Huangpu River · Shanghai
Illuminated Bund facades on one bank, Pudong's towers on the other, and the Huangpu running between them for 45 minutes.
The Bund's historic buildings and Pudong's skyscrapers, lit up face to face across a river averaging 400 metres wide.
Two banks
The Huangpu flows 113 km north through Shanghai into the Yangtze estuary. It averages about 400 metres wide and 9 metres deep, and it divides the city into Puxi, the traditional centre on the west, and Pudong on the east.
The Bund is a protected historical district along a mile of the river's western bank, centred on Zhongshan Road. About 52 buildings in Western classical and modern styles stand in a row there, with Gothic, Baroque, Neoclassical, Romanesque, Art Deco and Renaissance touches, and a few echo the waterfront of Liverpool.
Lujiazui is a peninsula formed by a bend in the river, directly across from the Bund. It was low-built until the 1980s, with houses, warehouses and factories, and has been developed since the early 1990s as Shanghai's new financial district.
The Oriental Pearl Tower, built from 1991 to 1994, was the first landmark of Lujiazui's skyline. Three large spheres are joined by pillars, and the tower stands 468 metres tall with its antenna. On this cruise it is a short photo pass, about five minutes.
The evening in order
Forty-five minutes on the water, the Bund on one bank and Pudong on the other. Here is how the evening runs, from the meeting point to the last step ashore.
The sequence follows the usual shape of the evening. Itineraries are for reference and can change, and starting points, drop-off points and sailing times depend on the option and date you pick.
The day before, your guide's WhatsApp contact arrives. At the meeting point an English-speaking host picks you out and starts the boarding routine. Aim to be there at least 20 minutes early, because the boat cannot be held for latecomers.
The host walks you toward ticket validation and security and shows you where to board. This is the stretch of the evening the guided-entry ticket exists to smooth out.
The boat has an indoor cabin and open-air decks. Your guide boards with you and stays with the group, and guests describe being steered to the best viewing spots, even on a wet night.
Along a mile of waterfront the Bund's historic buildings face the river, and on an evening sailing they are lit. Guests describe the old architecture glowing against the modern skyline across the water.
Across the river Lujiazui's towers light up in colour. The Oriental Pearl TV Tower gets its own photo pass, about five minutes, before the boat finishes its 45 to 50 minutes on the river.
Shiliupu Dock is where the cruise embarks and disembarks. Starting and drop-off points can vary by option, so your voucher confirms yours.
What the ticket covers
The ticket pairs the cruise itself with human help at the pier. Here is what is in it, and what is not.
Three evenings on the water, compared
| Option | What is included | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Guided-entry cruise · 45–50 minutes | A cruise ticket for the option you pick, an English-speaking host who guides you through ticket validation, security and boarding, and a guide who stays with the group on board. Food and drinks are not included. | Travellers who want a short, straightforward sail and help at the pier. |
| After-dark dinner tour · about 4 hours | Hotel pickup and drop-off in downtown Shanghai by taxi or Didi, a live English-speaking guide, cruise tickets and a local dinner at a neighbourhood restaurant, not on the boat. VIP seating and a Shanghai Tower or Oriental Pearl Tower upgrade are options. Gratuities are not included. | Couples, families and groups booking a whole evening for their own party. |
| Dragon cruise with buffet · 3.5–4 hours | A ticket for the dragon-themed cruise and a buffet dinner on board. Nobody disembarks during the cruise, and the lit-up buildings are viewed from a distance. Tips and personal expenses are not included. | Travellers who want dinner and the lights on one boat and are relaxed about the food. |
Want dinner and a guide for your own group? See the after-dark dinner and cruise tour ↗
Three ways onto the Huangpu
A guided-entry ticket, a dinner tour with hotel pickup and a buffet cruise: three Huangpu evenings, each run by a different provider.
A cruise ticket for the option you pick, an English-speaking host who guides you through ticket validation, security and boarding, and a guide who stays with the group on board. Food and drinks are not included.
Check this sailing ↗Hotel pickup and drop-off in downtown Shanghai by taxi or Didi, a live English-speaking guide, cruise tickets and a local dinner at a neighbourhood restaurant, not on the boat. VIP seating and a Shanghai Tower or Oriental Pearl Tower upgrade are options. Gratuities are not included.
