Timing, getting there and what to expect
ERA2 showtimes and runtime guide
How long ERA2 runs, how the monthly schedule works, how to reach Shanghai Circus World by metro, and what to know about children, language and access.
See ERA show dates on GetYourGuide ↗Quick answer
ERA2 runs 60 or 100 minutes depending on the date, and the booking calendar shows the version and the session time. The venue publishes its schedule month by month, so do not assume a show every night. Shanghai Circus World has its own station on Metro Line 1, the simplest way to arrive. Programmes can change at short notice, so check your confirmation before you leave.
ERA2 at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Length | 60 or 100 minutes |
| Schedule | Published month by month |
| Longer version | Sundays, holidays (Oct 2025) |
| Metro | Line 1, Shanghai Circus World |
| Time zone | China Standard Time, UTC+8 |
How long the show runs
ERA2 comes in two lengths: a 60-minute version and a 100-minute version. The venue's ticket sites say the two versions are sold at the same price, so the choice is made by the date you book. The booking calendar shows which version your date has, and the session time sits in the same place. The venue also says the programme may be adjusted at any time, depending on performers and equipment, so the acts you see can differ from a list written weeks earlier. Leave some slack either side of the stated length for getting in and getting out. If you are weighing two dates, a Sunday or holiday date may carry the longer version, though the calendar is the only reliable guide.
Is there a show every night?
Do not assume so. The venue announces ERA2 month by month, and its monthly notices give a different number of performances each time. Extra afternoon shows have been added around holidays, including the National Day week and the Spring Festival. In the schedule published for October 2025, the 100-minute version fell on Sundays and public holidays, and the 60-minute version on other dates. If your trip is built around one evening, check the calendar for your date before you book flights or a dinner reservation, and keep a second date in mind.
Reading the booking calendar
On the venue's ticket site you choose a date, then a type, a session time, a ticket tier and a quantity, in that order. A date with no sessions shows a message that the show may be closed or expired, which means nothing is on sale for it. Times on those sites are shown in China Standard Time, which is UTC+8, so convert if you are planning around a flight from another time zone. The session time is on your booking page and confirmation, which is why this guide gives no clock times.
Getting there by metro
Shanghai Circus World has its own station on Shanghai Metro Line 1, named after the venue. The station opened in 2004 as part of a northern extension of the line from Shanghai Railway Station. The venue describes Line 1 as directly connected to its station, and the station has several exits, so follow the signs for the circus. The photo shows Exit 3, with a lift beside the stairs. Setting your phone's map app to the station name, Shanghai Circus World, is enough to plan the ride. The Shanghai metro is a convenient way to reach the venue from the city centre, so a private transfer is not needed.
By taxi or ride app
The venue's address is 2266 Gonghexin Road, Jing'an District. In Chinese it reads 上海市静安区共和新路2266号, which you can show a driver or paste into a ride app. You may see the area listed as Zhabei District on older maps and reviews. Zhabei is the former district name, and the site is now in Jing'an. The venue's own English news pages call the venue Shanghai Circus City, so you may meet that name too. The booking confirmation names the venue, so match it against what you see on the screen.
Where the art form comes from
Chinese acrobatics, also called variety art, is an old tradition. Wikipedia traces acts of conjuring, balancing and tumbling to the Qin and Han periods, when they were known as baixi, and notes that court displays grew more refined under the Tang dynasty. Performers moved from the street onto the stage towards the end of the Ming dynasty. Troupes were set up across China after 1949, and in the 1990s the art was packaged as complete theme shows. ERA opened at Shanghai Circus World in September 2005 in that spirit: a story told through acts, music, light and projection rather than a plain list of tricks.
What ERA2 puts on stage
ERA2 tells a love story set in Shanghai. The venue's description names a trembling-bar act, an aerial double trapeze with a water tank, a giant trampoline joined to flying swings, doves flying with a trapeze artist, BMX and roller-skating tricks, and 3D projection that moves the stage from landscapes to city streets. The music was written for each act, from hip-hop and tango rhythms to sung ballads, and it pairs the guzheng and erhu with piano, harp and violin. The costumes mix French court fashion with cheongsam details, and the motorcycle sphere closes the show.
Language and following the story
The story is told mainly through acrobatics, projection and music, so you can enjoy the physical side of the show whatever language you speak. Some numbers are sung, and the venue's pages do not mention subtitles or translated programmes, so do not count on them. The finale, with its steel sphere and roaring engines, is loud. If you are bringing a noise-sensitive child, think about where to sit and whether to bring ear protection. If you like to know what is coming, read the six highlights the venue describes before you go, because the acts are easy to follow once you know what each one is.
Children, strollers and access
The venue's ticket sites say every attendee needs a ticket, children included. Infants are not admitted on the GetYourGuide ticket, so plan it for older children. For step-free access, the station exit in the photo has a lift marked for accessible use, but we found no published seating plan for wheelchair users, and a visitor's 2025 question about wheelchair seating appears on the site without an answer we could read. If you need an accessible seat, email the seller before you book.
Before or after the show
Guangzhong Park is among the points of interest listed near the station. Zhabei Stadium is listed too, though neither is a reason to build a trip around it. The metro is the simplest way back into the centre afterwards, since the station sits on the northern extension of Line 1, beyond Shanghai Railway Station. If you have a dinner plan, book it with both the 60-minute and the 100-minute length in mind, and leave room for the programme changing, because the venue says it can be adjusted at any time.
Who this isn't for
This show is a poor fit if you need one fixed evening with no backup date, because the schedule is published month by month and can change. It is also not for anyone who needs translated subtitles to follow a performance, or who wants a quiet, slow evening. If you need a guaranteed wheelchair space, get written confirmation from the seller first.
Frequently asked questions
How long is ERA2?
It runs 60 or 100 minutes, depending on the date. The booking calendar shows the version. The venue's ticket sites say both are sold at the same price.
Does ERA2 run every night?
Not necessarily. The venue publishes a schedule month by month, and the number of performances changes. Check the calendar for your date before you commit to a plan.
Which metro line goes to Shanghai Circus World?
Line 1. The station is named Shanghai Circus World, after the venue, and follow the signs for the circus when you leave the platform.
What address do I give a taxi driver?
Show 上海市静安区共和新路2266号, which is 2266 Gonghexin Road, Jing'an District. Older maps may list the area as Zhabei, the former district name.
Do I need to speak Chinese to follow ERA2?
The story is told mainly through acrobatics, projection and music. Some numbers are sung, and we found no mention of subtitles, so expect to follow the action rather than the words.
Are the ERA2 times in my local time?
The venue's ticket sites show every time in China Standard Time, UTC+8. Your booking confirmation shows the session time for your date.
Sources
- ERA2 - Spirit of Shanghai tickets and notes (Shanghai Circus World ticket site)
- October 2025 ERA2 schedule note (Shanghai Circus World ticket site)
- Shanghai Circus World ticket site, news and schedules
- Shanghai Circus World (Wikipedia)
- Shanghai Circus World station (Wikipedia)
- Chinese acrobatics (Wikipedia)