Services
Someone in Shanghai, on your side
Two things we do ourselves, from first message to last. Both are run by people who live in this city and have walked these exact steps before — not by a call centre.
The short version
Prices are published because you should not have to email three strangers in another language just to find out what something costs.
Medical escort
$389 / day
A person beside you for the whole hospital day: registration, consultation, tests, pharmacy, and a written English summary afterwards.
Custom itinerary
$120 / trip
A route built for your dates, your pace, and your interests — plus a local on WhatsApp while you are actually here.
Survival Chinese walk
$80 / person
Two hours of usable Mandarin, taught in a wet market and a noodle shop instead of a classroom. Usually added to an itinerary.
Everything on this website outside these three services is free to read, and always will be.
Medical escort in Shanghai
A Chinese hospital is not difficult because the medicine is bad. It is difficult because the whole system runs on queues, QR codes, and a registration app that assumes you read Chinese and have a mainland ID.
We go with you. We handle the admin, interpret the consultation, and make sure you leave knowing exactly what was said, what you were given, and what happens next.
Pricing
$389
$649
$1,199
$60
Hospital fees, consultation, tests and medicine are paid directly to the hospital and are not included. We never take a cut from the clinic — that is why our recommendation is genuinely about your case.
What a day looks like
The night before
We confirm your appointment, check what you need to bring (passport, previous scans, fasting instructions), and agree a meeting point at the hospital gate.
Registration and triage
The queue nobody warns you about. We set up your hospital card, pay the registration fee, and get you into the right department rather than the wrong one.
In the room with you
Consecutive interpretation, not summary. If the doctor says something you would want to ask about, you will hear it while you can still ask.
Tests, pharmacy, paperwork
Blood draws, imaging, collecting medicine, and the payment windows — all the running around, so you are not doing it alone with a piece of paper in Chinese.
The same evening
A written English summary of the diagnosis, medication, dosage and follow-up date. Forwardable to your doctor at home.
Common reasons people book
• Dental work and implants
• Full body health check-ups
• Dermatology and aesthetics
• Traditional Chinese medicine
• Orthopaedics and sports injury
• Paediatrics for travelling families
A Shanghai route that fits you
Most Shanghai itineraries are the same six places in the same order. The Bund at sunset, Yu Garden at noon, a river cruise. They are not wrong — they are just not built for anyone in particular.
Tell us who is travelling, how long you have, what you actually enjoy, and what you want to avoid. You get a route with times, transport, booking links, and the backup plan for when it rains or something is closed.
Pricing
$120
$220
+$40
$180 / day
What is in the plan
A day-by-day route with realistic travel times, not a wish list of ten sights in one afternoon
Restaurant picks that match your budget and your stomach, with reservations made where we can
Tickets and time slots booked in advance for the places that actually sell out
A local on WhatsApp for the whole trip, including the 9pm “this place is closed, what now” message
One free revision after you read it — itineraries change when people realise how hot August is
Survival Chinese walk
$80 / person · 2 hours
Twenty sentences you will genuinely use, learned in a wet market and a local noodle shop rather than a classroom. Order lunch, ask a price, take a taxi, refuse the sixth bag of tea. Kids welcome.
How this works
No forms that take twenty minutes, no sales call. Four steps, and you can stop at any of them.
You send a message
Email or WhatsApp. Tell us the dates, the situation, and roughly what you are worried about. Two paragraphs is plenty.
First reply is free
Within one working day, in English. If we think you do not need us, we will say so and point you to the free guide instead.
Scope and price in writing
One page: what we will do, what it costs, what is not included, and what to do if plans change. Nothing hidden in a phone call.
Deposit, then we go
30% deposit to hold the date, the rest after. Pay by international card, Alipay or bank transfer.
Questions we actually get
Are you a travel agency?
No. We do not sell packages, we do not own buses, and we have no agreements with shops to bring them customers. We plan, book, translate and accompany — and we are paid by you, not by the places we send you to.
Can you give me medical advice?
No, and we will not pretend to. We are not doctors and we do not diagnose or recommend treatment. We help you get to an appointment, understand what happens there, and leave with the information written down correctly. Every clinical decision belongs to you and your doctor.
Which hospitals do you work with?
We accompany clients to international departments and private clinics across Shanghai, and to public hospitals that accept foreign passports. The right one depends on your case and your budget — a full check-up and an overnight stay are not the same decision. We will tell you the honest difference.
How far in advance should I book?
One week is comfortable for a clinic appointment or an itinerary. Three days is usually enough for a health check-up. If it is urgent, say so in the subject line and we will tell you honestly whether we can help.
What if the appointment changes or I cancel?
More than 48 hours before: deposit refunded in full, no questions. Within 48 hours: the deposit covers the day we held for you. If a hospital reschedules you, we reschedule with you at no extra cost.
Do you speak any other languages?
English and Mandarin fluently. With notice we can usually find someone for French, Spanish, German or Japanese — ask before you book rather than on the day.
Is a doctor’s report in English possible?
International departments issue reports in English on request. Where they do not, we produce a written summary from the consultation that you can forward to your doctor at home. It is a summary, not a certified medical translation — for insurance claims you may still need a stamped translation, and we will tell you when that applies.
How do I pay?
International card, bank transfer, Alipay or WeChat Pay. Prices are quoted in US dollars; the final amount is converted on the day. Hospital fees are always paid directly to the hospital by you.
Medical disclaimer
Shanghai Journey provides accompaniment, interpretation and practical assistance. We are not a medical provider and we do not offer medical advice, diagnosis or treatment recommendations. We do not select treatments or influence clinical decisions. All medical services are delivered by licensed hospitals and clinicians; all medical fees are paid by you directly to the provider. Information on this website is for general guidance only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. In an emergency in China, call 120.
Tell us what you are dealing with
A hospital appointment you do not understand, or four days in a city you have never seen. Either way, the first reply costs nothing — and if we are not the right people for it, we will say so.
We reply within one working day, in English.