Songjiang
Sōngjiāng (松江区 Sōngjiāng Qū) is a district of Shanghai, southwest of downtown and west of Minhang.
Songjiang is divided in two by the Huhang expressway. The northern part is the new town, Songjiang Xincheng. It is easily accessible, being at the end of metro line 9 . The southern part near the river is the old town, where all the historic sights are.
Understand
Songjiang is a rapidly developing area with a mixture of old houses in the western parts of the town and growing areas of new houses and large shopping streets further East.
Get in
The city is located around 30km to the south-west of central Shanghai and is connected to downtown areas by buses and metro.
By metro
Take line 9 to the end.
The Jinshan Railway has several stops in Songjiang, but express trains bypass some of them.
You can use metro line 1 to Xinzhuang station, then change to line 5 until Jianchuan Lu. From that station, use the Songmin bus line (松闵线) which stops at the Songjiang Fangta pagoda and also in the city center and costs only ¥3.
By sightseeing bus
Get there by using sightseeing bus 1a from the east Shanghai stadium bus station, which leaves every 30 minutes between 7:30am and 5:30pm (¥10).
By taxi
From Shanghai city it's around ¥70. If you want to save a bit, use line 1 to Xinzhuang station, then line 5 until Beiqiao station and take a taxi from there (around ¥40).
By train
There are almost 30 trains per day linking Songjiang with Shanghai Hongqiao and Shanghai South stations (services to/from Shanghai Hongqiao depart/arrive at Songjiang South while services to/from Shanghai South depart/arrive at Songjiang). Songjiang station is about 4km west of Fangta pagoda while Songjiang South is another 2km south of that.
Get around
By bus
The Songmin bus line runs west-east through the whole city and connects the sights, most importantly the area around the Xilin pagoda and the Fangta pagoda.
By taxi
Taxis are readily available and come at the same prices as in Shanghai city, ¥8 or ¥10 per km.
Also, be aware that the travel distance from Jiangchuan station to FangTi Yuan is over 1 hour bus journey, so plan your time accordingly. The park is also very small and takes around 20 minutes to walk around
See
- 1 Xilin pagoda (西林塔 Xīlíntǎ), Xita Lane, Zhongshan Middle Rd (松江区中山西路). A 46.5-m-high pagoda with temple located in the western part of Songjiang near the intersection of Zhongshanzhong Lu and Xilin Bei Lu (中山中路, 西林北路). The original pagoda dates back to 1440 and is within a Buddhist temple, which has been renovated. The pond is crowded with fish and visitors can touch them. Temple area and garden: free (it might be ¥6 on certain days); Pagoda: not accessible for climbing.
- Cheng Shifa Art Museum.
- 2 Songjiang Mosque (真教寺 Zhēnjiāosì; 松江清真寺; Sōngjiāng Gīngzhēnsì), No. 75, Gangbeng Alley (松江区缸甏巷21号; Sōngjiāngqū Gāngbàngxiàng) (walk north of Zuibaichi Park Station of Shanghai Metro), ☏ +86 21 5782 3684. The oldest Islamic building in Shanghai, dating back to the Yuan dynasty (A.D. 1341) merges Chinese with Arabic architecture. A large scale repair 1985 restored much of the original beauty and in modern times 300 Muslims worship here. ¥6.
- 3 Fangta pagoda (方塔园 Fāngtǎyuán), 235 Zhongshan East Rd. Square pagoda in the south-east of Songjiang. From the Xilin pagoda central city area to the Fangta pagoda its a 30 minute walk to the east on Zhongshan Lu. The garden is newly renovated and includes a large peaceful area and some 600 year old trees. A few "attractions", such electric boats, auto scooter for kids and the like at the outer places of the park disturb the peaceful overall impression. Still, the park and pagoda is highly recommended and a peaceful refreshment from crowded Shanghai city. garden: ¥12; extra charge at pagoda.
- Li Pagoda.
- 4 Huzhu Pagoda (Leaning Pagoda).
- 5 Zuibai Pond Garden (Zuibaichi), Renmin South Rd ( 9 Zuibaichi Park station). 8AM-5PM. It’s one of the five classical parks in Shanghai, also a national scenic spot ranked AAA. The park is famous for the peony in spring, lotus in summer, chrysanthemum in autumn and plum flower in winter. There is a central pond, lots of pavilions, terraces, path leading to the loneliness maze and maintained precious treasure relics such as the Square Hall, the Boat-like Hut, Reading Hall, the Straw-hut over the Pool of Qing Dynasty, Baocheng Pavilion, the Plum Blossom Hall and Zhao Mengfu’s handwriting of Yuan Dynasty. It includes a modern museum dedicated to paintings. ¥12.
