Red lanterns above a Suzhou canal
Shanghai · by the day

An English-speaking guide in Shanghai, for exactly the days you need one

For families visiting relatives, stopovers, and work trips with a free day. Guide only, or guide with a private car. Pay per group, not per person.

Check availabilityAll prices
01Prices

Day guide rates in Shanghai

Per group, per day, in Australian dollars. Children under 12 count as half a traveller for group size.

1–2 travellers3–6 travellers
Guide only, full day (8 h)A$350A$450
Guide + private car, full day (8 h)A$600A$750
Guide only, half day (4 h)A$210A$270
Guide + private car, half day (4 h)A$360A$450
Includes the guide's time, transport planning and bookings, and for car options a 7-seat MPV with driver, fuel, tolls and parking. Entry tickets and meals are paid at cost.
Add-onsPrice
Airport pickup, private car (Pudong or Hongqiao to your hotel)A$120
Airport pickup with English-speaking guide at arrivalsA$180
Day trip to Suzhou, Hangzhou or Zhujiajiao (added to a guide + car day)+A$150
Overtime beyond 8 hoursA$40 / hour
Three or more guide days10% off

Worked example: two adults and two children (10 and 7), guide with car for three days in Shanghai. That counts as three travellers, A$750 a day, less 10% for three days, A$2,025 in total plus tickets and meals.

02A typical day
Pavilion roofs at Yu Garden, Shanghai
Classic Shanghai

Yu Garden before the crowds, the Bund at dusk, and lunch where the locals queue

A guide day is shaped around you. A first-timer's day runs Yu Garden and the old town early, a walk along the Bund and the ferry across to Lujiazui, xiaolongbao for lunch, then the lanes of the former French Concession before finishing on the Bund as the lights come on.

With children we swap in the Natural History Museum, a ride on the Maglev at 300 km/h and a dumpling-making class, and finish by five. With a car, Suzhou's gardens or Hangzhou's West Lake become a door-to-door day trip, with the passport-only garden bookings already made.

03Questions

Day guide FAQ

What does a guide day look like?
You agree the plan with us beforehand: pick-up time at your hotel, the places you want to see, lunch preference. The guide meets you in the lobby, handles tickets, metro or car, ordering and translation, and drops you back after eight hours. You can change the plan on the day.
Guide only or guide with car?
In central Shanghai the metro is fast and a guide-only day works well for one to three people. With children, older travellers, a lot of ground to cover, or a day trip to Suzhou or Hangzhou, take the car. The car is a 7-seat MPV with a driver; the guide rides with you.
Who pays for tickets and meals?
You do, at cost. Entry tickets in Shanghai are mostly RMB 30–100. Your guide eats with you if you invite them, otherwise they sort themselves out; you are not charged a guide meal allowance either way.
Can the guide help with Alipay, SIM cards and train tickets?
Yes, that is half the value. Most first-day problems in China are payment and apps. Your guide will get Alipay or WeChat Pay working with your Australian card, buy a local SIM or eSIM with you, and book trains and museums under your passport.
Can I book a guide in Beijing or another city?
Beijing yes, at the same rates. Chengdu, Xi'an, Hangzhou and Suzhou on request. For smaller cities or a hometown visit we may need to bring a guide from the nearest big city and will quote the travel cost up front.
What is the cancellation policy?
Free cancellation up to 7 days before the guide day. Inside that we charge 50%, and the full amount if you cancel on the day or do not show. Changes of date are free when we can rebook the guide.
04Check availability

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We reply within one business day with the guide's name, the plan and the price.

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Whitewashed houses reflected in a canal, Zhujiajiao
Start here

Not sure if you need a guide every day?

Most families take a guide for two or three days of a ten-day visit. Tell us the shape of the trip and we will suggest which days matter.

Request a quoteCall 0450 088 806