Shanghai's 911 Shortie: It's a Double-Decker!
-
Hey, fellow travelers! I came to Shanghai this time mainly to attend a concert, and I brought my family along for some fun as well.
-
With good intentions:
- Since there were elderly individuals and children in our group, walking too much would definitely be inconvenient, so we thought it was wiser to take a double-decker观光巴士 for sightseeing. This way, we could reduce a lot of walking.
- We specifically chose Route 911, which was suggested on travel tips. From here, we started our journey at the famous station at Huaihai Zhong Lu Wukang Lu (淮海中路武康路).
- A little background: This area, known for its historical cultural streets where many exquisite old buildings are surrounded by beautiful plane trees, once served as the heart of the French Concession, making it a popular spot among visitors.
-
Reality is somewhat bittersweet:
- Long waiting times, traffic congestion, and slow-moving buses. These were all expected, after all, this is bustling Shanghai.
- However, what took us by surprise was how packed the city would get during weekends! As soon as the double-decker bus pulled up to the stop, everyone rushed headlong towards the front seats on the upper level like it was a major beach landing!
-
️ Travel Warning and Important Points ️- Crowd Warning:
- The Problem: At weekends, especially at popular stations like Huaihai Zhong Lu Wukang Lu, Route 911 is immensely crowded!
- The Danger: Upon arrival of the bus, people rush to occupy the prime viewing spots on the upper level leading to potential chaos.
- For Your Information: If you have elderly or children in your group, these scenes could be incredibly dangerous! People might easily be jostled and accidents can occur.
- How to Deal with It:
- Avoid Peak Times: If possible, try to go earlier during weekdays instead.
- Adjust Expectations: In case visiting during weekends is your only option, then mentally prepare yourself, because prime spots may not be available, but safety is the primary concern!
- Alternative method: From the starting station, wait patiently to make sure staff are ensuring order, or else take your chances, after the rush has died down (but risk missing out).
- Crowd Warning:
-
My Suggestion to Shanghai Tourism Authorities:
- I suggest having some sort of crowd-control measure like, perhaps, setting up waiting lines at both the start and end bus stations.
- This approach will ensure safe and orderly boarding.
- Doing so will both prevent overcrowding and avoid the issue of people cutting in line and rushing for seats.
I hope my experience serves as a reminder and wish everyone a fun yet secure trip to Shanghai!
-
-
It's probably best if this bus route stops running on holidays. It's public transportation, not really a tourist thing.
-
I just think it would be safer if there was a rope or barrier to guide the queue.
-
If you're traveling with seniors and kids, don't try to save money by cramming onto this bus where young budget travelers are scrambling for seats. Opt for a day pass on a city sightseeing bus instead.
-
Well, I didn't know any better... I saw so many recommendations for this route.
-
Route 911, that's a regular Shanghai public bus, not a tourist service. It's a public bus, not a sightseeing bus. Actually, there's a free sightseeing bus in Huangpu, but hardly anyone knows about it because it's not promoted – you could try that! People usually queue сознательно for other crowded bus routes. It's just that this particular bus is overwhelmed with tourists, much like the Bund ferry, which was originally for commuters but is now treated as a tourist boat by visitors.
-
People are trying to get a 40-yuan experience out of a 2-yuan bus fare.
-
It's just like the ferry – it's simply a mode of transport for local residents.
-
Plus, the double-decker is a short-route service, so it was meant for fewer passengers and runs less frequently.
-
It's essentially just a regular public bus. I don't know who's constantly hyping up 2-yuan public transport like Route 911 and the ferry as tourist routes. If you want comfort, just buy a ticket for the dedicated double-decker tourist bus – you get your own seat on an open-top double-decker!
-
Non-locals really need to learn how to queue.
-
Your suggestion is fine. In the past, there used to be older staff or volunteers maintaining order at bus terminals, but not anymore. Maybe they should reassign those rather useless subway security personnel to do something actually helpful here.
-
Nope, that's not really the case. Only during morning and evening rush hours are there 'aunties' to shove you onto the overcrowded bus if you can't get on, but they don't manage the queues. Queues only really form at the terminal stations.
-
This is a public bus, not a tour bus. It's like taking the 2-yuan ferry and expecting a cruise ship experience. If the experience is bad, who's to blame? It's the tourists who want to have their cake and eat it too.
-
Route 911 isn't a sightseeing bus, it's a legitimate public bus route.
-
I used to take Route 911 to commute daily, starting back in the early 2000s. Thank goodness I'm retired now; otherwise, how would I ever manage to squeeze on with all these tourists?
-
A long time ago, I also used to take Route 911 every day from Shuicheng Road to work on Huaihai Middle Road.