I land at Pudong tomorrow—what should I do first?
I went straight to the Bund before checking into the hotel—wallets still broken, two suitcases, Maglev regret. Now: immigration → data → hotel → ¥1 test → sleep.
Quick answer
I went straight to the Bund before checking into the hotel—wallets still broken, two suitcases, Maglev regret. Now: immigration → data → hotel → ¥1 test → sleep.
Detailed answer
Detailed Answer
What happened: Landed PVG at 18:00, thought I would “see the Bund at night” before check-in. Alipay showed a verification banner; I spent 40 minutes on airport Wi‑Fi while bags sat outside a café. Tried Maglev + Line 2 with two large suitcases—stairs at transfer nearly ended the trip. Finally took an official taxi but gave the driver only “Hyatt on the Bund” in English—wrong entrance, another 20 minutes.
What I do now: Immigration → enable eSIM line → glance at wallets (do not fix at curb) → taxi queue or Didi with Chinese address from Amap → hotel → ¥1 FamilyMart test → sleep. Bund can wait until day two.
Official sequence: First day guide. Pay fails: Payment failure question.
What to do next
Tonight: hotel only. Tomorrow: Bund after pay test works.
How to do it
Screenshot hotel Chinese address before landing.
Ignore Bund until check-in + small QR test.
Heavy bags: taxi queue beats Maglev + two metro changes.
Fix wallets on hotel Wi‑Fi, not airport captive portal.
Watch for
Sightseeing before hotel + pay test.
Maglev marketing vs reality with 23kg suitcases.
English-only hotel name for driver.
Debugging Alipay at the curb with 4% battery.
What may vary
Policies and app flows change—verify on official sources before you travel.
FAQ
Is this the full arrival guide?
No—my **Bund-first mistake** story. Steps: [first day guide](/guides/first-day-in-china-arrival-guide).
Metro from PVG with luggage?
Only if light; I failed with two large bags.