Which metro line goes to The Bund in Shanghai?

Take Metro Line 2 or Line 10 to East Nanjing Road station (南京东路). Exit 1 or 9, then walk east for about 8 minutes to reach the riverfront. Alternatively, Yuyuan Road station (Line 10) brings you to the southern end of The Bund — useful if you are coming from Yu Garden.

The Bund Shanghai — Colonial Waterfront, Night Lights & How to Make the Most of It 2026

Q: Is The Bund free to visit?

Yes. The Bund Promenade is free to walk and open 24 hours a day, every day. The only additional costs are if you choose to take a Huangpu River cruise (approximately ¥115–135 per person) or eat and drink at the restaurants and bars in the surrounding streets.

Q: When is the best time to visit The Bund?

The best window is roughly 6 to 8 pm. The colonial buildings on the Bund side catch the last warm light of the afternoon, and the Pudong towers across the river start lighting up at the same time — you get both natural and artificial illumination in a single frame. For space and quiet, come before 7.30 am: soft morning light, almost no one around, and the city gradually waking up.

Q: How much does the Huangpu River cruise cost?

The standard Huangpu River cruise from Shiliupu Pier costs approximately ¥115–135 per person (~฿575–675 / roughly $16–19 USD), depending on the season. The 50-minute cruise passes the Bund, the Pudong skyline, Oriental Pearl Tower and Waibaidu Bridge. Tickets can be bought at the pier or booked in advance through Klook.

Q: What are the most important buildings on The Bund?

The five most visited buildings are: the HSBC Building (Bund 12, 1923 — Neoclassical, with two bronze lions at the entrance); the Customs House (Bund 13, 1927 — the clock tower chimes every hour); the Peace Hotel (Bund 20, 1929 — Art Deco with a verdigris copper roof, now part of the Fairmont); Bund 18 (1923 — former Chartered Bank, now a dining and luxury retail complex); and Waibaidu Bridge at the northern end, China's oldest surviving steel bridge, built 1907.

What it is

Shanghai in two hundred metres — why The Bund works

There is a moment at The Bund, usually around six in the evening, when both sides of the Huangpu River are illuminated simultaneously. On the Puxi bank where you stand: the HSBC Building, the Customs House clock tower, the Peace Hotel's copper-green roof — all lit warm and gold. Across the water: the Pudong towers rising in a skyline that looks genuinely designed rather than accidentally accumulated, with Shanghai Tower at 632 metres catching the last light at its tip. It is an image you have seen and one that still surprises you when you are there.

The Bund is a 1.5-kilometre waterfront promenade in Shanghai's Huangpu District, on the west bank of the Huangpu River. It runs from Waibaidu Bridge in the north to Yan'an Road in the south, flanked on its landward side by 52 heritage buildings in styles ranging from Baroque and Gothic to Neoclassical, Renaissance and Art Deco — all built in the 1920s and 1930s when Shanghai was one of the most cosmopolitan cities on earth, home to British, French, American and Japanese banks and consulates. The nickname "Museum of International Architecture" is not an exaggeration.

What makes it different from every other Shanghai attraction is simple: free entry, 24 hours a day, no queue, no booking. The city's residents jog here in the morning, sit by the river in the evening and bring out-of-town visitors here first, without exception. That is worth paying attention to.

The Bund, Shanghai — colonial-era facades lit at dusk along the Huangpu River, Pudong towers glowing across the water — The Bund at dusk — colonial facades on the near bank, the Pudong skyline across the river

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Entry

Free

Open 24 hours, every day

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Best time

6–8 pm

Golden hour plus city lights together

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Metro

East Nanjing Road

Lines 2/10 · 8-min walk east

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Buildings

52 heritage facades

Multiple European styles, 1920s–30s

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Length

1.5 kilometres

30–45 min leisurely walk

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River cruise

~¥115–135 (~฿575–675)

Shiliupu Pier · 50-minute route

Buildings to look for

5 buildings that tell Shanghai's story

Walk south to north along the promenade — each has a history worth knowing.

1

HSBC Building (Bund 12)

Neoclassical · built 1923

Once billed as "the finest building east of Suez," the HSBC Building was the bank's Asia headquarters from 1923. The two bronze lions at the entrance — named Stephen and Stitt — are the most photographed object on The Bund. The interior mosaic ceiling in the main banking hall is extraordinary; enter during weekday business hours when it still operates as a branch of Pudong Development Bank.
2

Customs House (Bund 13)

Neoclassical · clock tower · built 1927

The clock tower is the most recognisable element of The Bund skyline from the river. Its bells chime on the hour — the sound carries across the water and is one of the most specifically Shanghai things you will hear. The building still functions as the Shanghai Customs office.
3

Peace Hotel (Bund 20)

Art Deco · verdigris copper roof · built 1929

The green copper roof is The Bund's most distinctive architectural detail — the colour comes from decades of oxidation. Charlie Chaplin, Noël Coward and numerous heads of state stayed here. The Jazz Bar in the basement has had a house band since the 1930s and still performs nightly. Now part of the Fairmont group; non-guests can have a drink at the bar.
4

Bund 18

Baroque · former Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China · built 1923

A careful restoration turned this former banking hall into a complex of high-end restaurants and luxury boutiques. The upper floors have terraces with views over both The Bund promenade and across to Pudong — one of the better elevated perspectives without paying observation-deck prices.
5

Waibaidu Bridge

Steel truss bridge · northern end of The Bund · built 1907

China's oldest surviving all-steel bridge, spanning the Suzhou Creek where it meets the Huangpu. The bridge connects The Bund to the Hongkou district to the north. At night it reflects the city lights and is a consistently popular photography spot — especially for the angle looking south along the Huangpu.

