Shanghai

Where to stay

Most budget hostels cluster around People's Square and the northern edge of the French Concession, where Metro Lines 1 and 2 intersect and Nanjing Road is walkable. A handful of cheaper options sit near Yuyuan Garden in the old city, good for the waterfront but a bit further from the main transit corridors.

Getting around

• Pick up a Shanghai Public Transportation Card at any metro station on arrival. It works on the metro, most buses, and some ferry crossings, and each ride costs slightly less than a single-journey token.
• If you land at Pudong International Airport, Metro Line 2 gets you to People's Square for a small fare. The Maglev is faster in the air but drops you at Longyang Road, where you still need the metro, so it rarely saves meaningful time unless your hostel is in Pudong.
• Food stalls and sit-down spots right inside the Yuyuan Bazaar charge tourist prices. Walk a couple of blocks away toward Fuxing Road and you will find the same soup dumplings and noodles for noticeably less.

When to go

Expect the lowest hostel rates from mid-November through mid-December. Beds fill fast and prices climb during Golden Week (October 1 to 7) and Chinese New Year, which falls in late January or February depending on the year.