deep detail, but Chinese-only interface.

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Google Maps

Unreliable in China — location offset, transit data missing, frequently blocked. Use Amap instead.

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Shopping

4 tools

Taobao is the everything-store. Taobao/Tmall/JD now accept foreign Visa/Mastercard through Alipay — no Chinese bank account needed.

Taobao (淘宝)Local default

Alibaba's giant marketplace for literally everything; accepts foreign cards via Alipay.

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Tmall (天猫)

The brand/official-store side of Taobao — go here for guaranteed-authentic goods.

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JD.com (京东)

Fast first-party logistics, strong for electronics; supports Visa/Mastercard.

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Pinduoduo (拼多多)

Ultra-cheap group-buying; Chinese-only, best for bargains and everyday basics.

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Emergency numbers

5 tools

110, 119 and 120 are free calls. Shanghai's 110 police line answers in English plus 7 other languages. Give your time and location clearly.

Police — 110

All-purpose emergency and police line; first number to call. Shanghai supports English, Japanese, Korean, Russian, German, French, Spanish and Arabic.

Ambulance / Medical — 120

Emergency medical care and ambulance dispatch.

Fire & Rescue — 119

Fires and rescue emergencies.

Traffic accident — 122

Road and traffic accidents (110 also works).

Shanghai Citizen Hotline — 12345

Non-emergency city services and info; English assistance available.

Government & ID

2 tools

Mostly relevant for longer stays/residents, not short trips. UIs are largely Chinese.

Suishenban (随申办)Local default

Shanghai's official government super-app: residence registration, health records, appointments and city services. Chinese UI; aimed at residents.

National Immigration Administration (国家移民管理局)

Visa and residence-permit services, exit/entry records and appointment booking for foreigners.

Bikes & scooters

3 tools

Dockless shared bikes blanket Shanghai — scan the QR to unlock, pay via Alipay/WeChat. Most are used through Alipay/Meituan mini-programs, no separate app needed.

Meituan Bike (美团单车)Local default

Yellow bikes (formerly Mobike) are everywhere; unlock and pay inside Meituan/Alipay/WeChat.

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Hellobike (哈啰单车)

Huge fleet, accessed inside Alipay; often the cheapest option.

Didi Qingju (青桔单车)

DiDi's blue shared bikes; unlock via the DiDi app.

13 / First 60 minutes

Leave the airport ready.

Six concrete setup decisions for Shanghai. No fake personalization—just the local default, the local caveat, and what to do before day one gets expensive.

Arrival sequenceConnectivity → airport exit → transit → map → money → contact

Mark only what you have actually set up. Progress stays in this browser.

Ready for arrival0 / 6 complete

Step 1 · Get onlineAiraloTraveler check pending

Set up data before you need a ride, ticket, map, or verification code.

Most popular travel eSIM; its China plan routes through an overseas gateway so Western apps work without a VPN. Key trick: a foreign/roaming eSIM routes through an overseas carrier and BYPASSES the Great Firewall — Google, WhatsApp, Instagram all work with no VPN. Buy and install BEFORE you fly (profiles can't be downloaded once inside the firewall). A local SIM (China Mobile/Unicom/Telecom) needs passport registration and sits behind the firewall.

Open Airalo

Step 2 · Price the airport rideDiDi (滴滴出行)Traveler check pending

Know the local default before accepting a taxi quote or opening a global app.

China's Uber — utterly dominant. English UI; taxi + private car. Also lives as a mini-program inside Alipay and WeChat. DiDi is the default; most locals hail it as a mini-program inside Alipay/WeChat rather than a standalone app.

Open DiDi (滴滴出行)

Step 3 · Check the public routeMetro Metropolitan (Metro大都会)Traveler check pending

Compare the official airport-to-city option before paying for a car.

Official Shanghai Metro app — QR ride-through at every gate, English supported. Links Alipay, WeChat or a foreign card. Ride the metro by QR: scan at any gate using the Metro Metropolitan app OR Alipay/WeChat's transit code. For buses & ferries, a physical Shanghai Public Transportation Card is the cash-free fallback.

Read local details

Step 4 · Load the right mapAmap (高德地图 / Gaode)Traveler check pending

Open the map that works best locally and save your hotel or first stop.

China's #1 map — accurate, live transit and traffic, ride-hailing built in. Has an English mode. Use Amap or Apple Maps. Google Maps is unreliable in China (offset location, missing transit, often blocked) — don't depend on it.

Open Amap (高德地图 / Gaode)

Step 5 · Know how to payAlipay (支付宝)Traveler check pending

Check the local card, cash, and wallet reality before your first purchase.

Roughly half of all payments. Links foreign cards, has an English 'TourPass' wallet; QR accepted everywhere. Alipay and WeChat Pay run nearly everything via QR — install BOTH, some vendors take only one. Both now link foreign Visa/Mastercard/Amex (since 2023). Cash (RMB) is still legally accepted and a good backup, but foreign physical cards are rarely accepted outside hotels.

Open Alipay (支付宝)

Step 6 · Reach people locallyWeChat (微信)Traveler check pending

Use the service locals answer—and note any calling or registration restriction.

Everyone uses it for chat, calls, payments and mini-apps. Set it up before arrival; new accounts sometimes need a friend to scan-verify you. WeChat is non-negotiable — it IS communication in China. WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Messenger and Line are all blocked by the Great Firewall and only work over a roaming eSIM or VPN.

Open WeChat (微信)

This is an arrival checklist, not an app ranking. Open the full local toolkit below for alternatives, coverage limits, and services you may need later.

14 / Money on arrival

Know what you're paying.

Local tender, realistic foreign-currency acceptance, and a daily USD reference before a terminal or exchange desk chooses the rate for you.

Local currencyCNY

Chinese yuan / renminbi

USD reference rateLoading daily rate

Check rate before paying

Unavailable

Reference only. Your bank, card network, ATM, or exchange counter may add fees or use a different rate.

What can I pay with?

PrimaryCNY

The normal currency for prices and payment.

Mobile payment dominates. Set up an international-card-compatible wallet where possible and keep some yuan as backup.

Country payment guidance reviewed Jul 21, 2026

Shanghai

Shanghai

Leave the airport.

Your first six downloads.

Every local channel.

Shanghai

Every useful channel.

Ride-hailing

Food delivery

Groceries

Public transport

Payments

eSIM & connectivity

Messaging

Navigation

Shopping

Emergency numbers

Government & ID

Bikes & scooters

Leave the airport ready.

Know what you're paying.

Chinese yuan / renminbi