What to do here

Walk, cruise, photograph — three ways to experience The Bund

🚶 Walking the promenade

The promenade runs the full 1.5 kilometres from Waibaidu Bridge in the north to Yan'an Road in the south, with the river on your right and the heritage buildings behind on your left. At a relaxed pace it takes 30 to 45 minutes end to end. With stops — sitting on the river-facing benches, reading building plaques, photographing the skyline — allow two hours comfortably.

The promenade is wide, flat and accessible, with benches placed throughout. It is lit well at night and genuinely busy until well past midnight on weekends. Come before 7.30 am if you want the space to yourself: the light is soft and directional, and the occasional tai chi practitioner along the riverbank is all the company you need.

⛵ Huangpu River cruise

Shiliupu Pier (十六铺码头) sits at the southern end of The Bund, about 15 minutes' walk from East Nanjing Road station. The standard 50-minute cruise passes both banks of the Huangpu — the colonial facades of The Bund on one side and the Pudong towers on the other — then continues under Waibaidu Bridge and returns. Ticket prices run approximately ¥115–135 per person (~฿575–675), with slightly higher rates during peak season and holidays.

The night cruise is the one worth taking: both riverbanks are fully illuminated, the Customs House clock tower is backlit, and Shanghai Tower's upper floors glow above everything. Tickets can be bought at the pier or booked in advance through Klook.

Tip: Booking through Klook in advance saves queuing at the pier ticket office, particularly on weekend evenings when lines can be long. Check the Huangpu River cruise on Klook →

Pudong skyline seen from across the Huangpu River — Shanghai Tower, SWFC and Oriental Pearl Tower lit at dusk — The view from The Bund toward Pudong — the Huangpu River cruise passes this skyline on both banks

📸 Photography — when and where

The classic frame is from the promenade looking east across the river: colonial building edges on the left, Pudong towers centred, the Huangpu in the foreground. The 6–8 pm window is the standard recommendation because the sky transitions from blue through gold to purple while both banks are illuminated. On clear evenings in autumn (September–November) the sky colour is particularly good.

For the reverse angle — photographing The Bund's colonial facade from Pudong — take Metro Line 2 to Lujiazui and walk to the Pudong riverside path. The Bund's full row of buildings fills the frame with nothing blocking it. This is the angle used on most postcards.

Getting there

How to reach The Bund

Metro is the quickest and most straightforward option from anywhere in central Shanghai.

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Metro Lines 2 / 10

East Nanjing Road station (南京东路)

Exit 1 or 9, walk east for 8 minutes — the most direct route, also connects with Nanjing Road shopping street

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Metro Line 10

Yuyuan Road station (豫园路)

Enters from the southern end of The Bund — useful if coming from Yu Garden or Xintiandi

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Pudong Ferry

From Binjiang Avenue on the Pudong side

¥2 (~฿10) — the cheapest and most atmospheric crossing; the ferry ride itself is a low-key Huangpu River experience

Combining sights in one day: Yu Garden opens at 9 am — go there first, walk through the Yuyuan Bazaar, take Metro Line 10 one stop to East Nanjing Road, walk Nanjing Road in the afternoon, then arrive at The Bund in time for dusk. All three sights connect on Lines 2 and 10 without backtracking.

Where to stay

Hotels near The Bund

Bund-view rooms, Old Town proximity, and the best first-time neighbourhoods — covered below.

7 Best Bund-View Hotels

Peninsula, Waldorf Astoria, Banyan Tree on the Bund — rooms with the river in the window

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7 Hotels near Yu Garden & Old Town

10–15 minutes' walk from both Yu Garden and The Bund

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Where to Stay in Shanghai (first visit)

Six neighbourhoods compared — with a single recommendation for each budget

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Frequently asked

FAQ · The Bund practical

Is The Bund free to visit?

Yes. The Bund Promenade is free to walk and open 24 hours a day, every day. The only additional costs are if you take a Huangpu River cruise (approximately ¥115–135 per person), eat at one of the riverside restaurants, or pay to enter a specific building. The promenade itself has no admission charge.

When is the best time to visit The Bund?

The best window is roughly 6 to 8 pm. The colonial buildings on the Bund side catch the last warm light of the afternoon, and the Pudong towers across the river start lighting up at the same time — you get both natural and artificial illumination in a single frame. If you want space and quiet, come before 7.30 am: soft morning light, almost no one around, and the city gradually waking up around you.

How much does the Huangpu River cruise cost?

The standard Huangpu River cruise from Shiliupu Pier costs approximately ¥115–135 per person (~฿575–675), depending on the season. The 50-minute route takes in the full Bund facade, the Pudong skyline, Oriental Pearl Tower and Waibaidu Bridge. Tickets can be bought at the pier or booked in advance via Klook.

Which metro line goes to The Bund?

Take Metro Line 2 or Line 10 to East Nanjing Road station (南京东路). Use Exit 1 or 9, then walk east for about 8 minutes to reach the riverfront. Coming from Yu Garden? Yuyuan Road station (Line 10) deposits you at The Bund's southern end instead — no backtracking needed.

What are the most important buildings on The Bund?

The five most visited: HSBC Building (Bund 12, 1923 — Neoclassical, bronze lions at the entrance, interior mosaic ceiling open during banking hours); Customs House (Bund 13, 1927 — clock tower that chimes hourly); Peace Hotel (Bund 20, 1929 — Art Deco, verdigris copper roof, jazz bar since the 1930s); Bund 18 (1923 — former bank, now dining and luxury retail with rooftop terrace views); and Waibaidu Bridge at the northern end, China's oldest surviving steel bridge, 1907.

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