Discover A Brilliant Way To Cross The River In Shanghai

Bridges and ferries cross the Huangpu River between the two sides of Shanghai, but a more adventurous option is a ride through the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel, particularly for someone who’s a kid at heart. Not just an ordinary subway, the half-mile-long train ride includes a multimedia sound and light show.

Descending the escalator into a sleek lobby festooned with plants and colored lights, passengers are guided by a red uniformed attendant into a sleek electric capsule of a car. With a galaxy of lights twinkling overhead, the car sets out through arcs of the tunnel illuminated with revolving yellow, blue, green and shocking-pink neon lights while a six-channel surround-sound system plays coordinated music ranging from eerie notes and grand “creation” themes to the roar of water and gurgles. Fish “swim” by in aquariums projected on the walls, and at one point floppy, inflated figures dance and wave hello.

Three to five minutes later, after passing through a “meteor shower,” passengers arrive at the other side. Departing from Chenyi Square in Puxi and the Oriental Pearl TV and Radio Tower in Pudong, the ride costs about $10 for those who choose to “af-ford” the crossing.