Shanghai Night River Cruise: VIP Seating with Private Transfer

The Bund and Pudong's towers glow from the water, not the street.

A 60-minute private night cruise on the Hungpu River in Shanghai with VIP seating, hotel pickup and drop-off, and a local English-speaking guide. The tour includes views of the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Shanghai Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center and the historic Bund buildings illuminated after dark. Optional dinner at a local restaurant can be added. The cruise itself does not include food or drink.

Step-by-step itinerary

Shanghai night cruise and optional dinner

• Pickup from Shanghai hotel
• Relaxing night cruise on Hungpu River
• Enjoy VIP seating with city views
• Admire landmarks: Oriental Pearl, Shanghai Tower
• Learn history from local expert guide
• Optional dinner at local restaurant
• Drop off at hotel or downtown

The experience

Your guide and driver pick you up at your Shanghai hotel and take you to the Hungpu River for a 60-minute cruise. You sit in the VIP area of the ship, where the sightlines open to both sides of the water. The Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Shanghai Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center and Jinmao Tower rise from the Pudong side. The Custom House, Peace Hotel and HSBC Building line the Bund on the other. All of it is lit. Your guide talks through the history and the architecture as the boat moves: the old Shanghai and the new one, visible at the same time.

If you booked the dinner option, you'll eat at a local restaurant your guide recommends, with recommendations for dishes that fit what you eat. The restaurant is not on the boat. You go there after the cruise. Without dinner, the tour ends when you're dropped back at your hotel or another downtown location you choose.

The whole thing runs three to four hours from pickup to drop-off. The car is air-conditioned. Small children can ride in a stroller, and infants sit on an adult's lap. Public transport is nearby if you'd rather make your own way to the pier, though the private transfer is included.

What’s included

• VIP seating on the Hungpu River cruise.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in downtown Shanghai.
• air-conditioned private car and driver.
• local English-speaking guide.
• optional dinner at a local restaurant (if booked as an add-on).

Options for this experience

2 options

VIP cruise only tourGuide in English · 5 departure times: the first at 17:30, the last at 19:30A great local guide, private door-to-door transfer and VIP seating on the cruise are all included. Pickup is included.

VIP cruise with dinner at a restaurantGuide in English · 17:30, 18:00 and 18:30Tour with a VIP cruise and dinner: a great guide, private transfers, VIP seating on the boat and a tasty meal are all included. (Dinner is at a local restaurant, not on the boat.) Pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day5 departure times: the first at 17:30, the last at 19:30

AgesAdult (8 to 90 years) · Child (3 to 7 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 12 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Sunny Private Tours

Is this one for you?Book the cruise-only option if you want the night views and the guide's history without a meal commitment. Add the dinner option if you'd like to eat at a local restaurant after the boat returns and want your guide to steer you toward dishes that suit your tastes.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 7 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What do I see from the VIP seating area on the Hungpu River cruise?

The VIP area faces both banks of the river, so you see the Pudong skyline (the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Shanghai Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center and Jinmao Tower) on one side and the historic Bund buildings like the Custom House, Peace Hotel and HSBC Building on the other, all lit up at night.

Is dinner included on the boat during the cruise?

No. If you book the dinner option, you eat at a local restaurant after the cruise ends, not on the ship. Your guide will recommend dishes based on your preferences.

What's included in the private transfer?

Hotel pickup and drop-off in downtown Shanghai are included in the tour price. The driver has an air-conditioned car. Pickups from outlying areas like Pudong Airport, Disneyland or Qingpu can be arranged for an extra charge.

How long does the whole tour take from hotel pickup to drop-off?

The tour runs three to four hours total, including the 60-minute river cruise, hotel pickup and drop-off, and any time at the restaurant if you add the dinner option.