Current Time in Shanghai
About Shanghai
Shanghai is located in China, in the Northern Hemisphere, and is one of the most populous cities in the world with a population of around 24,874,500. It runs on Asia/Shanghai time, currently UTC+8:00 relative to UTC. Shanghai does not observe Daylight Saving Time, so this offset stays fixed year-round.
- CountryChina
- Population24,874,500
- Latitude31.2222°
- Longitude121.4581°
- Time zoneAsia/Shanghai
- Current UTC offsetUTC+8:00
- Daylight Saving TimeNot observed
Sunrise & Sunset in Shanghai Today
For Sunday, October 11, 2026, calculated from Shanghai's own coordinates.
Sunrise
Sunset
Daylight
Seasons in Shanghai
Approximate dates — the exact moment a season begins shifts by about a day from year to year.
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Top Places to Visit in Shanghai
The Bund
The Bund is Shanghai's most iconic waterfront, a mile-long stretch along the Huangpu River lined with over 50 European-style buildings from the 1920s and 30s, once the heart of the city's foreign concessions. Banks, trading houses and hotels built in neoclassical, Art Deco and Gothic styles now house restaurants, bars and luxury shops, while the riverside promenade offers an unbroken view across the water to the futuristic Pudong skyline. It's especially striking at dusk, when the historic facades on one bank light up in warm gold and the skyscrapers on the other switch on their neon and LED displays. A short boat cruise from the Bund's piers is a popular way to see both skylines from the water, and the pedestrianized promenade makes for an easy, unhurried walk any time of day.
Take Metro Line 2 directly from Pudong International Airport to East Nanjing Road station (about 1 hour), then walk east roughly 10 minutes to the riverfront.
From Shanghai Railway Station, take Line 1 to People's Square, transfer to Line 2, and ride one stop to East Nanjing Road, then walk east to the Bund.
Shanghai Long-Distance Bus Terminal sits beside Shanghai Railway Station; follow the same route as from the railway station (Line 1 to People's Square, transfer to Line 2 to East Nanjing Road).
Yu Garden
Yu Garden is a classical Ming-dynasty garden tucked behind the walls of Shanghai's Old City, built in the 1500s by a Ming-dynasty official for his parents and restored several times since. Winding paths lead through rockeries, ponds, pavilions and zigzagging corridors designed so that no two views repeat, a hallmark of traditional Chinese garden design. It adjoins the Yu Garden Bazaar, a dense maze of shops and snack stalls with upturned eaves and carved wooden facades built in a similar historic style, centred on the Mid-Lake Pavilion teahouse reached by a nine-turn zigzag bridge. The bazaar gets crowded, especially on weekends and around Chinese New Year, so an early-morning visit gives a quieter look at both the garden and the surrounding lanes.
Take Metro Line 2 from Pudong International Airport to East Nanjing Road, transfer to Line 10, and ride south to Yuyuan Garden station.
From Shanghai Railway Station, take Line 1 to People's Square, transfer to Line 10, and ride to Yuyuan Garden station.
From Shanghai Long-Distance Bus Terminal, follow the railway-station route: Line 1 to People's Square, transfer to Line 10 to Yuyuan Garden.
Oriental Pearl Tower & Lujiazui
The Oriental Pearl Tower's pink-and-grey spheres have defined the Pudong skyline since 1994, and it remains one of the most photographed structures in China alongside its taller neighbours, the Jin Mao Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center and Shanghai Tower. Multiple observation decks, including a glass-floored deck partway up, look back across the river to the Bund's historic skyline. The tower sits in Lujiazui, Shanghai's financial district, where an elevated pedestrian walkway connects the main skyscrapers and shopping malls without needing to cross traffic at street level. Visiting at night is popular, when the whole cluster of towers is lit up and visible from the Bund promenade on the opposite bank.
Pudong International Airport sits on Metro Line 2; ride it directly, without transferring, to Lujiazui station.
From Shanghai Railway Station, take Line 1 to People's Square, transfer to Line 2, and ride east to Lujiazui, crossing under the river to the Pudong side.
From Shanghai Long-Distance Bus Terminal, follow the railway-station route: Line 1 to People's Square, transfer to Line 2 eastbound to Lujiazui.
Nanjing Road
Nanjing Road has been Shanghai's main shopping street for well over a century and is often called the number one commercial street in China. The pedestrianized eastern section runs from People's Square to the Bund, packed with department stores, flagship shops, historic hotels and street-level neon that's especially vivid after dark; a small tourist tram runs the length of the pedestrian zone for those who'd rather not walk it all. West of People's Square the road continues as a more upscale shopping strip with international luxury brands. It's less a single attraction than a mile-long stretch of Shanghai street life, worth combining with a Bund visit since the two are a short walk apart.