Check this sailing ↗A ticket for the dragon-themed cruise and a buffet dinner on board. Nobody disembarks during the cruise, and the lit-up buildings are viewed from a distance. Tips and personal expenses are not included.
Check this sailing ↗More Shanghai evenings to book
Before you head to the pier
Since September 2026 river cruise tickets are sold to named travellers. The dinner tour asks for every guest's passport number and exact passport name at booking and before the tour date, so keep all passports nearby when you book any option.
Both daytime and night sailings are sold, and the option you select decides which. Starting times show when you check availability. For the lights, choose an evening sailing.
The guided-entry address is 551 Zhongshan Rd (E-2), Huangpu District. By taxi or ride-hailing, set the destination to Hotel Indigo Shanghai on the Bund and walk 120 metres north. By metro, take Line 10 or 14 to Yuyuan Garden Station, Exit 7, then walk about ten minutes. The meeting point can differ by option, so check your voucher.
Go in through the underground entrance, pass security and continue down to the waiting area. Your guide meets you at the 7-Eleven store there.
The boat cannot wait for individual latecomers. Keep your phone and WhatsApp reachable, and message your guide at once if you cannot find the point or your ride is delayed.
The guided-entry ticket carries no food or drinks. For a meal, choose the dinner tour, which eats at a local restaurant, or the dragon cruise, which serves a buffet on board.
Notes for planning your night on the Huangpu
Six moments of one 45-minute sailing, start to finish.
Read this Huangpu note → before you paySince September 2026 river cruise tickets are tied to named travellers. What the dinner tour asks for, and what to have ready for any option.
Read this Huangpu note → which optionThree options on the river, run by three providers: what each one covers and who it suits.
Read this Huangpu note → the west bankA mile of waterfront, about 52 buildings in a row, and a view that changes once you are on the river.
Read this Huangpu note → the east bankA peninsula on a bend of the river, a financial district built from the 1990s, and the tower that started it.
Read this Huangpu note → getting aboardThe address, the metro exit, the underground entrance and what to do if you cannot find your host.
Read this Huangpu note →FAQ
Have it ready. Since September 2026 river cruise tickets are sold under real-name ticketing, and the after-dark dinner tour asks for every guest's passport number and exact passport name at booking, or soon after, and always before the tour date. Enter names exactly as the passport prints them, and expect the same request on any other option.
For the guided-entry ticket the address is 551 Zhongshan Rd (E-2), Huangpu District. Ask a taxi to take you to Hotel Indigo Shanghai on the Bund and walk 120 metres north, or take metro Line 10 or 14 to Yuyuan Garden Station, Exit 7. Inside, take the underground entrance, pass security and wait downstairs near the 7-Eleven, where your guide meets you. The meeting point can change with the option you choose.
The boat cannot be delayed for individual latecomers, so aim to reach the meeting point at least 20 minutes early. If your ride runs late or you cannot find the spot, message your guide on WhatsApp straight away.
Not on the guided-entry ticket. The after-dark dinner tour includes a local dinner at a neighbourhood restaurant, eaten ashore rather than on the boat, and the dragon cruise includes a buffet dinner on board. Comments from guests on the buffet are mixed, so treat the lights as the main draw.
Yes. Daytime and night sailings are both sold, and the option you select decides which one you get. Starting times appear when you check availability. The lights come on in the evening, so pick an evening sailing if the skylines after dark are the point.
On the guided-entry ticket, yes: your guide boards with you and stays with the group for the whole cruise, and guests describe being shown the best viewing spots. The dinner tour has a live English-speaking guide for the evening.
It is sold as a private group tour of about four hours, with hotel pickup and drop-off by taxi or Didi in downtown Shanghai and a wheelchair-accessible format. Pickups from outer areas such as the airport or Disneyland can be arranged for a surcharge, and gratuities are not included.
Each of the three has a free cancellation window that closes 24 hours before departure, plus a reserve now and pay later choice, so you can hold a date without paying today. Check the date you pick on the booking page.
A per-person starting fare for the guided-entry cruise; the total for your party and date appears on the booking page before you pay, in your own currency.