wordsmith1

How far? Should we take a cab or private car? A private car is $138 which seems high...or not? We arrive at 7:30 pm........also, easy to get a taxi at airport to cruise line?

cwn

If you are on one of the large ships more than 700 passengers, the ship is too large to dock downtown and will dock at the commercial port about an hour out of town. I am not sure where the airport is in relation to there your ship will dock...on the same side of town as the port? But if it isn't, it could be some distance, so the $138 would be reasonable. Having used both taxis and private drivers, I would definitely arrange for a private transfer and depending on how early you arrive, also include a little sightseeing or lunch in town.

Go to the cruise section on Fodors or to Cruise critic ports of call and ask. You will probably get more info.

temppeternh

$138 is very expensive for an hour's drive in China, and if your destination is the cruise ship terminal on the Yangzi in the middle of town, less than 50km from Pudong Airport and even closer to Hongqiao, you're being taken very thoroughly to the cleaners.

In general any service you find on-line in China that is targeting English speakers will be overpriced, as will any service contracted through a third part such as a travel company.

cwn

You need to know at which of the three terminals your ship will dock. Ships larger than 87,000 tons can not get to the Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal, due to the low bridge on Huangpu River. They will dock at the Wusongkou Cruise Port or Waigaoqiao Cruise Port.

We were on the Ocean Princess, an 600 passenger ship and docked with in walking distance of the Bund, the Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal. When we were there on the Sapphire Princess over 2000 passengers, we docked at Wusongkou Cruise International Terminal and the drive into the Bund was 60 to 90 minutes depending on traffic.

Depending on the combination of airport and terminal you will be using it seems to be anywhere from ~20 to 46KM. Check with your cruise and see what the transfer cost for your group. Remember traffic can be very slow and congested in Shanghai.

I agree booking through an agent or online in China for English speakers will cost more than what you can arrange on the spot in China....but sometimes knowing you have a driver who will be waiting for you with a sign with your name on at the exit from the secure area the after a long international flight is worth it.

temppeternh

As long as we're clear that 'worth it' can be several multiples of what you actually need to pay.

cwn

Yes, that will be up to the OP.

There is probably a taxi rank at the airport and some one can probably help get the taxi going to the right port. However after a long flight, into a strange city, at night, I would rather have a car and driver waiting.

My experience in Shanghai has been as long as we had the address written in Chinese, in our case, provided by the tourist office person that can on board the ship just to help people move around easily, or from our hotel, we have had no problem get a taxi and getting where we want to go. The couple of times we tried to show on a map or otherwise tell the taxi driver where we wanted to go were not as successful.

wordsmith1

I found out we are going to the International Terminal near the Bund....about 30 minutes. We were quoted $135. Sounds high. Will cabs know where to go?

temppeternh

Will they know where to go? It's bang in the middle of town, just north of The Bund, and a major point for them to pick up and drop off passengers.

Just print out this:

上海港国际客运中心, 东大名路, 虹口

and show it to the driver.

Or just print out this page:

http://baike.baidu.com/view/3255150.htm

and show the big characters.

Or this one, which also has the address (not that that will be needed):

http://www.ddmap.com/map/21/point-23...%BA%A3-map.htm

Don't show any maps. Just the name in characters.

If you have a smartphone, load the Shanghai map on Google Maps or Apple Maps on wi-fi before leaving home, search for and bookmark the location of Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal, and then watch your progress on the screen. Or go to maps.google.com and enter Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal, click 'directions', and enter Pudong International Airport and click the picture of a car. Print the results and let the driver see you're carrying them and paying attention. Under 50km, under an hour. $135? Nothing remotely like it. An absurd rip-off just typical of organised tourism in China.

Last time I was in Shanghai, taxis were:

¥12 for the first three 3km
¥2.4 for the next seven, then
¥3.6 per km after that.

At 45km for the most direct route, that's

¥153.6 or $25.

It's possible rates have risen in the last couple of years--perhaps someone who has taken a Shanghai taxi more recently can comment--and you'll probably have some expressway tolls to pay (the driver pays and then gives you the receipts). If like Beijing, Shanghai may have a few kuai in fuel surcharges, information on which will be given in English in the cab. Assuming a slightly longer route is taken, or there's some waiting time for being stuck in traffic, I'd guess the final result (at the rates given) to be an absolute maximum of $50. There are no extras for baggage or anything else, and there's no tipping. Just make sure the driver pushes the flag down as you pull away from the kerb, then pay what's on the meter, plus indicated fuel surcharge, plus amount shown on any receipts for expressway tolls.

And that's it.

You can, of course, also do the entire thing by metro (subway), although with several changes, for a fraction of even this amount. Again, Google Maps will show you how.

You'll need to get Chinese cash from an ATM in the airport terminal.

temppeternh

I forgot to mention:

Do NOT, under any circumstances, go with any driver or tout who approaches you at the airport, but simply follow signs to the taxi rank, and wait in line. There can sometimes be a bit of a wait.

I've just seen an estimate that the current typical cost for a trip to The Bund is ¥180 all-in. $30.

Marija

We had to declare whether we wanted a "close" or " far" taxi at the taxi line. Don't know if that's still the case.

wordsmith1

Thanks so much for all of your help!!!