Take Metro Line 2 directly from Pudong International Airport to East Nanjing Road or People's Square station, both on the pedestrianized stretch.
From Shanghai Railway Station, take Line 1 directly to People's Square station, at the western end of Nanjing Road's pedestrian section.
From Shanghai Long-Distance Bus Terminal, take Line 1 directly to People's Square station.
Shanghai Disneyland Resort
Shanghai Disneyland, which opened in 2016, is the largest Disney resort in China and blends the classic Disney park format with attractions built specifically for it, including the Enchanted Storybook Castle, the tallest and largest of any Disney castle worldwide. The resort includes the main theme park, the Disneytown shopping and dining district, Wishing Star Park, and two on-site hotels. It draws crowds from across China, so weekday visits and early arrival are worth planning around, and the nightly fireworks and lighting show over the castle is one of the park's signature moments. The resort sits well outside central Shanghai in Pudong's northeastern suburbs, so budgeting extra travel time is worthwhile.
From Pudong International Airport, take Metro Line 2 to Longyang Road, transfer to Line 16, then transfer again at Luoshan Road to Line 11, which terminates at Disney Resort station.
From Shanghai Railway Station, take Line 3 or Line 4 to Caoyang Road, transfer to Line 11, and ride to its terminus at Disney Resort station.
Shanghai Long-Distance Bus Terminal runs a direct express bus to the resort; alternatively follow the railway-station metro route via Caoyang Road.
China National Holidays
2026
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thu, Jan 1 |
| Spring Festival | Tue, Feb 17 |
| Qingming Festival | Sat, Apr 4 |
| Labour Day | Fri, May 1 |
| Dragon Boat Festival | Fri, Jun 19 |
| Mid-Autumn Festival | Fri, Sep 25 |
| National Day | Thu, Oct 1 |
2027
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Fri, Jan 1 |
| Spring Festival | Sat, Feb 6 |
| Qingming Festival | Sun, Apr 4 |
| Labour Day | Sat, May 1 |
| Dragon Boat Festival | Wed, Jun 9 |
| Mid-Autumn Festival | Wed, Sep 15 |
| National Day | Fri, Oct 1 |
2028
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Sat, Jan 1 |
| Spring Festival | Wed, Jan 26 |
| Qingming Festival | Tue, Apr 4 |
| Labour Day | Mon, May 1 |
| Dragon Boat Festival | Sun, May 28 |
| National Day | Sun, Oct 1 |
| Mid-Autumn Festival | Tue, Oct 3 |
2029
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Mon, Jan 1 |
| Spring Festival | Tue, Feb 13 |
| Qingming Festival | Wed, Apr 4 |
| Labour Day | Tue, May 1 |
| Dragon Boat Festival | Sat, Jun 16 |
| Mid-Autumn Festival | Sat, Sep 22 |
| National Day | Mon, Oct 1 |
2030
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Tue, Jan 1 |
| Spring Festival | Sun, Feb 3 |
| Qingming Festival | Thu, Apr 4 |
| Labour Day | Wed, May 1 |
| Dragon Boat Festival | Wed, Jun 5 |
| Mid-Autumn Festival | Thu, Sep 12 |
| National Day | Tue, Oct 1 |
Daylight Saving Time
Shanghai does not observe Daylight Saving Time. The UTC offset stays fixed at UTC+8:00 year-round.
Time Difference from Top 10 US Cities
Time Difference from Top 10 Cities Worldwide
Frequently Asked Questions About Time in Shanghai
What time zone is Shanghai in?
Shanghai, China uses the Asia/Shanghai time zone. It is currently on CST (UTC+8:00). The live local time is shown at the top of this page.
Does Shanghai observe Daylight Saving Time?
No. Shanghai does not observe Daylight Saving Time, so it stays on UTC+8:00 all year round and never changes its clocks.
What time is sunrise and sunset in Shanghai today?
The sun rises at 5:53 AM and sets at 5:29 PM in Shanghai today, giving 11h 35m of daylight.
What is the time difference between Shanghai and New York City?
New York City is 12 hours behind Shanghai right now. The full comparison against other major cities is in the tables above.
What is the UTC offset for Shanghai?
Shanghai is currently UTC+8:00. This offset is fixed and does not change during the year.