China · city guide
Shanghai eSIM — plans from ₹299.00
Prepaid data for Shanghai, delivered as a QR code by email before you fly. The same China eSIM covers the whole country.
Shanghai eSIM plans
- 1 GB3 days₹299.00Buy →
- 1 GB7 days₹299.00Buy →
- 3 GB7 days₹799.00Buy →
- 3 GB3 days₹799.00Buy →
- 3 GB15 days₹899.00Buy →
- 5 GB15 days₹1,199.00Buy →
- 5 GB7 days₹1,199.00Buy →
- 5 GB30 days₹1,299.00Buy →
- 10 GB7 days₹2,149.00Buy →
- 10 GB15 days₹2,199.00Buy →
- 10 GB30 days₹2,249.00Buy →
- Unlimited data3 days₹2,649.00Buy →
Buying takes you to the China eSIM page — plans are country-wide, so Shanghai is fully covered.
Arriving in Shanghai: airport SIM counters vs eSIM
Shanghai has two airports and they behave quite differently. Pudong (PVG) takes most long-haul arrivals and connects to the city by the maglev to Longyang Road and by Metro Line 2; Hongqiao (SHA) sits beside the huge Hongqiao railway station and is where domestic connections and high-speed trains meet. Buying a local SIM on arrival means real-name registration with your passport at an operator counter, and the queues at Pudong after a bank of international flights are long.
DiDi runs the ride-hailing here and the metro is superb, but both assume a phone that is already online, and the moment you step past customs is exactly when you need a map, a translation app and a way to message your hotel. An eSIM installed at home over Wi-Fi avoids all of it: the profile stays dormant until your phone registers on a Chinese network after touchdown, and the validity period starts only at that first connection. Check device compatibility before you fly.
Coverage in Shanghai and around
China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom build the networks, and your plan connects to a partner and moves to the strongest signal. Shanghai is one of the most densely covered cities anywhere: 5G reaches the Bund, Lujiazui, the former French Concession, Jing'an and the outer districts, with 4G as the fallback. Metro coverage is excellent, including deep tunnel sections and interchange halls, so you can stay online for an entire cross-city journey. High-speed trains out of Hongqiao to Suzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing and Wuzhen keep signal for most of the run, dipping in tunnels. Zhujiajiao and the water towns are well covered.
Staying connected in Shanghai: practical tips
The most important thing to sort out before you fly is access: mainland networks do not reach a number of widely used international apps, sites and services, and the tools people use to work around that are themselves difficult to arrange once you have landed. Decide what you need and set it up at home. Download offline maps in both English and Chinese script, since drivers and staff read the latter. Keep data for DiDi, translation, metro QR entry and the payment apps behind almost every transaction here. Hotel Wi-Fi is fast; cafe Wi-Fi often needs a local number, which is why a hotspot from your own plan is easier. See Beijing and Guangzhou on the same China eSIM.
Shanghai eSIM FAQ
Does an eSIM work in the Shanghai metro?
Yes, and unusually well. Coverage runs through tunnels, platforms and interchange halls across the network, so metro QR entry and live routing keep working underground. It is one of the few big-city metros where you can hold a call between stations.
Is 5G available in Shanghai?
Yes, extensively. The Bund, Lujiazui, Jing'an, the former French Concession and the outer districts all carry 5G on partner networks, with 4G as fallback. Your phone attaches to whichever partner signal is strongest at that location.
Will all my usual apps work in Shanghai?
Not necessarily. Mainland networks do not reach a range of widely used international services, and this applies to any connection inside the country. Work out what you depend on and arrange access before you travel, since setting it up locally is difficult.
Does the plan cover a day trip to Suzhou or Hangzhou?
Yes. Plans are country-wide, so the high-speed line from Hongqiao, both cities and the water towns are all included. Signal on the train holds for most of the run, with the expected dips inside tunnels and cuttings.
Do I need a Chinese number for DiDi?
The app itself runs over data, though some in-app functions and payment methods expect a mainland account. Keep your home SIM active for one-time passcodes, and have a backup plan such as your hotel calling a taxi for you.