Short answer
The Bund (外滩) is a free public promenade, not a ticketed attraction. There is no entrance, no gate, no reservation and no closing time. It runs roughly 1.5 km along the west bank of the Huangpu River, from Waibaidu Bridge in the north to Yan'an East Road in the south. You do not visit it; you stand on it. Nothing to book, no passport needed to walk.
You come for one thing: the view. Behind you is a row of early-20th-century banks, hotels and trading houses; in front, across the water, are the Lujiazui towers. Both banks light up at dusk, which is why almost everyone arrives between 17:30 and 21:00. The facades are lit until roughly 22:30–23:00, so arriving at midnight gets you a much dimmer waterfront.
One evening in Shanghai: walk the promenade at blue hour, then take the ¥2 public ferry across to Pudong and look back at the Bund. That reverse view — the 1920s facades lit with no towers in front of them — is the half most visitors skip.
The Bund at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Where is it | West bank of the Huangpu River, Huangpu District — the Puxi side, opposite Lujiazui |
| What it is | A 1.5 km riverside promenade with a row of 1920s–40s buildings at its back |
| Cost | Free. No ticket, no reservation, no ID check to walk it |
| Hours | Open 24 hours, every day. Facade lighting from dusk until roughly 22:30–23:00 |
| Best time | Blue hour just after sunset; or 06:00–09:00, when the promenade is nearly empty |
| Metro | Line 2 or Line 10 to East Nanjing Road, then about a 10-minute walk east to the water. Line 12 to Tiantong Road for the northern end |
| How long | 45 minutes to walk it end to end; two to three hours if you go into buildings or stop for food |
Walking the promenade, south to north
The promenade is continuous, but its character changes along the way. Walking south to north puts the sun behind you in the evening and finishes at Suzhou Creek rather than the traffic of Yan'an Road.
| Stop | What is there | Why stop |
|---|---|---|
| Yan'an East Road | The southern anchor, the Bund Bull, Chen Yi Square | The pedestrian overpass here gives the cleanest frame of the three Lujiazui towers in a row |
| No. 12, former HSBC building | 1923 neoclassical banking hall with a mosaic dome, now a bank | The best interior on the Bund — check whether public visiting is running |
| Customs House | 1927 clock tower with quarter-hour chimes | The most recognisable facade on the row; still a working customs building |
| Peace Hotel (Sassoon House) | 1929 art-deco corner tower | Its jazz bar is a paid venue inside a free-to-look-at building |
| Nanjing East Road junction | Where the shopping street meets the river | The busiest way onto the promenade — and the busiest way off it |
| Rockbund / Bund Source | The northern stretch of restored lanes, galleries and cafés | Quieter, more local, and where the coffee actually improves |
| Waibaidu Bridge | The 1907 iron bridge over Suzhou Creek | Standing mid-bridge gives the classic Bund-to-Lujiazui composition |
Two banks, two different photographs
The most useful thing to understand about the Bund is that it is the viewing platform, not the subject — the subject is the skyline on the far side. The two banks therefore give you two different pictures, and it is worth doing both.
| The Bund (west bank, Puxi) | Pudong riverside (east bank) | |
|---|---|---|
| What you are looking at | The Lujiazui towers across the water | The Bund's 1920s facade, lit, straight on |
| Getting there | Metro Line 2 / 10, East Nanjing Road | Metro Line 2 one stop to Lujiazui, or the ferry |
| Crowds | Heavy at sunset and on weekend nights | Noticeably lighter |
| Best light | Blue hour, and early morning | Blue hour, when both banks are lit |
| Cost | Free | Free, plus the ferry fare |
When the lights come on
The buildings are illuminated from dusk — around 18:30 in summer, closer to 17:40 in winter, and stay lit until roughly 22:30 on weekdays and 23:00 at weekends. What that means in practice:
- The best fifteen minutes are the blue hour, immediately after sunset, when there is still colour in the sky and the facades are already lit. In June that window is around 19:15–19:40; in December it is around 17:15–17:40. Arrive half an hour early and you get it.
- Daylight matters too. The domes, columns and clock tower disappear in the dark, so a daytime walk and an evening walk are two different visits.
- Early morning is the underrated slot. Between 06:00 and 09:00 the promenade belongs to joggers, tai chi and photographers, and the skyline photographs clean.
- Do not leave it too late. Arriving at 22:45 means watching the lights go off.
Getting there
- Metro Line 2 or Line 10 to East Nanjing RoadThe main access point: walk east along Nanjing Road and you reach the river in about ten minutes. It is also the busiest route in.
- Metro Line 12 to Tiantong Road for the north endUseful if you want to start at Waibaidu Bridge and walk south, finishing at the Nanjing Road junction instead of starting there.
