Mubus · Yuyuan Garden area
A shared bus leaves from beside Yuyuan Garden station for Yu Garden, the City God Temple and the old town, then drives out to the canals of Zhujiajiao and its Kezhi Garden. Pick it for the price: it's the cheapest full day here with a Yu Garden ticket and lunch.
The operator is Mubus (慕巴士), and its guide holds a "Mubus: Shanghai City Tour" sign outside the Renaissance Shanghai Yu Garden Hotel, across the street from Exit 3 of Yuyuan Garden station. The day: 60 minutes in Yu Garden, 60 minutes at the City God Temple and the old town, an hour in Zhujiajiao with the Kezhi Garden, lunch, and a drive past the Bund on the way back. Tickets for Yu Garden and the Kezhi Garden are included.
Mondays change the plan. Yu Garden is closed, so the Monday bus goes to the Jade Buddha Temple instead, ticket included. Boat rides in Zhujiajiao and on the Bund are extra. The bus needs 5 people to run; if it doesn't fill, the operator cancels a day ahead with a full refund. Groups go up to 40.
It's a 9-hour day, not 7: one guest booked on an older 7-hour listing and had to leave early for a flight. Guests also report a tea shop stop (optional, with some sales talk at the end), lunch served late in Zhujiajiao on some days, and a long walking day, upwards of 25,000 steps by one count. The rating sits at 4.6, below the private tours, and the complaints are about the guide's English, the tea shop and timing. For $67 with two garden tickets and lunch, it is still the best value here.
Metro Line 10 or 14 to Yuyuan Garden station, Exit 3, then cross the street to 159 Henan South Road. The listing's name gives a 9:00 departure.
Inside the garden with the ticket paid. Mondays: the Jade Buddha Temple instead.
The Taoist temple next door and the free bazaar lanes.
Shanghainese dishes, included; on some days it's served in Zhujiajiao.
Canals, stone bridges and the Kezhi Garden; the boat ride is extra.
A drive past the Bund on the way back, no stop.
★★★★★5/5 maximum recommend. Few tips for others, this is a physically arduous tour and some seemed unprepared. It was likely upwards of 25k steps. [...] This isn't appropriate for kids under 7 or so, and is not stroller or handicap accessible.
★★★★★Great tour. Very well organised. Irwin was a friendly efficient guide. Value for money. Substantial lunch and beverages included. Optional tea shop and boat ride. No pressure tour, how it should be done.
★★★★★It is 100% worth doing. Audrey was an amazing guide. She was fun and informative! Plenty of time at each place to take pictures and do a little bit of shopping. Zhujiajiao was beautiful too. I would recommend and thought it was a great day to spend the day when you don't have a lot of time but want to see and learn a bit of Shanghai.
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Yes, Tuesday to Sunday. On Mondays the garden is closed and the tour visits the Jade Buddha Temple instead, with that ticket included.
Outside the Renaissance Shanghai Yu Garden Hotel, 159 Henan South Road. Take Metro Line 10 or 14 to Yuyuan Garden station, leave by Exit 3 and cross the street. The guide holds a "Mubus: Shanghai City Tour" sign.
The bus needs 5 people to depart. If it doesn't reach that, the operator cancels a day ahead and you get a full refund.
About 9 hours. Don't plan anything tight for the evening.
Ready to book
The cheapest full day with a Yu Garden ticket: the garden, the City God Temple and Zhujiajiao by bus, lunch included.
Zhujiajiao Water Town and Shanghai Private Day TourZhujiajiao's canals, then Yu Garden, the Bund and the Shanghai Tower. Three tickets and lunch included, private car all day.★ 5.0 · 8 hours · from $246
Yu Garden and Old Town Private Tour with TeaAn hour inside Yu Garden with the ticket paid, then the old town lanes and a tea tasting. The garden-first private tour.★ 5.0 · 2 to 2.5 hours · from $81
Shanghai City Guided Walking TourFour hours on foot from People's Square to the Bund and the City God Temple area. $5 to book, the guide works for tips.★ 4.9 · 4 hours · from $5