Airports

Pudong International Airport (PVG)

Pudong airport is the newer and bigger of two airports in Shanghai, and it predominantly handles international flights. Many may tell you that it only handles international flights whiles Hongqiao Airport handles domestic, but the reality is Pudong often handles some domestic flights too.

The best way to check which flights are landing/taking off from where is to check this website: http://www.shanghaiairport.com/en/schedules.jsp

Pudong Airport was constructed with one terminal, but a second terminal opened on 26th March 2008.  For comprehensive information on both terminals see Pudong Airport Airlines and Terminals Information. For a list of the useful downloads contained in this article see the Download Center at the bottom of the page.

Arrivals and Departures

For today's real-time flight arrival information, follow this link.
For today's real-time flight departure information, follow this link.

Inside Terminal 1

Move your cursor over the two diagrams below to find out how Terminal 1 is laid out.

 

 

Terminal 2

The new building covers 480,000-square-meters and has four floors. The third floor is reserved for international departures, the second floor for domestic departures and the ground floor for luggage claims. The fourth floor provides dining and shopping services, plus hourly-charged hotel rooms and gym facilities. Toilets, baby-care rooms and smoking areas are available on all floors of Terminal 2.

International transit passengers who don't need to claim luggage can go to any of the nine service desks to complete transfer procedures and then move to their departure areas after security checks.

For more information on Pudong airport terminals and airlines, see: http://live.shanghaidaily.com/detail.asp?type=editor&id=343

Useful numbers

Telephone inquiries: 6834-1000

If you don't want to remember a string of boring telephone numbers, you can keep this number in mind, which will tell you other numbers at the airport you want.

Passenger flight information: 9608-1388

Lost and found: 6834-6324

Getting to and from the airport

Pudong airport is about 30 kilometers southeast downtown Shanghai – about an hour by car to People's Square. A cab from the city center to Pudong airport should not cost more than 200 yuan, and it's convenient for those with no knowledge of Shanghai and lots of luggage. People driving or taking taxis to the airport are advised to take the A20 and follow the signs.

However there are cheaper forms of public transportation available: Airport Shuttle Bus, and metro/maglev.

Airport Shuttle Bus

The airport provides a special shuttle bus service into most popular parts of Shanghai including People's Square, Jing'An Temple, Xujiahui, both railway stations, and Hongqiao Airport. Maximum ticket price is 30 yuan.

There are 8 lines and as well as going into downtown Shanghai there are also long distance coaches (which go to neighbouring provinces and cities such as Suzhou and Hangzhou), Hotel Shuttle Bus (which goes directly to the big hotels downtown), and an 'Airport Circle' bus which traverses the area around the airport.

The buses run from early in the morning to late at night with intervals of around 15 – 30 minutes.

For detailed info on shuttle buses see: http://live.shanghaidaily.com/detail.asp?type=editor&id=334

Metro/Maglev

If you want to get to the airport by metro you need to take metro line 2. However it doesn't go all the way to the airport. Instead the metro terminates at Longyang Station in Pudong. To get from there to the airport you have to transfer to the Maglev.

Maglev is short for 'magnetically levitating'. As the name suggests maglev trains levitates above the tracks and is propelled forward by electromagnetic force. The levitation means trains can reach up to 500km/hour and the ride is exceptionally smooth.

Although the technology is impressive it is also correspondingly expensive. Shanghai therefore is proud to own the first, operational maglev link in the world.

Actually as a practical way for travelers to get to the airport the maglev is rather expensive, though comfortable and fast. Single ticket costs 50 yuan and return 80, and that's just economy class. You do however get a 20% discount with a valid same day air ticket. For detailed info on the maglev train schedule and price see Pudong Airport Transport 2.

Due to its first-in-the-world status however the maglev has also become something of a tourist attraction in its own right, with many foreigners buying a return ticket just for the thrill of experiencing its high speeds, and getting off at the end to take pictures with the train.

 

Hongqiao International Airport (SHA)

Hongqiao airport is the domestic hub for Shanghai, via which you can fly to most Chinese cities.

Although handling mainly domestic flights, Hongqiao functions as a standby airport for international flights, in case dense fog or other unexpected situations close Pudong airport.

Hongqiao has two terminal buildings. Building B is a special terminal for China Eastern Airlines.

Location

Hongqiao airport is about 10 kilometers west of the downtown. One of the airport's advantages is it is much closer to the city center than Pudong airport.

Transport

More public transport combinations are available to take you to the Hongqiao airport and the fares are lower than for Pudong.

Airport shuttle service

Airport shuttle bus Line 1 facilitates transfers between the city's two airports. The one-way fare is 30 yuan and the buses run every 10 minutes. Click here for detailed information.

Hongqiao Airport sepcial line

From Hongqiao airport to the intersection of Changde Road and Nanjing Road W. (near Jing'an Temple). It's an express line and a one-way trip costs 4 yuan.

At Hongqiao, buses run at intervals of 10 to 30 minutes from 8am until the arrival of the last passenger flight. At the other terminal station, Changde Road, buses run from 6am to 8pm.

Bus

Although Hongqiao airport has fewer airport bus lines than Pudong, more public bus lines are linked to Hongqiao.

No. 806: These buses run from Hongqiao airport to the Lupu Bridge between 6am and 9:30pm at intervals of five to 15 minutes. The line also has a stop at Xujiahui, and the whole trip costs 5 yuan.

No. 807: These buses operate between 6am and 9:30pm from Hongqiao airport to the Zhenguang New Village in Putuo District. Fare is 4 yuan.

No. 925: Most of the route is along Yang'an Road and the buses link Hongqiao airport and People's Square between 6am and 9pm. Fare is 4 yuan.

No. 938: These buses run from Hongqiao airport to Yangjiadu in Pudong at intervals of five to 15 minutes, and the one-way fare is 7 yuan. This service operates from 6am until the arrival of the last passenger flight.

No. 941: Linking Hongqiao airport and Shanghai Railway Station, the line runs from 6:30am to 8:30pm and costs 4 yuan. Interval between services is 10 to 12 minutes.

Taxi

Taxi, of course, is the most convenient public transport, but the traffic jams in rush hours will eat away your patience.

A taxi from People's Square to Hongqiao airport will cost about 40 yuan.

Metro

No Metro line connects with Hongqiao airport, but the situation will change soon. The Metro Line No. 2 will be extended west to the airport, and the extension is expected to start operation this year.

Timetable

For real-time flight arrival information, follow this link.

For real-time flight departure information, follow this link.

For flight schedules, follow this link.

Useful numbers

Passenger flight information: 6268-3659, 6268-8918

Lost and found: 5114-2071