For most first trips and most families, Puxi is the easier side to sleep on, unless a Disney day or a late flight is the point of your holiday. If you are tired of reading about both sides, this is the rule: where your last day ends should decide where you stay.
You are not being fussy. A hotel on the wrong side of the river can add a long ride to every morning.
What is the difference between the two sides?
Puxi is the older side west of the Huangpu River. It holds the Bund, the old city, Nanjing Road and the former French Concession.
Pudong is the newer side to the east, with the tall towers across from the Bund, wide roads and the main international airport. The two sides are linked by metro and bridges, so you can visit either from the other.
Which side suits first-timers?
Puxi, because the sights sit close together. You can walk to your first dinner, take the metro to the next district and be back before the children are tired.
Our Shanghai hotel area guide explains how to match the area to your route. For the evening mood in the central districts, see the Bund, Xintiandi and Jing’an comparison.
When does Pudong make sense?
Pudong makes sense when a fixed event leads the plan: a Disney day, a trade fair or a late flight. A hotel there cuts the first and last day short.
Read the Shanghai Disneyland family plan before you book, so you know how long the day really is. After a long day, a quiet room is a pleasure.
What about trains to Hangzhou and Suzhou?
Most Beijing-Shanghai high-speed trains use Hongqiao, about 18 km west of central Shanghai[1]. The fastest Hongqiao to Hangzhou East trains take about 45 minutes[2].
From Puxi you reach the stations with fewer changes. From Pudong, allow extra time on the metro, and read the Shanghai to Hangzhou and Suzhou train guide for the details.
What should you check before you choose?
A short list keeps the decision calm.
- Where do you land and where do you fly home from?
- Is the hotel a short walk from a metro station?
- Does anyone in the group struggle with long walks or stairs?
- Do you need your passport at hand? Train tickets and platform gates need it[3].
If your answers point to different sides, choose the side of the last day, because early flights and trains are the hardest to rearrange.
What to do next
Write down your arrival, your day trips and your departure. Then compare one hotel on each side with the same checklist. If you want a second opinion, send us the dates and ages, and we will help you choose.