Just bought the train ticket with help of an English speaking travel agent at the booking office of my hotel. Was a breeze.

Make sure the booking office gives you a physical ticket as it may be confusing to figure out where to pick up the ticket if you do it at the station. Also, there are 3 train stations in Shanghai so be sure you go to the right one.

A few suggestions in Shanghai:
1. Tian Zi Fang - Americanized Restaraunts/Plaza. It's 95% tourists but still a nice place to go if you are bored.
2. The Bund/Nanjing Pedestrian Street - Pretty boring to be honest, but probably one of the sites you will want to see just to check it off your list

Shanghai is pretty much just another big city, but the culture is different so I don't think it will feel the same as NY to you. Hope you have fun, April is a good time to go.

I must disagree. Shanghai and its history are fascinating and there are lots of interesting neighborhoods to explore. It's not just like any other big city IMO/IME.

The booking office gave me the ticket 30 mins after I placed the order. It is a credit card-sized paper ticket with a bunch of Chinese characters on it with my passport number, train number, date, etc.
Was not cheap though. Paid around 870 yuan.

On Monday night I walked with colleagues from West Nanjing metro station via Nanjing Rd. to the Bund. Quit the trek, but the view of Pudong from the Bund was great.
I agree that Nanjing Rd is nothing special. Reminded me of the typical shopping street of a large European or US city.

I recommend walking in the French Concession. I especially like the shops on Wulumuqi Lu. Lots of local shops selling everything from food to handmade shoes.

Take a taxi to the corner of Wulumuqi Lu and Anfu Lu and just let yourself wander and discover.

Yes, especially if you want to be hit upon by two Chinese women :rolleyes: ;)

Read about the teashop ripoff where two young Chinese women want to practice English, and couldn't believe that it didn't happen to me until my fourth transit in China. And the two women weren't even attractive :rolleyes:

EmailKid

Their ability is in english skills and trust, not necessarily looks.

I've enjoyed visiting an area with a bunch of contemporary art galleries located in what I assume is an old industrial site. It's also nice to just wander around the French Concession, including side streets and going in to explore the gardens of hotels in the area. Another interesting area for a stroll is along the river and across the creek from the Bund, where you find historic hotels and apartment buildings, many art deco and not necessarily renovated (but also check out IIRC the Park Hotel and its neighbor almost across Nanjing Road from the art museum).

I was with two of my Dutch colleagues in Shanghai (I'm Dutch as well but live in Boston) and we were constantly asked if we wanted a "massage".
Well, after a few instances we decided to turn the tables and the moment a lady came up to us to offer her "services" we told her that we would "gladly" give HER a massage for "only" 200 :D

"You will like, you will like nice Dutch massage..!" NO? Why no?? Special price, only 200!

That seems to do the trick.. :p

I live in shanghai now and I think its worth you going

I was Shanghai just last week, now in Xi'an. Love the Muslim district and the street food :)

The mama-sans often bothered me by the Luo Hu train station in Shenzhen. Even though they weren't "selling their own spring," I'd still say 我不要妳的爱 (wo buyao ni de ai), which means "I don't want your love." They got a kick out of it, and left me alone.


Back to the OP, hmm. I typically like wandering around big Chinese cities, through the allies, old shopping centers (with plenty of Engrish) and regional restaurants, but Shanghai is extremely boring/full of itself, IMO. Pudong is like Shanghai's Futian (in Shenzhen), so except for taking pictures of skyscrapers there's no reason to go. Hotel room prices in many areas are getting Manhattanized- 525 kuai for a Hanting? Really? The same cigarette smoke blows into my non-smoking room regardless of where I stay, so why should the room rate go up? Also, I wouldn't go to Shanghai because every fourth metro stop has a Louis Vuitton or Gucci (I don't clothes-shop)- would you say you've been "somewhere" if all you did was shop? Reconstructed temples and gardens, taxis as irritating to catch as any other Chinese city, metros where the most painful part of the already depressive ride is purchasing tickets, unnecessary reasons to go by the French Concession if you don't drink...ehh, guess I should visit Xuzhou or Hefei for the China I still like.

Perhaps this is just reflecting my stream of consciousness, but if China really wanted Shanghai to be on par with Hong Kong, why not create a VPN-free zone where locals also knew that one side of the escalator is for waiting and the other for moving?

In that case they failed, because I am aware of their scam(s), so no matter how good (actually, not all that good) their English, I will not let them have my money @:-)

Of course, there are plenty others who are not aware that their purpose is to extract a very large amount of money from tourists.

EmailKid

178 cm hotties pitching the deal?
Nice!

Shanghai reminded me very much of NYC. Nanjing Road as in Times Square. Also, everything seemed rather expensive, on par with NYC. The Pudong area was actually fun. We went up to highest tower for the view and had dinner at a nice "American" restaurant in the area.

I am in Xi'an now and the city feels more "authentic" Chinese to me.