探索虹桥地区，远不止展会 - 2026年11月02日

Hai Streets is our semi-regular column on Shanghai's great commercial arteries. From Nanjing Road East's blend of heritage storefronts and pop-culture malls to Huaihai Road's luxe lanes and Hongqiao area's international cultural diversity hubs, we explore how Shanghai's commercial hubs drive billions in sales and shape the city's identity – where commerce, culture and history collide in neon, nostalgia and non-stop foot traffic.

So... bored and want to explore Shanghai a bit? Or perhaps you're wrapping up meetings at the convention center in Hongqiao.

Well... swap the exhibition aisles for a climbing wall, a roast-duck lunch or a browse through secondhand shops. Believe it or not, Hongqiao has a lot of cool things to do. Turns out if you are in town for an exhibition, you really don't need to feel stuck out there.

Around Hongqiao Railway Station, Longfor Hongqiao Paradise Walk and Hongqiao Xintiandi (The Hub) bring together shopping, food and activities within reach of the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai).

With a full day, add Panlong Tiandi for waterways, bridges, and a small craft shop with a few surprises.

This guide highlights a few standout locations in Hongqiao.

Get your bearings, above and below ground

The main shopping and dining stops are west of Hongqiao Railway Station. Panlong Tiandi is a separate trip farther west, in Qingpu District.

An underground pedestrian network links the Hongqiao transport hub, commercial buildings and exhibition center, providing shelter from rain and summer heat. HUBO, beneath Hongqiao Xintiandi, is where you will find the secondhand shops on this route.

During designated exhibition periods, free electric shuttle carts run along the underground corridor between the convention center and Hongqiao transport hub, serving commercial buildings along the way.

Ask exhibition staff for that day's boarding points and hours. The passages can involve long walks, so follow signs for your particular destination.

A wall before lunch

At Cishan Climbing in Longfor Hongqiao Paradise Walk, the first-floor bouldering area introduces beginners to climbing on lower walls without ropes. Upstairs, taller walls offer more of a challenge, with children practicing alongside coaches.

On the beginner bouldering routes, the task is easy to understand: use handholds and footholds of the same color, then finish with both hands on the final hold. Figuring out how to get there is the interesting part. The nearest grip may belong to another route.

Book an introductory session if you are new to climbing. Ask whether shoes and coaching are included, and request English-language instruction in advance if needed. Follow the safety briefing, including how to come down and keep landing areas clear.

Address: Cishan Climbing, Longfor Hongqiao Paradise Walk, 869 Shenchang Rd, Minhang District.

Suggested time: 60-90 minutes, including climbing shoe rental. Confirm the climbing area, session length and children's age requirements when booking.

Roast duck against palace-red walls

At TIDU restaurant, red walls recall Beijing's Forbidden City, while a carver slices roast duck in front of diners.

Traditional crispy roast duck is the straightforward choice: wrap slices in thin pancakes with vegetables and sauce. The branch's dining listing also includes a caviar-accompanied version.

Other listed dishes include chestnut foie gras, slow-cooked duck soup with cabbage and tangyoubing, a sweet fried dough pancake.

Check the current menu and ask about duck portions and included accompaniments before adding several other dishes.

Address: TIDU, Longfor Hongqiao Paradise Walk, 869 Shenchang Rd, Minhang District.

Suggested time: About an hour, longer at peak meal times. Check the price of your chosen duck presentation before ordering.

Secondhand, with gloves on

Below Hongqiao Xintiandi, ZZER and Duozhuayu offer two different ways to shop secondhand.

ZZER specializes in pre-owned luxury goods, from bags and eyewear to jewelry and watches. Visitors put on gloves before handling items and scan codes to see prices.

The retailer opened its first physical store at Shanghai's Blackstone Apartments in downtown Xuhui District in 2021. Here, the appeal is being able to inspect an item and try it on before deciding. Check its condition and ask about authentication and returns, particularly for a higher-priced purchase.

Address: ZZER, HUBO underground passage, B1, Hongqiao Xintiandi, 52 Shaohong Rd, Minhang District.

Shopping tip: Keep mobile data available for price scans; staff can help if the app or payment process is unfamiliar.

Duozhuayu takes a broader approach, with secondhand clothing, books, toys and other everyday finds.

You might enter looking for a book and leave considering something quite different. Stock changes, so browsing is more rewarding than arriving with a fixed shopping list.

Together, the shops show two sides of reuse: extending the life of a luxury accessory and finding a new owner for an everyday object.

Address: Duozhuayu, Shop 16, B1, Hongqiao Xintiandi, 50 Shaohong Rd, Minhang District.

Suggested time: About an hour for both shops. Use their individual map pins to find the entrances within the underground complex.

Take the afternoon to Panlong

Historical stone archways, tiled roofs and small bridges mark a change of pace at Panlong Tiandi. Follow the water, cross a bridge and look back: roofs, lanes and reflections share the view. In case you missed it, we did a Hai Lights piece on 6 places to eat at Panlongtiandi. Needless to say, the photos are incredible.

The development draws on the old market town of Panlong and the landscape of Jiangnan, the region south of the lower Yangtze River.

Restored historic buildings sit alongside contemporary shops and cafes. It is a redeveloped neighborhood, with older streets and waterways shaping the walk.

Panlong is pet-friendly, though individual shops and restaurants have their own entry rules. There is also an equestrian facility for visitors interested in riding. Book ahead for a lesson or introduction, and check age limits and safety requirements.

Allow time simply to wander. The bridges and waterside paths offer plenty of photo stops without needing a tightly planned route.

