This year, the Mid-Autumn Festival will be tacked up with the National Day holiday, making an eight-day break from October 1 to 8. Here's a guide to spend the holiday in Shanghai – from the weather to trains, roads and the Metro.
Crowds are expected on popular destinations like Nanjing Road.
Weather: sunny start, rainy midweek, cooler finish
Shanghai is forecast to have mostly travel-friendly weather during the eight-day holiday, with sunshine at the start and end, and some rain in the middle, according to the local weather service.
The holiday will begin with fine weather on October 1, but scattered showers are possible from October 2 to 5. On October 6, the Mid-Autumn Festival, rain is expected to be heavier during the day but should ease at night, providing a chance to see the full moon.
Temperatures will rise before falling, with the holiday average around 26 degrees Celsius, compared with 21.7 degrees in past years. Highs of 32 to 33 degrees are expected from October 3 to 6, dropping to 27 to 28 degrees on October 7-8 as a cold front moves in.
Winds will also strengthen, with gusts of force 6-7 in coastal areas.
Residents are advised to check updates from the Shanghai Meteorological Service for the latest forecasts, especially if planning trips around eastern China, where rainfall is likely to be heavier.
Passengers pass through ticket turnstiles at Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station.
Rail: record crowds expected
From September 29 to October 10, the city's railway network is set to handle around 6.25 million passengers during the holiday travel rush, authorities said.
Daily numbers will average more than 520,000, up 14 percent from a year earlier. Traffic is expected to peak at 795,000 on October 1, setting a new record.
To ease congestion, 473 extra trains have been scheduled, mainly to Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui and Jiangxi provinces. During the peak travel days, 85 extra trains are scheduled on September 30 and 123 on October 1.
Shanghai's three main stations – Shanghai, Shanghai South and Shanghai Hongqiao – will keep waiting halls open overnight from September 29 to October 1.
Starting from October 1, the national railway system will replace paper receipts with electronic invoices, which passengers can request on the 12306 ticket system within 180 days of their trip.
Busy traffic on Shanghai's Inner Ring Road
Roads: peak traffic at start and end
During the holiday, Shanghai's highways are predicted to carry 1.61-1.66 million vehicle trips a day, with up to 960,000 cross-province trips daily. Passenger cars with up to seven seats will be toll-free from October 1 to 8, according to officials.
Congestion is expected to be heaviest on September 30 and October 1 for outbound travel. Return traffic will peak on the evenings of October 7 and 8.
Most cross-province trips, about 70 percent, will be toward Jiangsu. Roads near popular scenic spots and major transport hubs such as Hongqiao and Shanghai South Station are also expected to face pressure.
Drivers are advised to avoid peak hours and plan routes in advance. Real-time traffic updates are available on the Weibo account "乐行上海" or roadside information boards.
Metro: longer hours and extra trains
Shanghai Metro is expected to see around 56.8 million passenger trips during the holiday, with an early peak of 11.4 million on September 30, the last working day before the break.
To handle the surge, six lines – 1, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 13 – will run extended hours from September 30 to October 4.
From October 1 to 6, East Nanjing Road Station (Lines 2 and 10) and Yuyuan Garden Station (Line 14) will close daily from 4pm for crowd control, but Yuyuan Garden Station on Line 10 will remain open.
On October 7 and 8, extra late-night trains will be added on Lines 1, 2, 10 and 17, with last departures extended to midnight to ease return traffic.
Metro officials said stations near major hubs, including the city's main railway stations and airports, as well as busy shopping areas and tourist sites, will step up crowd control. Temporary entry restrictions may be used if crowds build up.