Zhabei (闸北 Zháběi) is a district in Shanghai, located North of Suzhou Creek. Although it lacks tourist attractions it is being developed into a modern commercial area.

Zhabei is now (since mid-2017) administered as part of Jing'an District to the south, but we still treat them separately on Wikivoyage.

Get in

Position in Shanghai

1 Shanghai Railway Station (three stops north from People's square on line 1). The oldest station in Shanghai, with a long-distance bus depot nearby. Metro lines  1 ,  3  and  4  meet at that station. Line  7  also comes near it, crossing lines 3 and 4 two stops further West at Zhenping Road. There are also numerous bus routes. 

See

Locomotive outside Railway Museum

• 1 Shanghai University (上海大学; Shànghǎi Dàxué) (Metro line  1 , Yanchang Road Station). This is the original campus; the university now has two others. The Shanghai University station on metro line  7  is at the Baoshan campus. 
• 2 Shanghai Railway Museum, 200 East Tianmu Road (闸北区天目东路200号) (Near Shanghai Railway Station on Metro Line  1 ). 09.00 – 11:30 and 14.00 – 16.30. Museum about trains and railways in China. Closed on Sundays and Mondays.  
• 3 Song Jiaoren's Tomb (宋教仁墓), Zhabei Park (闸北公园) (Metro line  1 , Yanchang Road Station, Exit 2). Song Jiaoren was an early leader of the Kuomintang (KMT). He led the party to victory during China's first ever democratic elections in 1912-13, but just two months later, on 20 March 1913, he was assassinated at the nearby Shanghai Railway Station. Song's tomb was severely damaged during the Cultural Revolution and rebuilt in the early 1980s. (updated Apr 2018)
• 4 Sihang Warehouse Battle Memorial (上海四行仓库抗战纪念馆), 21 Guangfu Road (光复路21号) (About 300 metres south of Qufu Road Station at the intersection of metro lines  8  and  12 ), ☏ +86 21 63808222. 09:00-16:30, no entry in last 30 minutes, closed on Mondays. The Sihang Warehouse is a historic warehouse on the north bank of Suzhou Creek. It was built in 1931 by four banks, hence the literal name of the warehouse is the 'Four Banks Warehouse'. In 1937, the warehouse became a flashpoint in the latter stages of the Battle of Shanghai; see Pacific_War#China for context. At that time, it was being used as the headquarters of the 88th Division of the National Revolutionary Army. The division was preparing to retreat to the city's hinterland, but left one battalion behind at the warehouse in order to buy time for the retreat and also to demonstrate to the international community the determination of the Chinese people to resist the Japanese. The battalion successfully defended the warehouse for about 6 days before eventually retreating to the International Concession, where they were promptly disarmed and arrested by British troops acting under pressure from the Japanese. Part of the warehouse is now a museum about the Defence of Sihang Warehouse and the Battle of Shanghai. Visitors wanting to learn more about the Battle of Shanghai should also visit the Shanghai Songhu Memorial Hall for the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in Baoshan District. Free. (updated Nov 2019)

Do

Zhabei District from Oriental Pearl Tower

• 1 Shanghai Circus World, No. 2266 Gonghexin Road (It has its own metro stop on line  1 ). Known, among other things, for fine acrobatic shows and is on many tour group itineraries.  
• 2 Daning Tulip Park (大宁郁金香公园. Formerly known as Daning Linshi Park (大宁灵石公园)), 288 Guangzhong West Road (广中西路288号) (West of Shanghai Circus World), ☏ +86 21 56653804. May to October: 05:00-22:00, November to April: 06:00-20:00, no entry in last 30 minutes. The largest green area in Downtown Shanghai. Has a tulip festival and a peach blossom festival in Spring. Entry is normally free, but a fee is charged during festival time. 
• 3 Zhabei Stadium (on the edge of Daning Tulip Park). various events, notably football matches  

Buy

There is a large group of photo equipment stores near the station; see Downtown Shanghai for details.