Address: Panlong Tiandi, No. 8, Lane 123, Panding Rd, Qingpu District.

Getting there: Metro Line 17 from Hongqiao Railway Station to Panlong Road, two stops, followed by a walk. For a taxi, check live journey times and allow extra time during major exhibitions.

Suggested time: Two to three hours, excluding a riding session. Panlong is outside the hub's underground walking network.

A small shop that rewards a closer look

At Xidi Erzuo, the most memorable objects do more than sit on a shelf. Tilt a rainstick and the wooden tube produces a patter of rain. Turn the handle on a small mechanical toy and its figure raises a mask over its face.

The shop is compact, with woven and dyed bags, regional tableware and home accessories alongside these playful objects. Ask staff to demonstrate the instruments and toys, and take a closer look at the textiles.

A woven bag is easy to pack; ceramics need more protection for the journey home. Ask about the maker and care instructions when choosing a piece.

Location: Xidi Erzuo, within Panlong Tiandi. The development's address is No. 8, Lane 123, Panding Rd, Qingpu District; use the shop's map pin for its entrance.

A useful stop for more than shopping

The Hongqiao International Talents Service Center helps international residents with government procedures, daily-life questions and business-related services.

Its published services include applications for foreign nationals' visas, residence permits and permanent residence. Check eligibility and required documents before visiting.

Short-term visitors may find the talent center's advance shopping-tax-refund counter useful. Its published rules require spending between 200 yuan and 222,200 yuan by the same visitor at the same designated tax-refund store on the same day.

Bring valid identification, unused and unopened goods, original invoices, departure tax-refund forms and a credit card in your own name that supports pre-authorization.

You must sign an agreement and depart through an eligible port within 28 days of purchase, with no more than 183 days between entry and departure. Confirm your eligibility with the counter; secondhand purchases are not automatically covered.

You must still present the goods and documents for Customs verification when leaving China, then place the stamped refund form in the dedicated refund-upon-purchase mailbox in the departure area. Ask the counter to confirm the eligible departure port and procedure for your journey.

Address: Hongqiao International Talents Service Center, first floor, Building G, Hongqiao Green Valley, 69 Yonghong Rd, Minhang District. The refund desk is Counter A05.

Refund-counter hours: Monday to Friday, 9am-11:30am and 1:30pm-4:30pm, excluding public holidays. Process eligible purchases before leaving for Panlong if you plan to stay there into the late afternoon.

Dinner, a band and a Cadillac

Back in Hongqiao Xintiandi's North Area, Bourbon Cookhouse is an American restaurant whose dining listing includes pork ribs, barbecue platters and smoked chicken with white sauce. Burgers, sweet potato fries and fried pickles also appear on the list; check the current menu when booking.

The vintage Cadillac nearby offers an unusual seat for dinner and a photograph. Ask about access and reserving seats inside when booking. Live bands add to the evening atmosphere; confirm the performing venue and schedule for your date.

Neighboring SELVA's own website lists Latin American dishes including pulled-pork tacos, grilled octopus and Peruvian fish stew. It offers several seafood choices alongside meat dishes.

After dinner, take a short walk through the illuminated streets. If you have stayed longer at Panlong and are not heading back toward the station or a nearby hotel, eating there instead saves a return journey.

Address: Bourbon Cookhouse, Unit B1-08B, North Area, Hongqiao Xintiandi, 17 Suhong Rd, Minhang District.

Booking tip: Reserve ahead on exhibition days. Ask about live music and choose a table away from the speakers if conversation is the priority.

Why Hongqiao becomes a meeting place

Hongqiao's role as a gateway began long before the exhibition halls. The airport started with a dirt runway in 1921 and later became part of a major diplomatic moment.

US President Richard Nixon departed from the Hongqiao airport on February 28, 1972, at the end of his landmark China visit, with Premier Zhou Enlai seeing him off. Earlier that day, the two countries had issued the Shanghai Communique, a step toward normalizing relations.

Shanghai decided to develop the Hongqiao business district in 2009. Around the 2010 World Expo, expanded airport facilities and the new high-speed railway station brought air, rail and Metro connections together on a larger scale.

A national plan approved in 2021 gave Hongqiao a wider role connecting international business with the Yangtze River Delta: Shanghai and the neighboring provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui. The Hongqiao International Central Business District forms the core of that initiative, combining transport, exhibitions, offices and professional services.

The National Exhibition and Convention Center has hosted the China International Import Expo annually since 2018. The 2026 edition is scheduled for November 5-10. It also hosted the competition halls for WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, which concluded on September 27.

Panlong adds an older layer to the day: a market-town landscape where waterways once organized trade, a short trip from a district now built around air and rail travel.

Choose a route you can enjoy

These timings are suggested planning allowances, not measured itineraries or guaranteed session lengths.

After the fair: three to four hours. Browse ZZER and Duozhuayu beneath Hongqiao Xintiandi, then have dinner in the North Area. This is the easiest option after a day on your feet.

An active half-day: four to five hours. Climb at Paradise Walk, eat at TIDU and finish with the secondhand shops.

A full day: about 10 to 11 hours, including dinner. Start with a weekday service-center visit if needed, then climb and have lunch at Paradise Walk. Browse HUBO, spend the afternoon at Panlong and return to Hongqiao Xintiandi for dinner.

Complete any advance-refund paperwork before the Panlong trip. For a slower day, skip climbing or stay at Panlong for dinner.

Before you go: Check payment options and any bookings. For luggage storage, confirm locker size, availability and collection hours with the mall, or leave bags at your hotel. Build in extra travel time during exhibitions and before an onward train or flight.

Source: City News Service