Shanghai Swimming Pools Worth the Entry Fee (2026): Where to Swim, Costs & the Certificate Myth

You do not need a paid swimming certificate to swim in Shanghai. A free digital health card is what pools actually scan at the door, the old paper booklet is gone, and the &ldquo;deep-water certificate&rdquo; is not a Shanghai-wide rule. Entry runs from 40 RMB at a neighbourhood pool to rooftop hotel prices. By mid-July, Shanghai turns into a sauna, and a swim stops being a luxury and starts being survival. The good news: this city has everything from 40 RMB neighborhood pools to rooftop hotel infinity pools with skyline views. The confusing news, and the reason most guides send you in circles, is the paperwork: the "swimming certificate" everyone panics about. Let me clear that up first, then walk you through pools actually worth your money, from budget lap swims to a proper splurge, with real prices, hours, and how to book. Do I need a swimming certificate to swim in Shanghai? This is the single most misunderstood thing about Shanghai pools, so here is the honest version: What you actually need is free and takes two minutes. Shanghai asks for a "swimmer health commitment card" (泳客健康承诺卡), which is digital and costs nothing. Open the Suishenban (随申办) mini-program, find the…