Car hire and driving in Shanghai
Driving distances to the cities around, the rules that change at the border, and where to compare rental prices.
In China traffic drives on the right. Picking up at SHA means 12 km (7 mi) into the centre before the trip starts. The emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648823 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648851 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q2807090.
Drives from Shanghai
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai to Jiading | China | 27 km (17 mi) | about 25 min |
| Shanghai to Songjiang | China | 31 km (19 mi) | about 28 min |
| Shanghai to Xiayang | China | 34 km (21 mi) | about 31 min |
| Shanghai to Qingpu | China | 34 km (21 mi) | about 31 min |
| Shanghai to Nanqiao | China | 34 km (21 mi) | about 31 min |
| Shanghai to Fengxiang | China | 40 km (25 mi) | about 37 min |
| Shanghai to Taicang | China | 43 km (27 mi) | about 39 min |
| Shanghai to Zhujing | China | 46 km (28 mi) | about 42 min |
| Shanghai to Jinshan | China | 46 km (28 mi) | about 42 min |
| Shanghai to Chengqiao | China | 46 km (28 mi) | about 42 min |
| Shanghai to Chongming | China | 50 km (31 mi) | about 45 min |
| Shanghai to Kunshan | China | 51 km (32 mi) | about 47 min |
| Shanghai to Chongqing | China | 1,440 km (895 mi) | about 21 h 58 min |
| Shanghai to Chengdu | China | 1,658 km (1,030 mi) | about 25 h 17 min |
| Shanghai to Beijing | China | 1,068 km (664 mi) | about 16 h 17 min |
| Shanghai to Guangzhou | China | 1,212 km (753 mi) | about 18 h 29 min |
| Shanghai to Shenzhen | China | 1,211 km (752 mi) | about 18 h 28 min |
| Shanghai to Tianjin | China | 962 km (598 mi) | about 14 h 41 min |
| Shanghai to Wuhan | China | 690 km (429 mi) | about 10 h 31 min |
| Shanghai to Xi’an | China | 1,219 km (757 mi) | about 18 h 35 min |
Distances are straight-line; road and rail routes run about 15–25% longer. Times are estimates from distance and typical speeds, not timetables.
Where to compare car hire
We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.
Common questions
Which side of the road do they drive on in Shanghai?
The right, as everywhere in China.
How are the journey times on this page worked out?
From straight-line distance and typical speeds for each mode, so they are estimates for planning, not timetables. Road and rail routes run 15–25% longer than the straight line.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.