9 min readBeyond Shanghai →
Pudong Airport to Shanghai: Getting to Your Hotel
A flight-tracked pickup, the maglev, Metro Line 2, a taxi or the night shuttle — the five ways into town, compared on cost and time.
Moving through the city
Getting Around Shanghai: Metro, Rail and Airports
Shanghai is easier to move through than its size suggests. The metro reaches almost everywhere worth going, the high-speed network puts Hangzhou and Suzhou inside an hour, and both airports connect to the centre by train.
Arrival logistics now have a guide of their own: the maglev, Metro Line 2, the late-night shuttle, and the point at which a booked car earns its fare. The other two articles go deeper on riding the metro and on booking rail travel. If you are still at the planning stage, the practical collection covers how to pay for these journeys once you are here.
What this collection covers
Arriving at PVG
Metro Line 2, the maglev to Longyang Road, and when a taxi earns its fare.
Arriving at Hongqiao
The closer airport: Line 10 and Line 2 in, or a short ride by road.
Riding the metro
Tickets, fares, the stations that matter, and a rush-hour platform.
Onward by rail
Booking, seat classes, and which station serves which city.
The three journeys most visitors make
- Pudong (PVG) to the centre
- Metro Line 2 runs direct to People's Square in roughly an hour; the maglev covers the first stretch to Longyang Road in eight minutes. A taxi is the calmest option with luggage.
- Hongqiao (SHA) to the centre
- The closer of the two airports. Metro Line 10 and Line 2 both reach the city, and a taxi is a short ride rather than an expedition.
- Onward by rail
- Hongqiao Railway Station handles the high-speed network — Hangzhou in about an hour, Suzhou in well under it, Beijing in four and a half.
Prefer not to plan the arrival? Airport transfers with a driver meeting you at arrivals are arranged by our team.
3 guides in transport
All travel guides →10 min readBeyond Shanghai →
China High-Speed Rail Guide for Foreigners
Everything you need to ride China's 40,000 km high-speed rail network — booking tickets on 12306 and Trip.com, passport rules, station navigation, and common mistakes to avoid.
8 min read
Shanghai Metro Guide: How to Navigate Like a Local
Everything you need to ride Shanghai's metro confidently — buying tickets, key stations for tourist attractions, navigation apps, and practical tips.
Keep reading
Practical · 56
Shanghai Travel Tips: What to Know Before You Land
Before you land
Planning · 50
Shanghai Trip Planning: When and Where
Shaping the trip
Itineraries · 40
Shanghai Itineraries, From One Day to a Week
Routes that work
Make it personal
Ready to turn an idea into a journey?
Use these notes as inspiration, then build a private Shanghai journey at the pace that works for you.