Shanghai Night Transport Guide: Buses, Extended Metro, DiDi

Night Transport Options

Stuck out late? Don’t worry—Shanghai has you covered.

Transport	Hours	Notes
Night Buses (301-345)	23:00 - 05:30	Fixed routes, cheap
Metro Extension (Fri/Sat)	~00:00-01:05	Weekends/holidays only
DiDi (滴滴)	24 hours	Most convenient, app required

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Night Buses (夜间巴士)

Basic Info

Detail	Info
Route Numbers	301-345 + special lines
Hours	23:00 - 05:30 (next day)
Fare	¥2 (flat rate)
Frequency	Airport lines every 30 min; city lines depart when full

Key Night Routes

Route	Section	Notes
310	The Bund ↔ Lujiazui	Night view spots
320	People’s Square ↔ Xujiahui	Shopping districts
Airport Night	Pudong Airport ↔ Hongqiao Hub	23:00-05:30

Payment

Method	Accepted
Cash	✅ (have exact ¥2)
Alipay/WeChat Pay QR	✅
Transport Card	✅

How to Ride

1. Find night bus stop (look for 301-345 signs)
2. Check route map at stop
3. Board at front door
4. Pay ¥2 cash or scan QR
5. Exit at back door

⚠️ Night buses lack wheelchair access. Use DiDi if needed.

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Metro Extension

Weekend Extension (Friday/Saturday)

Major lines run past midnight on Friday and Saturday nights.

Line	Weekday Last	Fri/Sat Last
Line 2 (Pudong direction)	~22:30	~00:00
Line 2 (Hongqiao direction)	~22:30	~00:00
Line 1	~22:45	~23:30
Lines 7, 8, 9, 10	~22:30	~23:30-00:00

Holiday Extensions

During National Day, Labor Day, Chinese New Year, Lines 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 17 extend hours.

💡 Check Metro Daduhui app or station announcements for current schedules!

Payment

Method	Accepted
Visa/Mastercard tap	✅
Alipay/WeChat Pay QR	✅
Transport Card	✅
Cash (machines)	✅

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DiDi (滴滴) - 24/7 (Best Option!)

The safest and most convenient late-night option is DiDi—China’s Uber, available round the clock.

Basic Info

Detail	Info
Hours	24/7
Wait Time	Usually 3-10 min
Language	Full English support
Payment	Foreign cards accepted

Service Types

Service	Notes	Price
Express (快车)	Standard cars, most common	Budget
Express Pool	Carpooling	Cheapest
Premier (礼橙专车)	Premium cars, pro drivers	Express +¥2-3/km
Premier 6-Seater	SUV, for luggage	Premium
Taxi (出租车)	Official taxis	Meter rate

Late-Night Fares

Distance	Est. Fare (Express)
5km	¥15-20
10km	¥25-35
Bund → Pudong Airport	¥150-200

⚠️ 23:00-06:00 late night surcharges may apply.

Setup & Use

1. Download

• iOS: App Store “DiDi”
• Android: Google Play “DiDi”

2. Sign Up

• Foreign phone number OK (no Chinese number needed!)
• Email verification

3. Add Payment

Card	Supported
Visa	✅
Mastercard	✅
JCB	✅
American Express	✅
Discover	✅
Alipay	✅
WeChat Pay	✅

4. Book a Ride

1. Enter destination (English or Chinese)
2. Select service type (Express recommended)
3. Confirm pickup location
4. Tap to request
5. Check driver’s license plate and photo
6. Verify driver’s face matches app photo before boarding!
7. Auto-payment from registered card

DiDi Safety Features

Feature	Description
Trip Sharing	Share real-time location with friends/family
Emergency Button	Direct 110 police connection
Number Masking	Driver can’t see your real number
In-Car Recording	Automatic dispute evidence
Driver Verification	24-hour background checks

How to use:

• Go to “Safety” tab in app
• Set emergency contacts
• Use “Share Trip” button after boarding

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Late-Night Safety Tips

Never Do This

❌ Take unlicensed taxis soliciting outside metro stations or clubs ❌ Hail taxis on the street late at night (especially risky) ❌ Accept “cheaper” ride offers from strangers ❌ Put luggage in trunk and exit before collecting it

Always Do This

✅ Use DiDi app (driver info is recorded) ✅ Verify license plate and driver face before boarding ✅ Use Trip Sharing to notify friends/family ✅ Confirm doors are locked ✅ Keep belongings with you in back seat

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Airport Late-Night Options

Arriving at Pudong Airport After Midnight

Option	Time	Fare	Notes
Airport Night Bus	23:00-05:30	¥2	To Hongqiao Hub
DiDi Express	24/7	¥150-200	Direct to hotel
Taxi	24/7	¥180-250	Use official stand

⚠️ Anyone approaching you saying “Taxi?” is an unlicensed driver! Use the official taxi queue.

Arriving at Hongqiao Airport Late

• Lines 2, 10: Last train ~22:30
• DiDi/Taxi: 24/7 available

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Payment Summary

Transport	Foreign Card Tap	Alipay/WeChat	Cash
Night Bus	❌	✅	✅
Metro	✅	✅	✅
DiDi	✅ (in-app)	✅	⚠️ (not recommended)

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Useful Apps

Recommended

App	Use	English
DiDi	Taxi/ride-hailing	✅ Full support
Metro Daduhui	Check last train times	✅
MetroMan	Offline metro map	✅ 11 languages
Baidu Maps	Night bus routes	Basic English

Offline Backup

App	Offline Feature
Baidu Maps	Downloadable offline maps
MetroMan	Fully offline
DiDi	❌ Internet required

💡 Before going out at night, set up DiDi payment while you have hotel WiFi!

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Useful Chinese

English	Chinese	Pinyin
Where’s the night bus?	夜间巴士在哪里？	Yèjiān bāshì zài nǎlǐ?
When’s the last train?	末班车几点？	Mòbānchē jǐ diǎn?
Go to this address	我要去这个地址	Wǒ yào qù zhège dìzhǐ
Use the meter please	请打表	Qǐng dǎ biǎo
Tell me when we arrive	到了请告诉我	Dào le qǐng gàosù wǒ
Can you stop here?	可以在这里停吗？	Kěyǐ zài zhèlǐ tíng ma?
How much?	多少钱？	Duōshǎo qián?

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Emergency Contacts

Service	Number
Police	110
DiDi 24hr Emergency	400-0000-999
Shanghai Metro (English #9)	12345
Government Hotline	12345

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Checklist

Best approach:

• Install DiDi app with foreign card
• Set emergency contacts
• Learn trip sharing feature

Night bus:

• Find 301-345 route stops
• Have ¥2 coins or QR payment ready

Missed last metro:

• Book DiDi
• Use official taxi stand
• Never take unlicensed taxis!

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