• Dipingxian Communications Device Market, 天目西路99号 (Exit railway station, head down the street on the left-hand side, turn left at the hotel). 10:00-18:00 1F-4F, variable hours for 5F. If you want a new or used phone and don't like what the big-name shops have to offer this is the place to go. From cheap knock-offs to cutting-edge phones, this place has it all. There are also a multitude of parts suppliers and repair shops, as well as a few shops that will help program CDMA phones for use with a local number. Second-hand vendors on 5F. 
• Life Hub @ Daning, 1928 Gong He Xin Rd (Near the YanChang Road metro station (Exit 4)). A large complex of cloth shops, restaurants, cafés and offices in the middle of Zhabei. A large (domestic) supermarket can also be found here, as well as the Sheraton Four Points hotel. 

Eat

The area around Shanghai University (line  1  to Yanchang Road station) has some cheap eateries for the student market. There are also several restaurants around the South Square outside the railway station; they include several Western fast-food places — McDonalds, KFC and Mr. Donut — as well as Chinese food places.

There are many restaurants in the Daning shopping area.

• Lugo Coffee, 1928 Gong He Xin Road (Next to YanChang Road metro station, line  1 ). Decent coffee available, as well as pastries and free Internet. Around ¥30 for coffee. 
• Blue Frog Grill, 1928 Gong He Xin Road (Opposite the Sheraton Hotel, next to YanChang Road metro station). Western style grill, with steaks and burgers. This is probably the only option in Zhabei for Western dining that isn't fast food. Good quality but expensive. Very popular with Westerners in the area. Burgers from ¥80, Steaks from ¥150. 
• Wochi Spicy, 1928 Gong He Xin Road (Third floor, next to YanChang Road metro station). Chinese food with good English menus and clear pictures. Although the staff doesn't speak English, they are very helpful. From ¥50. 
• Paris Baguette, 1928 Gong He Xin Road (In the middle of the area, next to YanChang Road metro station). The rapidly expanding Korean patisserie chain offers sweet and savory bread. Note that this isn't particularly French style (and no baguettes). 

Drink

• Blue Note, 412 Xinhua Rd, ☏ +86 21 6281 6681. 
• Apollo, 500 3F West Tianmu Rd, ☏ +86 21 6380 0270. 
• d.g.b. at Pier One, 130 Yichang Lu (宜昌路130号) (under Jiangning Lu bridge), ☏ +86 21 5155 8311. 

Sleep

Mid-range

• Golden River-View Hotel, 308 Hengfeng Rd, ☏ +86 21 6353-7070, fax: +86 21-63537700. Near Nanjing Rd and Hongqiao Airport. Also, public transport is easily within reach. Each guestroom is air-conditioned and comes with four-star fixtures. From ¥348. 
• Rhea Boutique Hotel - Railway Station, No. 37, MeiYuan Road, ☏ +86 21 6381-7001. Offers rooms all equipped with air-con, TV with cable channels, Internet connection, refrigerator, and safe. Business centre, restaurant, and spa. From ¥360. 
• Zhao An Hotel Shanghai (上海兆安酒店), 195 Heng Tong Rd, ☏ +86 21 6317-2221. 
• 1 Four Points by Sheraton Shanghai, Daning, 1928 Gonghexin Rd, ☏ +86 21 2602-2222. Western style hotel in the Daning shopping and entertainment area, this is very much aimed at business travellers. Rooms are clean and service is good. A few minutes walk from Shanghai Circus World. ¥700. 

Splurge

• 2 Grand Mercure Shanghai Central (Zhongya) (上海中亚美爵酒店), 330 Meiyuan Rd (next to Shanghai Railway Station - subway lines 1,3 and 4, numerous buses and trains), ☏ +86 21 6353-5555, H7598-RM@accor.com. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. An upscale business hotel with all the usual facilities and amenities (save for a swimming pool) at often half the price of more centrally-located competition. This comes at a cost of less-than-picturesque neighbourhood and views, albeit quite convenient transit situation. More expensive room categories have access to an executive lounge, which serves drinks, breakfasts and evening refreshments (alcoholic beverages and light bites). Rates start below ¥500.