Pudong (浦东机场, IATA: PVG, ) is Shanghai's main international airport, 40 km to the east of the city. Arrivals are on the first floor, departures on the third, and the airport has all the features you would expect of to find in the major hubs around the world. There are two gigantic terminals (T1 and T2). A free shuttle bus service connects the two in case walking a few minutes (or using the conveyor belts) are too cumbersome.
Terminal 1 Air France, China Airlines, China Eastern, China Express, Gulf Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Japan Airlines, Juneyao Airlines, Korean Airlines, Mandarin Airlines, Royal Dutch Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, Spring Airlines, Tianjin Airlines
Terminal 2 Aeroflot Russian Airlines, Aeromexico, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air Macau, All Nippon Airways, American Airlines, Asiana Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, China Southern Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, Dragonair, Emirates Airlines, Eva Air, Finnair, Garuda Indonesia, Hong Kong Express, Lufthansa, Air New Zealand, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Shandong Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Swiss International, Thai Airlines, TransAsia Airways, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic
People's Square by Maglev
Depending on your final destination, it may be just as quick as, or even quicker, to use the Maglev train. Riding the Maglev may be quite a memorable experience if fast trains are of interest. Using magnetic levitation technology, it does not touch the tracks and traverses 30.5 km in as low as 7 minutes, while hitting a maximum speed of 431 km/h. During non-peak hours, the train goes to 301 km/h. It currently operates from 6:45 AM to 9:30 PM daily and costs ¥50 one way (¥40 if you have a flight ticket) or ¥80 for a round-trip ticket (good for up to seven days from date of purchase). You can also opt to pay double for "VIP Class", which gets you a soft drink and bragging rights but no really no different environment. Trains depart every 15-30 minutes depending on the time of day.
The Maglev has only one stop, Longyang Road Metro Station (龙阳路地铁站) on line two, still a ways from People's Square but a good stopping point if Pudong is your final destination. The journey usually requires a combination with walking, public transport or a taxi. You will need the ticket to get out of the station. The Maglev and airport station are not well marked on the city subway/rail map so if in doubt ask so you exit at the right station to make your connection from Maglev to normal subway line.
The Maglev station is between Terminals 1 and 2 along the second floor walkway that connects them. Note that between the baggage claim and the Maglev station, people may tell you the Maglev is "broken" or "shut down because of weather" but they may just be trying to get you into their taxi. Pay them no attention, upon arriving at the station you will see the trains are running.
From Longyang Rd as you exit, the escalator on your right goes down to the Metro Station (Line 2) and another escalator on the opposite end to your left will take you to the taxi queue. A taxi to Puxi city center will cost you another ¥30-50, while a ride to Pudong's Lujiazui should only be about ¥20-25. Taxi drivers seldom speak any English so have your destination in writing (or use an airport attendant's how-to) and fare estimate before agreeing on a driver. Estimates are also posted near the exit doors on the first floors near the pick-up area and bus station area. It is not advisable to use a driver outside the queue unless there are two of you and someone speaks good Shanghainese (Wu Chinese) or standard Mandarin. Use caution and double check the charges as some drivers may try to scam you, but not many. It is against local law to pick up other passengers not affiliated with your party so reject this if attempted by the driver.
If your destination is conveniently located on a subway stop (People's Square, Jing'an Temple) and your baggage is light, it would be cheaper and maybe even faster to hop onto Line 2 located just parallel to the Maglev station. You will need to go down the escalators on the opposite side of the taxi queue. Subway fare ranges from ¥2-6 all across the city.
People's Square by Metro
In April 2010, just in time for the opening of the Expo in May, Line 2 was extended eastward to the Pudong Airport. Operating hours are 6:30AM-9PM and a train change is required at Guanglan Rd (you basically have to leave the train and switch to the opposite side). Line 2 ventures westward through People's Square (about 1 hr) to Hongqiao Airport (2 hr, ¥8).
People's Square by bus
Now that the metro is open, there isn't much reason to take the slower and more expensive bus, unless you arrive outside operating hours or there's a direct bus to your final destination. Services take up to 90 min, cost ¥15-30 and run 24 hours. However, the trains to Pudong are small (only 4 cars) and may require 90 min of standing. It costs about 8 yuan to come from Downtown. The Buses are more comfortable, so do consider them.
People's Square by taxi
The most convenient but also most expensive way to get to central Shanghai is by taxi, expect ¥150 or even more and about an hour to get to the center of the city (People's Square). The rate increases by around 35% during night time, so expect to pay even more if it is past 11PM-5AM. There are taxi queues just outside both Terminals 1 and 2 on the first floor.
You may be approached by a driver on your way to the queue. These drivers tend to be untrustworthy and will either take you to your destination via a longer route, or they have "adjusted" their meters. You can try agreeing on a price beforehand but it's better to use the formal queue just outside the airport.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Shanghai
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Shanghai - updated Apr 2024
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Shanghai Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
