Across the river: Pudong & Lujiazui
Until 20 years ago, Pudong was primarily composed of large tracts of farmland, hard to imagine given the area’s glass and steel skyline today, the symbol of Shanghai’s inexorable economic development over the last two decades. Besides being an economic hub, Pudong also offers a large variety of foreign housing estates and compounds that provide families an alternative to crowded downtown life. Pudong’s roads are more orderly and less busy than those of Puxi, the air feels cleaner and it is becoming increasingly popular as western amenities including supermarkets, shops, restaurants and hospitals are opening up at a rapid rate.
Lujiazui is Pudong’s main business district, the “downtown” area east of the Huangpu. This area is famous for its magnificent skyscrapers, including the Jinmao tower and Oriental Pearl Tower, and the newly built Shanghai World Finance Center. Within just a couple of minutes by car or 15 minutes walk from the subway you can find yourself in one of the high quality apartment complexes that have great river views and fantastic facilities. There are also a number of lower budget properties that give you large apartments for a great price.
Access to downtown Puxi on the other side of the river is only 3 to 5 miles away and will take 10 to 45 minutes through the main tunnel linking Puxi with Pudong, depending on traffic conditions.
Pros for a life in Pudong
- Quieter and less frantic lifestyle
- More green space and fresh air
- Less congested streets
- Large supermarkets such as Carrefour and Metro
- Close access to international schools
Cons for living here
- Travel time to downtown can be lengthy due to congested tunnels and bridges
- Limited offerings on social and nightlife facilities for the time being
- Obviously lacks the charm of Puxi and it’s tree-lined streets
