Carry-On Packing List for Shanghai: Modern China

Shanghai is a city of extremes — blistering humid summers and damp cold winters, ultramodern skyscrapers and colonial Bund architecture, cashless payment everywhere and very limited access to Western apps. Packing well for Shanghai means accounting for climate, China Eastern's strict economy carry-on limits, and the technology gap that catches many first-time visitors off guard. Get your VPN configured before you board, pack for the season, and Shanghai's exceptional Metro system will do the rest.

Which Airport for Your Flight

Shanghai has two commercial airports. Getting this wrong means missing your flight.

Pudong International Airport (PVG) is the main international hub, located about 45 km east of the city centre. The vast majority of long-haul international flights use PVG. The Maglev train connects PVG to Longyang Road Metro station in 8 minutes — extraordinary speed for an airport connection — and then the Metro takes you further into the city. PVG is also where the 144-hour visa-free transit is processed.

Hongqiao Airport (SHA) is closer to the city centre (about 15 km west) and handles predominantly domestic Chinese routes, plus some shorter international routes to Japan and South Korea. If you are flying within China at any point in your trip, or connecting domestically after arriving internationally, confirm which airport your domestic flight uses.

Airline Rules at a Glance

Airline	Weight	Dimensions	Notes
China Eastern Economy (basic)	5 kg	55 × 40 × 20 cm	Strictly enforced
China Eastern Economy (standard/flex)	8 kg	55 × 40 × 20 cm	Check your fare class
Air China Economy	5 kg	55 × 40 × 20 cm	Domestic strictly enforced
International carriers (BA, Qatar, Emirates)	7–10 kg	Standard	Carrier rules apply

China Eastern is based at PVG and is the dominant carrier for Shanghai flights. The 5 kg economy carry-on limit is genuine — it is weighed and enforced, particularly on domestic routes within China. For international long-haul flights, enforcement can be more relaxed, but 5 kg is the stated limit and you should not count on leniency. If your fare class allows 8 kg, confirm this before you pack. Airlines like British Airways, Qatar Airways, and Emirates serving PVG operate under their own standard carry-on rules.

Packing for Shanghai's Climate

Shanghai has four distinct seasons. The month of your travel determines what you pack almost completely.

Summer (June–September): hot and humid. Shanghai summers are genuinely brutal — temperatures regularly reach 35–38°C with high humidity that makes the heat feel worse. August and September bring typhoon risk, with sudden heavy rain. Pack:

• Ultra-light moisture-wicking fabrics; cotton becomes heavy and stays damp
• A portable personal fan (widely used and sold everywhere in China — the collapsible ones are small)
• A compact umbrella that handles both rain and direct sun
• High-SPF sunscreen
• Breathable footwear; leather shoes in this humidity are uncomfortable and slow to dry

Winter (December–February): cold and damp. Shanghai winters are colder than the latitude suggests. Temperatures of 0–8°C combined with high humidity create a penetrating damp cold that feels significantly colder than the number implies. There is no central heating requirement in many older buildings. Pack:

• A genuinely warm coat — not just a light jacket
• Thermal base layers
• Gloves, scarf, and a hat
• Waterproof footwear

Spring and Autumn: Mild and the most comfortable seasons. Light layers — a medium jacket in spring, just a light jacket in autumn — cover most conditions.

Technology Packing — Read This Before You Leave

This section is more important than your clothing choices for most travellers.

VPN is non-negotiable. The Great Firewall of China blocks Google (Search, Maps, Gmail, Drive, YouTube), Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter/X, the New York Times, and thousands of other services. A VPN routes your traffic outside China and restores access to these services. Critical: you must download and configure your VPN before arriving in China. The VPN app stores and VPN provider websites are also blocked inside China — you cannot download a VPN once you are there.

Payment: WeChat Pay and Alipay. Shanghai is almost entirely cashless, but it uses a different cashless system than the West. Visa and Mastercard are rarely accepted outside international hotels. WeChat Pay and Alipay dominate. Both now allow foreign cards to be linked — this setup has improved significantly in recent years and is now possible without a Chinese bank account. Set this up before you travel. Carry some cash (RMB) as a backup, available to withdraw at ICBC, Bank of China, and some international ATMs.

Apps to download before flying:

• WeChat (communication + payment — essential)
• DiDi (Chinese ride-hailing app — does not require Chinese phone number)
• Dianping (local restaurant and business reviews — China's Yelp)
• Baidu Maps (works without VPN; Google Maps does not)
• Your airline's app for boarding passes

What to See and Do

The Bund. Shanghai's most iconic waterfront strip lines colonial-era European bank buildings on one side against the Pudong skyscraper skyline — Lujiazui with the Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower, and Jin Mao Tower — on the other. Best at dusk. Free to walk. Very busy on weekends.

Metro. Shanghai's Metro network is one of the world's largest and most comprehensive, with over 20 lines covering the city comprehensively. Clean, fast, cheap, and signposted in English. Download the Metro map before you go for offline reference.

French Concession. Tree-lined streets, excellent coffee shops, boutiques, and restaurants in a walkable neighbourhood. More relaxed than the Bund area. Good base for exploration.

Day trips. Suzhou (canal city, classical gardens, 25 minutes by high-speed train) and Hangzhou (West Lake, tea plantations, 45 minutes by high-speed train) are both exceptional day trips from Shanghai.

Packing Tips for China Specifically

• Pack power adapters: China uses Type A and Type I sockets (similar to Australia); check your devices before you go
• Medications: bring a sufficient supply of any prescription medications; generic Western brands may not be available
• Business cards: if visiting for work, bring business cards and accept them with two hands — it is a cultural courtesy
• No Google Maps: download offline maps via Baidu Maps or Maps.me before you lose connectivity to Google

Bottom Line

China Eastern's 5 kg carry-on limit is the hardest constraint for a Shanghai trip if you are on a basic economy fare — weigh your bag before the airport. The technology preparation matters at least as much as the clothes: a VPN installed and tested before departure, WeChat Pay linked to a foreign card, and DiDi downloaded will make the trip dramatically smoother. Pack for humidity in summer and penetrating damp cold in winter, and Shanghai's extraordinary Metro will handle the rest.