Shanghai is a major transportation hub in China that caters to millions of passengers daily. There are multiple options for people who want to travel to other parts of the country. Among those is the long-distance Shanghai bus service. More than 40 bus stations are providing long-distance travel to places like Beijing, Xi’an, Guangzhou, Suzhou, Ningbo, Nanjing, and many others. The buses take passengers to a range of tourist destinations as well. Depending on your tour plan, you may already have the ticket purchased as part of your travel plan. You can also take a bus from Shanghai on your own for tourism to nearby towns such as Wuzhen Water Town, Zhouzhuang Water Town, Yellow Mountain, and some other destinations as well

How to Buy a Long Distance Bus Ticket

The most surefire way of getting a ticket for your bus is to simply go to an online website. Up until recently, that was a problem for most tourists since both online and telephonic bookings were in Chinese. However, websites like etripchina.com are providing the option of booking online. Do keep in mind that they also apply a service charge of $5 per ticket to your purchase. The value is fixed, regardless of your destination. You can click here to find out more about it.

You can also purchase a Shanghai bus ticket by simply visiting a bus station nearby. Do keep in mind that all station staff speaks Chinese only so knowing some basics is important. Otherwise, you might want to take a Chinese friend along, or anyone else who can translate for you.

Official websites to book tickets for traveling on a bus from Shanghai are also available but they may or may not work so it is best to avoid that option.

Station Amenities

Depending on which bus station you visit, you will find a range of different amenities to avail while waiting for your bus. Major bus stations like the Shanghai General Long-Distance Bus Station have plenty of things to utilize like free Wi-Fi, luggage facilities, drinking areas, snacking and other food shops, mobile charging stations, and even a McDonald’s restaurant. The services vary, depending on the size of the station but you will find all the basics you need to spend your waiting time comfortably.

Ticket Prices for Long Distance Bus from Shanghai

The following table provides estimates of the time it takes and the price you generally pay for some major places. Do keep in mind that websites like etripchina.com booking in US Dollar which may be different from the prices mentioned here.

Major Shanghai Bus Stations

To help you with your trip planning we are sharing some of the major long-distance stations for bus from Shanghai. The essential details provided here should help with planning a trip to most main locations in China.

1. Shanghai General Long Distance Bus Station

Address: 1666, Zhongxing Road, Zhabei District
Operation Hours: 05:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Chinese Name: 长途汽车客运总站
Phone: +86 021 – 66050000

Getting There: It is also centrally located, and you can walk to this station from People’s Square in just 5 minutes. Travelers coming from Metro can take lines 1,3, or 4 and get off at the Shanghai Railway Station which is just a 5-minute walk away from this Shanghai bus station. You can also arrive via city buses which include 78, 106, 115, 117, 140, 305, 306, 310, 912, 929, 942, 962, and 963.

The table below provides the main destinations that this Shanghai bus station caters to and their corresponding bus timings.

2. Pudong Airport Long Distance Bus Station

Address: B1 Floor, Terminal 1, Shanghai Pudong International Airport
Operation Hours: 06:30 AM – 10:00 PM
Chinese Name: 浦东机场长途客运站
Phone: +86 021-68345743

Getting There: Being located right at the airport, you can either go there via maglev train, on any airport shuttle bus, or line 2 of Shanghai Metro.

The table below provides the main destinations that this Shanghai bus station caters to and their corresponding bus timings.

3. South Long Distance Bus Station

Address: 666, Shilong Road, Xuhui District
Operation Hours: 06:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Chinese Name: 长途客运南站
Phone: +86 021 – 962168

Getting There: This station is only 5 minutes away from Shanghai South Railway Station. You can take lines 1 and 3 if you are coming via the metro and get off at the railway station stop. Similarly, you can also opt for local buses on that route some of the lines operating on that route include 111, 144, 156, 157, 192, 315, 729, 761, 810, 867, and 973.

The table below provides the main destinations that this Shanghai bus station caters to and their corresponding bus timings.

4. Hongqiao West Long Distance Bus Station

Address: 298, Shenhong Road, Minhang District
Operation Hours: 07:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Chinese Name: 虹桥长途客运西站
Phone: +86 021-34661821

Getting There: This station is just half a kilometer away from Hongqiao Railway Station and 1 kilometer from Hongqiao Airport. You can take metro lines 2 and 10 and get off at either the airport or the railway station. City buses that pass this bus station include 173, 320, 835, Hongqiao Hub Line 1, 5, 6, and 10, Hongnan Express Line, Minhang Line 23, and Xinhong Express Line.

