The Bund Shanghai vs North Bund: Which One Should You Visit?

Everyone visiting Shanghai knows The Bund.

But on our latest trip, we discovered another way to experience Shanghai's skyline — one that costs only ¥2.

Instead of staying around the usual Bund area, head towards The North Bund (北外滩), walk along the waterfront, then take the local ferry across the Huangpu River into Lujiazui.

It might honestly be one of the best ¥2 you can spend in Shanghai.

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Start at The North Bund

Most first-time visitors naturally head straight to The Bund Shanghai for the famous view of the Oriental Pearl Tower and Lujiazui skyline.

And you absolutely should visit it.

→ Read our complete guide to The Bund Shanghai

But if you have more time, continue north towards The North Bund.

The atmosphere here is completely different.

There are wide riverside spaces, beautiful views across the Huangpu River and, when we visited, significantly fewer people compared with The Bund.

→ Read our North Bund Shanghai guide

Take Shanghai's ¥2 Ferry

From North Bund, make your way towards:

公平路渡口 — Gongping Road Ferry Terminal

From here, pedestrians can take the public ferry across the Huangpu River for just:

¥2 per person.

The ferry crosses to:

泰同栈渡口 — Taitongzhan Ferry Terminal

It's not a sightseeing cruise.

It's literally part of Shanghai's public transportation system — which somehow makes the experience even better.

You get river views, the Shanghai skyline and a short boat ride across the Huangpu for less than the price of a drink.

Continue Towards Lujiazui

Once you arrive on the Pudong side, continue walking along the waterfront towards Lujiazui.

This completely changes your perspective of Shanghai.

Earlier, you were standing across the river looking at the skyscrapers.

Now you're underneath them.

You'll eventually reach some of Shanghai's most recognizable landmarks, including:

• Oriental Pearl Tower

• Shanghai Tower

• Jin Mao Tower

• Shanghai World Financial Center

→ See our Lujiazui Shanghai guide

The Route We'd Recommend

If you're planning a Shanghai citywalk, try this:

The Bund → North Bund → Gongping Road Ferry → ¥2 Ferry → Lujiazui → Oriental Pearl Tower

You essentially experience both sides of the Huangpu River in one trip.

For us, this was much more interesting than simply visiting The Bund, taking a photo and leaving.

Is The ¥2 Shanghai Ferry Worth It?

Definitely.

If you're already visiting North Bund or Lujiazui, there's almost no reason not to do it.

It's cheap, practical and gives you another view of one of the most famous skylines in China.

Sometimes the best travel experiences aren't the expensive attractions.

Sometimes they're just a ¥2 ferry that locals use every day.