- Metro Line 2 to Lujiazui for the Pudong sideOne stop under the river. Come out at the towers and walk to the riverside walkway for the reverse view of the Bund.
- The public ferry, for about ¥2The Jinling East Road to Dongchang Road crossing is a commuter ferry that runs through the day into the evening, roughly every 15–20 minutes. It is the cheapest moving view in Shanghai, and most visitors never take it. Fares and the last sailing change, check at the pier.
- Taxi or DiDi, with a caveatThe roads immediately behind the Bund are restricted and jammed at chucking-out time. Being dropped a block inland and walking is usually faster than being driven to the waterfront.
Pay for the metro and the ferry with Alipay or WeChat Pay, or a transport card, see paying in China with a foreign card.
What else is within walking distance
- Nanjing Road pedestrian street, the shopping street running west from the Bund. Free, always open, and busiest in the evening.
- Yu Garden and the old city, about 20 minutes' walk south. Note that the walled garden is ticketed, closes at 16:30 and shuts on Mondays; see the Yu Garden guide.
- Suzhou Creek walkway, the restored riverside path west of Waibaidu Bridge. Flat, quiet, and a good way to leave the crowds behind.
- Huangpu River cruises, evening boats leave from Shiliupu Pier at the southern end of the Bund and loop past both lit banks in around 45 minutes. They cost money and sell out on weekend nights; the free promenade already gives you most of the payoff.
- The Bund Sightseeing Tunnel, an under-river tourist train with a light show. It charges a fee, and most travellers rate the ¥2 ferry above it.
Practical notes
- Nothing here needs booking. Unlike the Forbidden City or most ticketed Chinese attractions, the Bund has no real-name reservation and no daily cap, see how real-name reservations work if you are unsure which sites do.
- There are no cars on the promenade. It is pedestrian-only; the traffic runs along Zhongshan East 1st Road behind it.
- Toilets and convenience stores exist along the promenade and in the buildings behind it, including the metro station. Expect queues at peak times.
- Decline unsolicited invitations. The classic approach is a friendly stranger offering a tea ceremony, an art exhibition, or a "student practice" English conversation. It ends with a very large bill. A polite no and keep walking is the whole solution.
- Mind the last metro and your bag. Trains from East Nanjing Road run until roughly 22:50–23:15 depending on line and direction, check the platform board. Keep bags zipped in the crush at the Nanjing Road junction on weekend nights.
- Weather changes the whole trip. A clear day gives you a horizon; a hazy one gives you grey. If the air is thick, save the observation deck for another night.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a ticket or reservation for the Bund?
No. It is a free public promenade with no ticket, no booking and no gate, at any hour. Only commercial venues inside the buildings, bars, restaurants, the jazz bar, charge separately.
Is the Bund open at night, and until when?
The promenade itself never closes. The historic facades are illuminated from dusk until roughly 22:30 on weekdays and 23:00 at weekends, so the lit-up view effectively ends around then. Arriving after 22:30 gets you a much darker waterfront.
What is the best time to visit the Bund?
Blue hour, just after sunset, for the classic lit skyline, or early morning between 06:00 and 09:00 for an almost empty promenade and clean photographs. Midday gives you the architecture in flat light and the biggest crowds of the daytime hours.
Which metro station is closest to the Bund?
East Nanjing Road on Line 2 or Line 10, about a ten-minute walk east to the river, and the busiest access route. For the northern end near Waibaidu Bridge, Line 12 to Tiantong Road works better.
Is the Bund or the Pudong side better for photos?
They are different photographs. From the Bund you shoot the Lujiazui towers across the water; from the Pudong riverside you shoot the Bund's own historic facade. Doing both, the promenade, then the ferry across, takes an evening and costs about ¥2.
Should I take a Huangpu River cruise?
Only if you specifically want time on the water. The evening cruises are pleasant and give you both banks from the river, but they cost money, take around 45 minutes, and sell out on weekend nights. The free promenade view is already excellent.
Can I walk from the Bund to Yu Garden?
Yes, about 20 minutes south through the old city. The garden itself is a separate ticketed attraction, closing at 16:30 and shut on Mondays, while the surrounding bazaar is free and stays open much later.
Is the Bund accessible for wheelchairs and strollers?
Broadly yes. The promenade is wide, paved and largely flat, with ramps and lifts to the streets behind. The main obstacles are crowds and the pedestrian overpasses, which are not always step-free.
Related reading
The Bund's status as a free, unbounded public promenade, its length and its metro access points were checked against multiple independent travel and transport sources as of September 2026. Facade-lighting start and finish times vary by season and are set by the city, not published as a fixed timetable, treat the figures above as typical and confirm on the day. Ferry fares and last sailings change; check at the pier. Building opening hours and any interior visiting arrangements are set by the individual institutions.