City, China
Can you drink tap water in Shanghai?
NoNo, drink bottled
Can you drink the tap water in Shanghai?
Don't drink the tap water. Drink bottled or boiled water; hotels provide kettles and cafés serve filtered water.
Key facts
- In Shanghai: Drink bottled or boiled water; hotels provide kettles and cafés serve filtered water.
- Across China: Don't drink from the tap; hotels supply kettles and bottled water, and stations and trains have hot-water dispensers.
Tap water across China
| Place | Tap water |
|---|---|
| Beijing | No, drink bottled |
| Shanghai | No, drink bottled |
| Xi'an | No, drink bottled |
| Chengdu | No, drink bottled |
| Guilin | No, drink bottled |
| Chongqing | No, drink bottled |
| Shenzhen | No, drink bottled |
| Guangzhou | No, drink bottled |
| Hangzhou | No, drink bottled |
| Zhangjiajie | No, drink bottled |
| Yangshuo | No, drink bottled |
| Lijiang | No, drink bottled |
| Suzhou | No, drink bottled |
| Harbin | No, drink bottled |
| Sanya | No, drink bottled |
| Xiamen | No, drink bottled |
| Dali | No, drink bottled |
| Lhasa | No, drink bottled |
| Huangshan | No, drink bottled |
| Kunming | No, drink bottled |
| Qingdao | No, drink bottled |
| Nanjing | No, drink bottled |
| Shangri-La | No, drink bottled |
| Jiuzhaigou | No, drink bottled |
| Changsha | No, drink bottled |
| Pingyao | No, drink bottled |
| Dunhuang | No, drink bottled |
| Kashgar | No, drink bottled |
| Wuhan | No, drink bottled |
| Tianjin | No, drink bottled |
Quick answers
Is tap water safe to drink in Shanghai?
Don't drink the tap water. Drink bottled or boiled water; hotels provide kettles and cafés serve filtered water.
Can you drink tap water in China?
Don't drink from the tap; hotels supply kettles and bottled water, and stations and trains have hot-water dispensers.
More about Shanghai
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Sources
- World Bank: safely managed drinking water (WHO/UNICEF)
- CDC: food and water safety for travelers
- Shanghai Metro
- National Immigration Administration
- Shanghai United Family Hospital
Verdicts reflect official utility statements and what locals actually do. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.