Sunset time in Shanghai
In Shanghai the sun sets as early as 4:51 PM (December 3) and as late as 7:02 PM (June 30). Here is today’s sunset with the golden hour before it and the blue hour after it, then the sunset time for every month of 2026.
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Next 7 days in Shanghai
Sunset in Shanghai through the year
The longest day of 2026 is June 21, with 14 h 11 min between sunrise and sunset; the shortest is December 22, with 10 h 7 min. The earliest sunset around midwinter (December 3, 4:51 PM) comes 19 days before the shortest day (December 22): from then on sunsets get later even though the days are still getting shorter, because sunrise is getting later even faster. Shanghai does not change its clocks for daylight saving time, so sunset moves only with the seasons.
| Date | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Dark | Day length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 15 | 4:37 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:39 PM | 10 h 20 min |
| Feb 15 | 5:07 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:05 PM | 11 h 5 min |
| Mar 15 | 5:29 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:26 PM | 11 h 57 min |
| Apr 15 | 5:49 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:47 PM | 12 h 56 min |
| May 15 | 6:08 PM | 6:42 PM | 7:09 PM | 13 h 44 min |
| Jun 15 | 6:24 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:27 PM | 14 h 10 min |
| Jul 15 | 6:24 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:27 PM | 13 h 59 min |
| Aug 15 | 6:04 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:02 PM | 13 h 18 min |
| Sep 15 | 5:28 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:24 PM | 12 h 22 min |
| Oct 15 | 4:50 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:47 PM | 11 h 26 min |
| Nov 15 | 4:21 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:21 PM | 10 h 35 min |
| Dec 15 | 4:16 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:19 PM | 10 h 8 min |
Golden hour and blue hour in Shanghai
The evening golden hour in Shanghai lasts about 32 minutes around the March and September equinoxes, 36 minutes in late June and 37 minutes in late December. The blue hour after sunset lasts about 24, 28 and 27 minutes at those same times of year. Head out about 30 minutes before sunset to catch both.
How long the evening light lasts in Shanghai, month by month
| Date | Golden hour | Film magic hour | Blue hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 15 | 36 min | 26 min | 10 min |
| Feb 15 | 33 min | 25 min | 10 min |
| Mar 15 | 32 min | 24 min | 9 min |
| Apr 15 | 32 min | 25 min | 10 min |
| May 15 | 34 min | 27 min | 10 min |
| Jun 15 | 36 min | 28 min | 11 min |
| Jul 15 | 35 min | 27 min | 11 min |
| Aug 15 | 33 min | 25 min | 10 min |
| Sep 15 | 32 min | 24 min | 9 min |
| Oct 15 | 33 min | 24 min | 9 min |
| Nov 15 | 35 min | 26 min | 10 min |
| Dec 15 | 37 min | 27 min | 10 min |
Shanghai lies at 31.2° N, and the further a place is from the equator the more slowly the sun sinks at sunset, so the evening golden hour here runs from 32 minutes in March to 37 minutes in December, against 27 to 30 minutes all year at the equator.
How long is golden hour in Shanghai? has the same numbers with answers to the common questions.
Where to watch the sunset in Shanghai
The Bund and the West Bund promenade run along the west bank of the Huangpu and face east across the river, so at sunset the light comes from behind you and falls on the towers of Pudong. For the opposite view, walk the Binjiang riverside in Pudong, which looks west across the water to the old buildings of the Bund. Shanghai is flat; Sheshan in Songjiang, one of the few low hills near the city, gives a wider horizon.
How these times are calculated
Times are computed for Shanghai (31.22° N, 121.46° E) with the NOAA solar-position algorithm, for a flat horizon, in local time (Asia/Shanghai). They are usually within a minute of published tables. Hills, buildings and weather can hide the sun a few minutes earlier than shown.