Shanghai

About Shanghai

150 years of transformation in a single skyline

Stand on the Bund and you see two centuries at once: European colonial banks on one side, the Pudong ultra-modern skyline on the other. No city on earth compresses this much history into a single view.

Shanghai is where China meets the world. It's the country's commercial engine, its fashion capital, and the testing ground for everything from cashless payments to autonomous vehicles. For students on the Pulse programme, it's a live case study in how technology reshapes a society. For Roots students, it's the final chapter — a chance to compare imperial Beijing, Silk Road Xi'an, and global Shanghai.

It's fast, polished, and relentlessly modern — but duck into the French Concession or a longtang alleyway and you'll find the old Shanghai still breathing.

What You'll Experience

Top Attractions

The Bund & Pudong Skyline

Colonial-era European architecture facing the ultra-modern Pudong skyline — a single vantage point spanning 150 years of China's transformation. The evening LED light show across the river is urban spectacle at its finest.

Featured in Roots & Pulse Programmes

EV Revolution

Tesla, NIO, and BYD showroom tours and the Auto Museum. Compare China's EV industry with global competitors, explore supply chain economics, and see why Shanghai is the epicentre of the electric vehicle revolution.

Featured in Pulse Programme

Maglev Train — 430 km/h

A physics lesson at speed. Electromagnetic propulsion, Lenz's Law, and China's transit infrastructure — experienced at 430 km/h on the world's fastest commercial train. Airport to city in 7 minutes.

Featured in Pulse Programme

School Exchange

A structured exchange with a Shanghai secondary school. Peer dialogue on education systems, technology habits, career aspirations, and daily life. Often cited by students as the most memorable day of the entire trip.

Featured in Roots & Pulse Programmes

Yu Garden & Old Town

A classical Chinese garden from the Ming dynasty, tucked inside Shanghai's oldest neighbourhood. Rockeries, pavilions, and koi ponds surrounded by the Old Town bazaar — a pocket of calm in the middle of a megacity.

Featured in Roots Programme

French Concession

A walking tour through Shanghai's colonial legacy. Tree-lined boulevards, art deco architecture, and the creative quarter where independent cafes and galleries occupy century-old lane houses.

Featured in Roots Programme

Plan Your Visit

Good to Know

Best Time to Visit

Autumn (October–November) is perfect — crisp skies and comfortable temperatures. Spring is also good. Summers are hot and humid; winters are mild but grey.

Getting Around

Shanghai has one of the world's largest metro networks. For school groups, we arrange private coaches. The Maglev connects the airport to the city in 7 minutes.

The Cashless City

Shanghai runs almost entirely on mobile payments. Students experience a cashless society firsthand — a live lesson in fintech and digital economics.