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Shanghai Driver Guide · Downtown Shanghai

The river and the bazaar after dark

A private guide and driver collect you at your hotel for the lit-up Yuyuan Old Street, the Huangpu from a VIP seat, then Pudong and Xintiandi. Pick it for the evening: river views and bazaar lights with no ticket queue and no taxi hunt.

Private Evening Tour with Huangpu River Cruise

About this experience

The operator on the listing is Shanghai Driver Guide. Its route: 40 minutes on Yuyuan Old Street, 80 minutes for a Huangpu River cruise with a VIP-class seat, 30 minutes in Pudong and 30 in Xintiandi. Guests describe the sailing itself as about an hour, and some guides add a walk in the French Concession.

Be clear on one thing: this tour does not enter Yu Garden. The walled garden shuts at 16:30, so the evening stop is the bazaar outside it: Yuyuan Old Street, the Nine-Turn Bridge and the Huxinting teahouse lit up over the pond, all free to walk. At night that's the picture most people want anyway. For the garden itself, add the daytime garden tour, or book the garden's own night tour (150 to 190 RMB) separately; no tour on this site includes it.

Two options: Private Evening Tour, where food and drinks are yours to buy, and Evening Tour with Dinner. The price is per person and tiered by group size, so $128 is the lowest tier and a couple pays more each. Guests say the VIP section earns its keep on busy nights, when the open decks fill up.

  • VIP-class seat on the Huangpu river cruise
  • Yuyuan Old Street and the Huxinting teahouse lit up at night
  • Pudong's towers and Xintiandi's lanes by car
  • Dinner on the dinner option
  • Hotel pickup by your guide with a name sign

How the day runs

  1. Early eveningHotel pickup

    Your guide waits in the hotel lobby with a sign, or meets you at the cruise terminal. Outside the free pickup area, check with the operator.

  2. 40 minYuyuan Old Street

    The bazaar under its lights, the zigzag bridge and the teahouse. The garden itself is closed by now.

  3. 80 minHuangpu River cruise

    VIP seating, with the Bund on one bank and Lujiazui on the other.

  4. 30 minPudong

    A close look at the towers from the Lujiazui side.

  5. 30 minXintiandi

    Stone-gate lanes of bars and restaurants; stay on, or ride back to your hotel.

The Bund at sunset with traffic light trails

What's included

Included

  • Private hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Private driver-guide and vehicle
  • VIP-class river cruise seat
  • Bottled water
  • Dinner (Evening Tour with Dinner option)

Not included

  • Food and drinks on the Private Evening Tour option
  • Personal expenses
  • Gratuities
  • Yu Garden entry: the garden is closed in the evening

Who it suits

Book it if

  • You want the skyline from the water with a good seat
  • You want the bazaar at night without finding your own way
  • You have one evening in Shanghai
  • You'd like dinner sorted, on the dinner option

Skip it if

  • You want to go inside Yu Garden
  • You're on a budget: the bazaar is free and the metro stops beside it
  • You want longer in the bazaar: the night bazaar tour gives it an hour
  • You use a wheelchair: the listing says not accessible

What guests say

★★★★★

This river cruise is a must-do for the best views of the Bund and the Shanghai city scape. Be sure to go after sunset to marvel at the beauty of the Bund and its dazzling lights. Alex, our guide was very nice, patient, and knowledgeable. After the 1-hour cruise, we explored the highlights of Shanghai, such as the old Shanghai, the French concession, and the Xintiandi district. This tour is a great way to start your trip or to preview what the city has to offer!

Jason · Nov 2025
★★★★★

Autumn was awesome! We were able to tailor the tour to suit our interests and she simply made it happen. The boat cruise was very well organised. The VIP section was worth it for the privacy and access to the best viewing platform. Our driver was very prompt and always in the right place at the right time. Thank you both

Trish · Nov 2025
★★★★★

Mary was our guide, she was gave us a great experience. Spoke very good English. I am glad we were in the VIP section of the boat, it was very full!!

Rachel · Nov 2025

Tips before you book

  • Pick the dinner option if you'd rather not hunt for a table on Yuyuan Old Street around 19:00, its busiest hour.
  • Bring a layer: the upper deck gets windy after dark.
  • The garden's own night tour (150 RMB with a Chinese guide, 190 RMB in English) runs on set evenings and is separate from this tour.
  • Children 3 to 11 pay the child rate.

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Frequently asked questions

Does the private evening cruise tour go inside Yu Garden?

No. The stop is Yuyuan Old Street, the free bazaar outside the garden walls. The garden closes at 16:30, with last entry at 16:00.

How long is the river cruise?

The listing allows 80 minutes for the cruise stop; guests describe the sailing itself as about an hour.

Is dinner included?

Only on the Evening Tour with Dinner option. On the Private Evening Tour option, food and drinks are at your own cost.

How is the price worked out?

Per person, tiered by group size. $128 is the lowest tier; one or two travellers pay more each.

Ready to book

Book Private evening cruise tour

Yuyuan Old Street lit up at night, a VIP seat on the Huangpu river cruise and Xintiandi, with your own guide.

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Yuyuan Old Street lit up at night, a VIP seat on the Huangpu river cruise and Xintiandi, with your own guide.

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