Nanjing Road is where Shanghai has been shopping for more than a century. The pedestrian section of East Nanjing Road runs roughly from the Bund inland to People's Square, a car-free stretch of a little over a kilometre that is lined with department stores, long-established brand shops, restaurants, hotels and ranks of neon signs. It began life in the nineteenth century as a horse-racing track route and grew into the commercial heart of the International Settlement, when four great department stores, the Sincere, the Wing On, the Sun Sun and the Sun Company, made it the most glamorous address in Asia. Several of those old buildings still stand along the street, and their Art Deco and neo-classical facades are worth looking up at between the crowds and the shopfronts. Today the street serves two audiences at once. Domestic tourists come to stroll, buy souvenirs and photograph the lights, while locals head for the department stores and the old-brand shops that sell sweets, pastries, tea, silk and traditional medicine. A little tourist train runs up and down the middle for those who prefer not to walk, and street musicians, shoe-shiners and touts add to the bustle. The best time to see Nanjing Road is after dark, when the neon signs switch on and the street takes on the glow that has featured in Shanghai films for decades. The pedestrian zone is free to enter, there is nothing to book, and you can dip in for twenty minutes or spend an afternoon among the shops.
The street has a clear structure that makes it easy to enjoy. At the Bund end you are close to the river and the historic hotels, including the Fairmont Peace Hotel on the corner of the Bund, and as you walk west you pass the old department stores, the big modern malls and the side lanes with their food stalls and small shops.
At the People's Square end you reach the park, the Shanghai Museum and the metro interchange. Many visitors walk the whole stretch in one direction and then take the metro back, or walk one way in daylight and the other after dark to see the lights.
Working the visit
Arrive in the late afternoon, wander through a few stores and pastry shops, then eat early in one of the side streets or the department store food courts before the evening crowds arrive. The street is at its busiest on weekends and public holidays, when the pavements can be shoulder to shoulder, so a weekday evening is a more relaxed choice.
Be polite but firm with the touts who approach tourists offering watches, bags or invitations to tea or art galleries, since these are common and rarely rewarding. Prices in the larger shops are fixed, while street vendors expect some bargaining, and a polite smile and a no thank you are normally enough to move on.
Practical notes
The nearest metro stations are East Nanjing Road, served by lines 2 and 10 at the river end, and People's Square at the western end. The street is fully pedestrianised, level and good for wheelchairs and strollers, and public toilets are available in the department stores and malls. If you want a quieter sit-down, head for one of the old hotels or a cafe on a side street.
The street combines naturally with a walk along the Bund, which is only a short stroll from the eastern end, and with a visit to the Shanghai Museum at the western end. Keep an eye on your phone and bag in the dense crowds, and avoid unsolicited offers of massage or tea.
What to expect
The experience
A self-guided stroll along a car-free boulevard of department stores, old brands, restaurants and neon signs, between the Bund and People's Square.
Best time
Late afternoon into the evening, when the neon lights come on; weekday evenings are calmer than weekends.
How long
One to two hours for the full stretch with stops, or an afternoon if you shop.
Tips
Walk one way by day and one way after dark, politely decline touts and keep your phone and bag close in the crowds.
Quick picks
- Best for
- First-timers who want the classic Shanghai shopping street and its glowing night view.
- Families
- Level and car-free, with sweet shops and department stores; hold hands in the dense weekend crowds.
- Couples
- Walk it at dusk, then finish at the Bund for the river lights.
- Pair with
- The Bund at the eastern end and the Shanghai Museum at the western end.
- Time needed
- One to two hours.
Good questions
Is Nanjing Road free to visit?+
Yes. The pedestrian street is open to everyone and costs nothing to walk. You only pay if you shop, eat or ride the tourist train.
When is the best time to go?+
Late afternoon into the evening is best, because you can see the old buildings in daylight and then the neon after dark. Weekdays are calmer than weekends.
How long is the pedestrian street?+
It runs a little over a kilometre from the Bund area towards People's Square. Most people take one to two hours with stops.
Is it worth shopping on Nanjing Road?+
The department stores and old-brand shops are good for sweets, tea, silk and souvenirs at fixed prices. For better value on clothes and electronics, locals often shop elsewhere in the city.
How do I get there by metro?+
Take lines 2 or 10 to East Nanjing Road station for the river end, or lines 1, 2 or 8 to People's Square station for the western end.
