Shanghai is a busy regional transport hub, and is thus very easily reached by air, land and sea. Its two international airports of Pudong International Airport (PVG) and Hongqiao International Airport (SHA) are modern and convenient. Pudong International Airport now mainly handles international flights, while Hongqiao mainly handles domestic flights. Shuttle buses connect both airports to the city and beyond, while passengers arriving at Pudong International Airport can very quickly connect to the city's Metro system via the Maglev Demonstration Line.

Shanghai Railway Station and Shanghai South Railway Station are the primary railway ports of the city. Travelers can get to Shanghai from virtually any city in China, arriving in one or the other of these stations. There are also tourist trains and 'Holiday Trains' that travel to Huangshan (Anhui Province) and Wuyishan (Fujian Province).
 
Long-distance buses are also convenient when traveling to Shanghai, but most foreign travelers reserve this form of travel for short distances to nearby cities (Hangzhou, Suzhou, Wuxi and Ningbo).

Transportation via Shanghai's waterways is extremely convenient mostly due to its location on the estuary of the Yangtze River and the East China Sea. Passenger boats to Chengsi Island in Zhejiang province, Changxing Island, Chongming Island and Hengsha Island still run daily. There are also international passenger ship lines that travel to Ichon and Pusan of South Korea, as well as Osaka and Kobe of Japan.