Whether you’re on an expat package or a student scrimping for change, transportation in Shanghai can be as affordable or convenient as you want it to be. Most people living close to the city centre take advantage of cheap, ubiquitous taxis, the efficient Metro system, or the bus network. Bicycles and scooters are also a popular way to get around and explore the streets. For people in the suburbs, where everything is more spread out, a car and driver is by far the most practical mode of transportation.

Driving yourself around town as a newly arrived expat is not recommended. While the number of vehicles on the road is rising every year, the streets around the city remain narrow, and when shared with taxis, buses, cyclists and cart pullers, can be difficult to manoeuvre around. Roadworks are frequent and can aggravate an already disorderly system. Additionally, the layout of the city can be confusing, with roads weaving in unforeseen directions or turning into one-way streets. Parking garages are increasing in number with the rise of each commercial building, but a space can still be hard to find and street parking is often non-existent. Drivers are handy when trying to solve this dilemma since they can stay with your car all day and meet you when and where you need them to. ­­­­