- 6 Thames Town (泰晤士小镇; Tàiwùshì xiǎo zhèn) (From Metro line 9 Songjiang Xincheng station take bus 12 or 16 east). 9AM-10PM. A very convincing English-style village, complete with pubs, cobbled lanes and a church. Only residents are missing, and empty stores and streets make the place looks like a film set even though it is very popular with newly-weds taking photos of themselves in front of the massive church. Definitely worth a visit for its eerie, unlikely atmosphere.
- 7 Sheshan (佘山) ( 9 Sheshan station). Two hills with large (and crowded) paths and stairs. At the top of the biggest hill sit a large catholic basilica built in 1935 and an observatory.
- 8 Guangfulin Cultural Relics Park (广富林文化遗址公园), Lane 3260, Guangfulin Road (广富林路3260弄) (take a metro train to Songjiang University Town Station on Line 9 , then take bus 15, 24 or 98 and get off at the East China University of Political Science and Law), ☏ +86 21 57800000. General opening hours are 09:00-17:00; the museums and temples shut at 16:30. A park centered around the Guangfulin archaeological site, where many ancient artefacts have been unearthed. It includes several museums and temples. ¥30 (archaeological museum); ¥5 (ancient pottery museum); ¥5 (art museum); ¥30 (Guangfulin Culture Exhibition Hall); ¥70 (all-in-one ticket).
University town
This area has its own "university town" metro station on line 9 and a number of universities:
- Shanghai International Studies University
- Donghua University
- DeTao Master Academy
- Shanghai Institute of Visual Art
- East China University of Political Science and Law
- Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade
- Shanghai Lixin University of Commerce
- Shanghai University of Engineering Sciences
- Sanda University
Several of these also have other campuses elsewhere.
Do
- 1 Shanghai Happy Valley, 888 Linhu Rd (上海松江区林湖路888号). Theme park. ¥200.
- 2 Yuncaitang Spa, 1501 Meijiabang Road ( 9 Songjiang University Town, then 400m walk), ☏ +86 21 57758899. Reception 10:30AM-11:30PM. It's a large complex of Japanese style spa. The ¥39 entrance fee covers wet and dry sauna, jacuzzi, other water pools and tubs (all bathing is men and women separately), children's play room, heated pebble beds, many types of relaxation rooms and beds. Paid services are restaurant, mahjong and massage. It's possible to stay overnight for an extra ¥30 with passport (4-bed rooms). Inscriptions are only in Chinese and Japanese. ¥39.
Buy
Eat
- Heji Xiaocai (和记小菜), 2 Jiufeng Lu.
Splurge
- Vie All Day Dining, Sofitel Shanghai Sheshan Oriental, 3388 Sichen Rd, Songjiang District.
Drink
- Red Bar, Kaiyuan Di Zhong Hai, 3rd floor (Songjiang Qu). A Franco-Chinese couple run this expat bar on the 3rd floor of Kaiyuan Med shopping mall, which gets very mixed reviews. It can be a good place to meet the local expats, but prices are high. There are 3 bars in Songjiang under the Red Bar group (Red Bar, Green Bar, and the Octopus and Paisley).
Sleep
Budget
- Hanting Hotel (Shanghai Songjiang Fangta Branch) (汉庭酒店 (上海松江方塔店)), 18 Zhongshan East Rd (松江区中山东路18号). Listed rates for doubles from ¥169.
- Motel 168 (莫泰168 (上海松江松卫北路店)), 860-868 Songwei North Rd (松江区松卫北路860-868号). Listed rates for doubles from ¥168.
Mid-range
Splurge
- Songjiang New Century Grand Hotel Shanghai (上海开元名都大酒店), 1799 Renmin North Rd (松江区人民北路1799号). Five star hotel. Listed rates for doubles ¥1,580-2,180.
- Sofitel Shanghai Sheshan Oriental (上海东方佘山索菲特大酒店), 3388 Sichen Rd, Sijing Town (松江区泗泾镇泗陈公路3388弄) (5 min drive from Sheshan Metro Station (line 9 )), ☏ +86 21-37618888, fax: +86 21-37611999, h6329-re1@sofitel.com. Check-in: From 2PM, check-out: noon. From ¥780.
- 1 InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland (上海世茂深坑洲際酒店), 5888 Chenhua Road (辰花路5888号) (About 9km west of Songjiang University Town Station on Metro Line 9 ), ☏ +86 21 67661888. Check-in: 14ː00, check-out: 12ː00. A luxury hotel built inside an abandoned quarry. ¥4307–38348.