What is the restricted area for out-of-town license plate vehicles in Shanghai?
2 Answers
Out-of-town license plate vehicles in Shanghai are restricted from entering the elevated roads within the inner ring, including the North-South Elevated Road, Yan'an Elevated Road, Humin Elevated Road, and Middle Ring Road, from 7:30-9:30 AM and 4:30-6:30 PM on weekdays (excluding public holidays). Below is the information on Shanghai's traffic restrictions: 1. Temporary traffic restrictions: Mainly refers to certain special vehicles needing to reach specific destinations, where traffic authorities implement corresponding controls to allow these vehicles priority passage, while civilian vehicles are required to yield. 2. Vehicle tail number restrictions: This measure was used during the Olympics. Its main purpose is to alleviate congestion during Beijing's morning and evening rush hours. 3. Restrictions on out-of-town vehicles: The main goal is to prohibit vehicles with out-of-town license plates (including those with Beijing entry permits) from entering within the Fifth Ring Road during specified times, also to alleviate Beijing's traffic congestion. 4. Other activities: If there are sports competitions or promotional events in commercial areas or stadiums, traffic authorities will implement traffic control measures around these areas.
As a Shanghai commuter driving an out-of-town license plate car, the traffic restrictions are really giving me a headache. During weekday rush hours from 7:00 to 9:00 in the morning and 17:00 to 19:00 in the evening, non-local license plate cars are not allowed to drive within the inner ring area, including elevated roads like the Inner Ring Elevated Road and Yan'an Elevated Road, as well as some downtown surface roads, such as parts of Huangpu District and Xuhui District. This policy aims to alleviate congestion. If caught violating the rules, there's a 200 yuan fine plus penalty points. Daily commuting is greatly affected, and during peak traffic jams, I can only detour via the outer ring or take the subway. It's advisable to plan routes in advance and use navigation apps to avoid restricted zones, saving both time and money. Additionally, there are no restrictions on holidays, and weekends allow free access to the city center. In short, understanding these rules thoroughly makes driving much smoother.
