Shanghai Airports: Pudong vs Hongqiao and City Transfers

Shanghai has two passenger airports, and they are on opposite sides of the city. Most international travellers land at Pudong International Airport (PVG); Hongqiao International Airport (SHA) is closer to downtown and handles many domestic and regional flights.

The good news is that both airports are connected to the city by metro, and PVG now has the Airport Link Line as a fast rail option. The mistakes to avoid are simple: assuming the two airports are interchangeable, relying on the metro after the last train, and accepting a ride from someone who approaches you inside the terminal.

Which airport are you flying into?

Pudong (PVG) is about 30 km east of downtown and about 40 km from Hongqiao. It has two terminals, T1 and T2, connected by a free 24-hour shuttle that runs every 10–15 minutes. Most long-haul international flights use Pudong. The downside is the distance: a taxi to People’s Square is roughly 180 yuan and 50 minutes, and Metro Line 2 takes about an hour.

Hongqiao (SHA) is only about 13 km west of downtown. It has two terminals; T1 is served by Metro Line 10, while T2 is served by Metro Lines 2 and 10. T2 is next to Hongqiao Railway Station, which is useful if you are continuing to Suzhou, Hangzhou, or another city by high-speed train. A taxi downtown typically takes around 30 minutes and costs 100–150 yuan, depending on traffic.

If your ticket shows “Shanghai” without a code, check the three-letter airport code before you book a transfer. PVG → SHA is not a quick terminal change; allow at least three hours between flights, and longer if you have to clear immigration and re-check baggage.

Getting from Pudong into Shanghai

Airport Link Line: best for Hongqiao or the western city

The Airport Link Line connects Pudong Airport with Hongqiao Airport in about 40 minutes, with fares from 4 yuan and 26 yuan for the full journey. It is a separate rail service from the normal metro, with its own fare and ticket rules. Trains run roughly 06:00–22:00 every 15 minutes, but the first and last departures can change, so check the current timetable for your date.

This is the best option if you are heading to Hongqiao, the Hongqiao Railway Station area, or a hotel in western Shanghai. It is not a downtown line: do not take it expecting to arrive at People’s Square or the Bund.

Metro Line 2: the cheap, direct city option

Metro Line 2 runs from Pudong Airport Terminal 1 & 2 to People’s Square and on toward Hongqiao. The fare to People’s Square is about 7 yuan, and the journey takes around one hour. It is the most economical way into the city and drops you at stations that connect to most of the visitor areas.

The trade-offs are luggage and time. Platform-to-platform changes at stations such as People’s Square can involve long walks, and the line is crowded at rush hour. If you are carrying two large suitcases, a taxi may be worth the money. Also check the last train: metro service is not all night. If your flight lands late, take a taxi or the late-night bus instead of counting on the metro.

Maglev: a short, fast ride to Longyang Road

The maglev from Pudong Airport reaches 300 km/h and terminates at Longyang Road, where you transfer to the metro. Official operating hours are approximately 07:02–21:42 from Pudong and 06:45–21:40 from Longyang Road, with a one-way ticket of 50 yuan and a round-trip ticket of 80 yuan. VIP tickets cost more.

Be clear about what the maglev does and does not do. It is a fun, fast experience and gets you to Longyang Road quickly, but Longyang Road is still several metro stops from People’s Square. With luggage, the transfer and the final metro leg can erase the time saved. Take it if you want the experience or are staying in Pudong; take a taxi or Line 2 if your priority is getting to a downtown hotel with minimal effort.

Taxi: easiest with luggage, but use the official rank

The official taxi ranks are outside Arrivals Gate 12 at T1 and outside Arrivals Gate 25 at T2, and both operate 24 hours. Follow the signs or the taxi-queue markings. Ignore anyone inside the terminal who asks “taxi?” or offers to help with your bags; those are not official queue staff.