The table below provides the main destinations that this Shanghai bus station caters to and their corresponding bus timings.

5. East Long Distance Bus Station

Address: 3843, South Pudong Road, Pudong New Area
Operation Hours: 05:00 AM – 07:00 PM
Chinese Name: 浦东机场长途客运站
Phone: +86 021 – 58836764

Getting There: For passengers coming via metro, line 7 will get you to Yuntai Road and there you will use exit 6. City buses passing through this long-distance bus station include 82, 314, 454, 576, 610, 715, 785, 818, 955, 974, 978, and 981.

The table below provides the main destinations that this Shanghai bus station caters to and their corresponding bus timings.

6. North Long Distance Bus Station

Address: 1717, West Jiangchang Road, Jing’an District
Operation Hours: 06:00 AM – 08:30 PM
Chinese Name: 长途客运北站
Phone: +86 021 – 66518466

Getting There: Metro travelers will use line 7 and get off at Dachangzhen station. Leave the station from exit 2 and then you can walk to the North Long-Distance Bus station which is just 3 minutes away. If you take the city bus, you can come via buses numbered 68, 151, 159, 185, 702, 767, 909, and 963.

The table below provides the main destinations that this Shanghai bus station caters to and their corresponding bus timings.

7. Jiaotong Dazhong Long Distance Bus Station

Address: 168, Taopu Road, Putuo District
Operation Hours: 05:30 AM – 07:00 PM
Chinese Name: 交通大众长途汽车站
Phone: +86 021-62059207 or 021-62050613

Getting There: The closest metro station is Shanghai West Metro station and you can take metro line 11 to get there. To get to the bus station you can leave via exit 2 or exit 3. Some city buses that cover this bus station include 01, 106, 117, 129, 319, 742, 744, 768, and 944.

The table below provides the main destinations that this Shanghai bus station caters to and their corresponding bus timings.

8. Nanhui Coach Station

Address: 275, Fenghai Road, Pudong New Area
Operation Hours: 04:30 AM – 05:30 PM
Chinese Name: 南汇客运站
Phone: +86 021 – 68029466

Getting There: To come via metro, take line 16 and go to Huinan. From there, you can use exit number 3 and walk south towards the station which takes 5-10 minutes. City buses covering this station include 1038, Zhounan Line, Nannan Line, Fengnan Line, Chuanlu Special Line, Tangnan Special Line, Zhangnan Special Line.

The table below provides the main destinations that this Shanghai bus station caters to and their corresponding bus timings.

Additional Points

Most metro stations also have information on the nearest bus stations so you should be able to get to the one closest to you quite easily. We highly recommend going to Shanghai General Long-Distance Bus Station if you can. It is the biggest station in the city, and you can easily book a ticket for about 130 cities in China! The station caters to 42% of all long-distance bus from Shanghai traffic with nearly 400 bus lines going through it. It also has the most amenities of all the stations and traveling from here is a lot easier than other stations.

Useful Information

To make your experience of taking a long-distance bus from Shanghai easier, we are sharing some useful information. Please do keep these points in mind to avoid any problems during your travels on long-distance Shanghai bus.

• When booking a ticket, make sure you do so at least one week in advance. Local people are especially used to traveling via a Shanghai bus for long-distance travel. This results in advance bookings for up to a week.
• If you are traveling during the holidays, you should get your booking even earlier, preferably 10-11 days. People tend to travel to their hometowns during holidays and so you can expect buses booked completely. For some destinations, this figure could be as high as 2 weeks, so caution is necessary.
• Pick up your ticket at least a day in advance to make sure there are no problems with your booking.
• When booking online, you must ensure that all your booking information is correct. Chinese transport relies on official information so your booking should match your passport completely.
• When picking up your Shanghai bus ticket, make sure you have your passport with you. Tickets are not issued without proper documentation.
• Bus stations also have ticket vending machines, but they do not serve foreign travelers. You need a Chinese ID card to use them so steer clear if you do not have one.
• Kids under a height of 4 feet do not need a ticket as long as they are accompanied by an adult. The ticket price is 50% off for children with a height between 4 and 5 feet.
• Make sure you are at the correct gate ready to board at least 15 minutes before the departure time.