Top Ten Tips for Moving & Living in ShanghaiPosted by freeamfva on April 5th, 2022 Top Ten Tips for Moving & Living in Shanghai Moving to and living in Shanghai doesn\'t have to be stressful. Read our top ten tips for a smooth move to Shanghai.To get more news about Shanghai travel tips, you can visit shine news official website. Shanghai is not a grid, and the sporadic maze of alleys, streets, boulevards and freeways is difficult to navigate, even for the city\'s seasoned veterans. Morning and evening rush-hour traffic is characterised by dense, aggressive traffic and frequent gridlock. Using map apps on your phone will make life much easier. Despite the massive size of greater Shanghai, most of the central areas are grouped together and manageable in size. Once inside a neighbourhood, getting around on foot is relatively easy. There are several branches of each of the Chinese domestic banks in almost every district of Shanghai, all of which allow foreigners to open either yuan or US dollar accounts. The most common are Bank of China, ICBC, China Merchant\'s Bank, Agricultural Bank of China and China Construction Bank. They all offer debit cards, Internet banking and currency exchange services. Many expats choose banks with an international focus, such as Bank of China and ICBC, which both accept the transfer of money to and from your home country. For credit card services and access to funds back home, it is best to keep an international bank account. Banks are generally open from 9am-5pm Monday to Friday, and Saturday mornings. Expect long lines at banks. If you want to spend less than 30 minutes for any visit, take a spot near the door before it opens and make a run for the ticket terminal to collect your number. There will be others - particularly on Mondays when weekend earnings are deposited. Food In a vast country with varying standards of sanitation and enforcement, Shanghai is known throughout China for serving the cleanest food. Most restaurants and supermarkets, especially those that cater to expats, look and feel sanitary. The longer you are in Shanghai, the more adventurous you can be with eating out. Local inspectors increasingly visit popular restaurants to ensure they are up to standard. Nonetheless, you may have minor digestion problems during the first few weeks. This is normally no cause for alarm, as the body has to adjust to foreign bacteria. Finding Housing Choose your housing carefully. In a city this big, and this sprawling, where you live will dictate your lifestyle. The best way to get a feel for Shanghai\'s varied residential worlds before signing a lease is to explore the different neighbourhoods. While you\'re at it, give potential daily journeys to work or school a trial run. Collect information and perspectives by speaking to property agents that specialise in expatriate housing while asking colleagues and friends about the advantages and disadvantages of their areas. Finding appropriate housing in Shanghai can be frustrating, as there are pros and cons to every option. The converted lane house in the former French Concession may be close to the action, but it may also be noisy and prone to running out of hot water. Conversely, the expansive suburban villa may leave you and your family feeling isolated from city life. Like it? Share it!More by this author |