Things to Do Alone in Shanghai

Shanghai is split in two by the Huangpu River, and the cheapest way to see both halves alone is to cross it on a public ferry. The city then rewards one-person days with museums that run on clear hours and a metro you can pay for with a bank card.

Checked 2026-11-01 against official sites.

Cross the river first

Most visitors see the skyline from the Bund. The ferry puts you on the water for a fraction of a cruise fare and needs no booking, which suits one person with no plan.

The city's English portal says 17 ferry lines serve nearly 34 stations and that a pedestrian fare is CNY 2. Three lines are singled out for sightseeing. The Taigong line runs between Taigongzhan Pier in Pudong and Gongping Road Pier in Puxi, with hours of 6:00 to 21:50 and 6:00 to 21:40. The Dongfu line, from Dongchang Road pier to Fuxing Road pier, is suggested for night views and runs until 21:00. The Dongjin line is pedestrian-only, runs in the daytime until about 18:15 to 18:30, and looks at the Lujiazui skyline. The page advises checking updated hours on the "shanghai ferry" WeChat account (Shanghai government: Exploring Shanghai by boat).

If you want the longer river view, the same page describes a Huangpu cruise with day and night voyages from Shiliupu Piers 1 and 2 toward Yangpu Bridge and back. Prices are not listed there.

Museums with clear rules

Alone, a museum works best when you know the closing day and whether you need a reservation. Shanghai's big ones publish both, and most close on a Monday or a Tuesday.

Shanghai Museum. There are two sites. The East building in Pudong is open 10:00 to 18:00, with last entry at 17:00, and closes on Tuesdays except national holidays. Its permanent galleries need no reservation. The People's Square building is open 9:00 to 17:00, with last entry at 15:00, closes on Mondays, and requires an advance ticket while the exhibition "Ancient Civilizations of the Americas" runs until 2027-11-14. At the East building, "Beneath the Golden Crown: Highlights of Silla's Treasures" runs until 2027-01-18. The museum's website domain is moving to shanghaimuseum.cn (Shanghai Museum, new domain). For how to pace a visit, see museums alone.

China Art Museum, Shanghai. It occupies the China Pavilion built for Expo 2010 in Pudong. The permanent exhibition is listed as free, and the museum is open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 18:00 with last admission at 17:00. Metro Line 7 (Yaohua Road, exit 1) and Line 8 (China Art Museum, exit 3) are the stations named (city portal).

Museum of Art Pudong. On the Pudong riverside, its homepage lists opening hours as daily 10:00 to 21:00 with last entry at 20:00, which makes it an easy evening stop after a ferry (Museum of Art Pudong). The city's tourism site lists it among the venues that stay open on Mondays, when most museums and galleries are closed (Shanghai tourism).

Shanghai Natural History Museum. It sits inside Jing'an Sculpture Park. The visitor page lists 9:00 to 17:00 with entry stopping at 16:00, closed on Tuesdays except national holidays, and an adult ticket of CNY 30. Tickets are bought online under a real name, and the page asks visitors to bring their original ID for checking. The page names metro Line 1 (Xinzha Road), Line 2 (West Nanjing Road) and Line 13 (Natural History Museum) (Natural History Museum visitor page).

Hongkou and Suzhou Creek

North of the river mouth, Hongkou is easier to take slowly. The city portal's "Haipai culture" route strings together Duolun Road, the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum, historic buildings on Beisuzhou Road, The Grand Halls and the North Bund International Passenger Center, about 10 km in all, ending at a cruise pier. It names viewing spots at the North Bund and a "Century Frame" platform on Beisuzhou Road (Huangpu riverside routes).

The Shanghai Postal Museum is a clean solo stop on the way. It is housed in the former General Post Office on North Suzhou Road, open Tuesday to Sunday 9:00 to 17:00, with last entry at 16:30 and closed on Mondays (Shanghai tourism).

Gardens and a water town

Yuyuan Garden is a Ming-dynasty private garden beside the City God Temple at No 168 Fuyou Road, with more than 40 scenic spots of pavilions, rocks and ponds (city portal). The portal also lists four other classical gardens: Zuibaichi in Songjiang, Guyi and Qiuxia in Jiading, and Qushui in Qingpu (classical gardens).

Zhujiajiao Ancient Town. The official one-day plan suggests Jiangnan No 1 Tea House on North Street for Suzhou pingtan storytelling, the 1903 Zhujiajiao Post Office, a boat tea on the waterways, and Fangsheng Bridge, called "the first bridge of Shanghai". At night it points to Kezhi Garden for Kunqu Opera performances (Zhujiajiao one-day plan). Check the venues for current hours before you go.

Getting around with a bank card

The city portal says metro fares start at CNY 3 for up to 6 km, plus CNY 1 for each further 10 km. At the gates you can tap eligible contactless cards from UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard, American Express and JCB, as long as the card has balance or credit and password-free small payments enabled. Station service centres also have card terminals for tickets. A one-day pass is CNY 18 and a three-day pass CNY 45, and the Suishenxing app (search "SH MaaS" in overseas app stores) has an English version (metro guide, SH MaaS). Travel conditions change, so read the official advisory for your country before you go, for example the UK government's China page or Smartraveller.

First solo outings

1. Easy: Take the Taigong ferry across the Huangpu and back at the end of the day.
2. Medium: Spend a morning at the Shanghai Museum East, then cross to the Museum of Art Pudong, which is open until 21:00.
3. Bolder: Follow the Hongkou route on foot, then book a day for Zhujiajiao and sit in the tea house.

Solo Era for iPhone

Offer help to someone carrying too much or looking lost

Solo Era has a people mission at level 2: "Offer help to someone carrying too much or looking lost." A busy metro station or ferry pier gives you plenty of chances. Free to download. A subscription is required to start missions. Prices and any free trial are shown in the app and depend on the offer and eligibility.

More cities are in the cities hub. For nearby cities, see Hangzhou and Beijing; for other Asian cities that run on public transport, see Hong Kong or Taipei, and for planning see the new-city guide and the first solo trip tips.

Details change; check the venue before you go.

Sources (checked 2026-11-01)

• Shanghai government: Exploring Shanghai by boat
• Shanghai government: How to take the metro
• Shanghai government: SH MaaS app
• Shanghai government: Huangpu riverside routes
• Shanghai government: China Art Museum
• Shanghai government: Yuyuan Garden
• Shanghai government: classical gardens
• Shanghai government: one day in Zhujiajiao
• Shanghai Museum
• Shanghai Museum (new domain)
• Museum of Art Pudong
• Shanghai Natural History Museum: visitor information
• Shanghai tourism: Shanghai Postal Museum
• Shanghai tourism: venues open on Mondays
• UK government: China travel advice
• Smartraveller: China

Solo Era for iPhone

Try it with Solo Era

Solo Era gives you one realistic mission a week, records how nervous you felt before and after, and keeps a photo journal of what you did. An iPhone app. A subscription is required to start missions; any free trial depends on the offer and eligibility shown in the app.