Comparing with Taxies and Metro Lines, buses are much cheaper. And there are some tips you should know when taking buses.
Tips on bus taking
· Bus stops Shanghai's bus stops are generally near intersections, and a stop is usually named after the closest road intersecting the road the bus running on. Usually, bus stop is indicated by a tall post with a plate on the top, which looks like a flag. The plate’s one side shows the bus No., and the other side displays all the stops along the route, fares and the time when the first bus and the last bus will arrive at the stop. They are all in Chinese. Some bus stops have a shelter, which may make it easy to recognize.
· Bus fare Most of the city's buses charge a flat fee, no matter how far you go. Fares on plain buses are 1 yuan and air-conditioned ones charge 2 yuan. Most buses running on downtown streets are air-conditioned. The bus fares are for one way. If you reach a terminal station and want to ride back, you must buy a ticket or pay the charge again.
· No conductor Many Shanghai buses have no conductor, and money is often put into the box beside the driver. You’d better take loose change with you, for the box will not return change if you give it a big note and the drivers are not allowed to handle cash.
· Transport card Transport card holders will receive a 0.5 yuan discount on their two-yuan fare if they take a second trip on any of the routes involved in the discount scheme within 90 minutes of boarding the first bus. The discount scheme covers some 70 bus routes along Yan'an Road, Beijing Road, Nanjing Road and Huaihai Road. A Public Transportation Card cannot be swiped twice on the same bus or Metro station. So prepare coins if you have a card but your companions don't.
· Language Language is the biggest barrier for foreigners to ride a bus. The signs at bus stops are all in Chinese and very few bus drivers and conductors speak English. Some buses in the downtown have English announcements in their onboard reminder system.
· Pickpocket If you have to take a packed bus, take care of your pockets and backpacks. It is wise to take down the pack from your shoulder and carry it in your hands, which can save space on the bus and keep it away from pickpockets.
· Bus route Not all bus routes run on the same streets back and forth. If you want to ride the same bus back, make sure you know where the stop is for the opposite direction.
Major bus routes
The city has nearly 1,000 bus lines, but only a few passing the downtown and connecting the city's shopping streets or landmarks are useful to foreigners.
No. 20: These buses run from 5am to 11:15pm. Major attractions along the route include the Bund, People's Square, Nanjing Road W., Jing'an Temple and Zhongshan Park.
No. 925: These buses run from 6am to 9pm, linking Hongqiao airport and People's Square. The major route is along Yang'an Road.
No. 925B: Pay attention to this line. It's different from No. 925, though its major route is also along Yang'an Road and it shares the same terminal station at People's Square. Bus No. 925B runs from People's Square to Hanghua New Village
No. 926: These buses run from 6:30am to 10pm. Major attractions along the route include the City God Temple, Yuyuan Garden, Huaihai Road, Xujiahui and the Shanghai Gymnasium.
No. 93: These buses run from 4:30am to 11pm. Major attractions along the route include Jing'an Temple, Shanghai Library and Xujiahui.
No. 15: These buses run from 5am to 11pm. Major attractions along the route include the Shanghai Gymnasium, Xujiahui, Huaihai Road and Jing'an Temple.
No. 936: This route links Pudong and Puxi and takes in the Shanghai Zoo, People's Square, and the Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone. The buses run from 7am to 7pm.
For the complete database of Shanghai bus route, please click the link below (Chinese only) http://www.jt.sh.cn/node39/200507/con116847.htm |
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