Metered fares start at 14 yuan for a regular taxi (16 yuan for some electric taxis) for the first 3 km, then about 2.7 yuan per kilometre. A 30% night surcharge applies from 23:00 to 05:00, and there are holiday surcharges. Trips over 15 km include an additional 50% surcharge on the excess distance, which is why the airport fare is higher than a short city ride. The official estimate to People’s Square is around 180 yuan plus any expressway tolls.

Late-night bus: the budget fallback

If you land after the metro has stopped, a late-night airport bus runs from around 23:00 to 05:30. It heads toward the Hongqiao hub with stops including Century Avenue, the People’s Square/Yan’an Road area, and Huashan Road, costs roughly 18–34 yuan, and departs when full with a maximum interval of about 30 minutes. It is slower than a taxi but much cheaper, and it is a useful backup when surge pricing or a long taxi queue makes a cab unattractive.

There are also daytime airport buses to Shanghai Railway Station (Airport Line 4) and Shanghai South Railway Station (Airport Line 7), with fares depending on distance. Use them if your hotel or onward train is near those stations; otherwise the metro or taxi is simpler.

Getting from Hongqiao into Shanghai

From Terminal 1, take Metro Line 10. From Terminal 2, take Line 2 or Line 10. Both connect to the downtown network, and the fare is a few yuan. The taxi ranks are outside Gate 1 at T1 and outside Gate 4 at T2, with the same metered fares as the rest of the city.

If you are connecting to a high-speed train at Hongqiao Railway Station, allow time to walk between the airport terminal and the station. The station is a major hub; follow the signs for “Hongqiao Railway Station” rather than exiting to the street.

Airport-to-airport transfers

The Airport Link Line is the fastest fixed-rail option between PVG and SHA at about 40 minutes and 26 yuan for the full journey. Trains are roughly every 15 minutes during operating hours. A taxi between the airports is possible but expensive and vulnerable to traffic; allow 60–90 minutes and a fare well above a normal city trip.

If you have a layover and plan to leave the airport, check your visa or transit status first. Under the 240-hour visa-free transit, you may need to stay within the permitted area and leave on an onward ticket to a third country. The airport is not a place to discover that your onward itinerary does not qualify.

Arrival checklist

Before you land, have these ready:

• Payment: Alipay or WeChat Pay set up with an international card, plus a small amount of cash. The Shanghai money guide covers the setup and fee details.
• Connectivity: an eSIM or roaming plan, with airport Wi-Fi as a backup. Pudong and Hongqiao offer free airport Wi-Fi and passport-based login for travellers without a Chinese SIM, but it is not a substitute for mobile data once you leave.
• Hotel address in Chinese: screenshot the name, address, and phone number. Most taxi drivers will not read English booking confirmations.
• Onward ticket: for visa-free transit, keep the confirmation offline.
• A plan for the last mile: know whether your hotel is near a metro station, and whether you are arriving before or after the last train.

At immigration, use the lane that matches your status and have your passport, onward booking, and hotel address accessible. After baggage claim and customs, follow the official transport signs rather than offers from people in the arrivals hall.

Departing Shanghai

Check your terminal before you leave the hotel: some airlines operate from different terminals at PVG, and a few flights use Hongqiao. As a rule, arrive three hours before an international departure and two hours before a domestic flight, and confirm your airline’s check-in deadline.

For domestic connections, note that China’s civil aviation authority has restricted power banks without a valid 3C certification from domestic flights. If you are flying internally, check your power bank before security. Spare lithium batteries and power banks generally need to stay in your carry-on, not checked baggage.

Security and immigration queues at Pudong can be long during holiday periods. Build in more time than you think you need, especially if you are connecting to an international flight.

Sources and updates

Airport transport changes: new lines open, last-train times shift, and taxi surcharges are adjusted. The figures here are checked against the Shanghai Airport Authority and Shanghai government pages listed below. Confirm the timetable on the day if you are arriving late or catching a tight connection.