wellness
Best Running Routes in Shanghai 2026
Shanghai pairs the colonial-era architecture of the Bund waterfront with a roughly 23 kilometre riverside path on the Pudong side and Century Park, the city's largest, on a route that mirrors the start of the Platinum Label Shanghai Marathon.
How we reported this
Shanghai offers a genuine split between its historic Puxi waterfront and the more spacious, less crowded paths across the river in Pudong. Here are the best running routes in Shanghai for 2026.
The Bund
The Bund's paved waterfront promenade runs about 1.6 kilometres along the historic Huangpu River riverfront, flanked by colonial-era buildings from the 1920s and 1930s, once banks and trading houses, with iconic skyline views of Pudong directly across the water. It is extremely popular with both tourists and locals, and is the starting point of the Shanghai Marathon at the well-known "Bund Bull" statue.
The Pudong Riverside Path
On the eastern bank of the Huangpu, a largely continuous paved path reportedly runs some 23 kilometres from Yangpu Bridge to Xupu Bridge, passing the Oriental Pearl Tower. It is flat, wide and well-lit, generally less congested than the Bund side, and a good choice for longer training runs.
Suzhou Creek
Running west from Waibaidu Bridge, where the creek meets the Huangpu near the Bund, a mixed paved riverside path extends the run 15 kilometres or more through to Changning District, one of the few options in central Shanghai for a long run that feels removed from road traffic. It connects directly to the Bund route at its eastern end.
Century Park
Century Park, in Pudong New Area, is Shanghai's largest park, with roughly 5 kilometres of internal loop trails through lawns, woods and lakes without repeating the same path. It is shaded and popular with local residents for morning and evening jogging away from traffic.
West Bund
In Xuhui District, the West Bund's flat paved waterfront runs past art museums and green space, generally quieter than the central Bund, and is home turf for the local RunnersHai club's weekly free social runs.
Running the Shanghai Marathon Route
The Shanghai Marathon began in 1996 as the Shanghai International Citizen Marathon and is now a World Athletics Platinum Label race, starting each year at the Bund Bull statue before finishing at Shanghai Stadium, tying the city's biggest running event directly to the same Bund waterfront recommended as an everyday route.
Practical Guide to Running in Shanghai
The Bund and Century Park are the most reliable choices for a straightforward run; the Pudong riverside path and Suzhou Creek are the better options for anyone wanting real distance with fewer crowds.