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What's the best way to get from Pudong airport or Hongqiao airport to the Shanghai city center? What's the best way to get back to the airport?
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There are four ways to get from Pudong airport to the city center of Shanghai:
- Taxi: The most expensive but most convenient way for people who have a specific address that they want to get to. A ride from Pudong airport to Puxi (where the city center is) costs a little more than 200 RMB and takes 40 to 60 minutes, depending on traffic. You might have to wait in line for a taxi at the airport, but often it's quite quick. If you are new to China and don't speak Chinese, make sure you have the destination address written in Chinese characters as taxi drivers cannot read latin characters.
- Bus: Taking the bus is a lot cheaper at about 20 RMB and doesn't take much longer, but can be crowded with little space left for luggage. There are signs at the airport leading the way to the bus stop. A good place to be dropped of is at Jing'an Temple, which is at the center of the city and a good place to catch a taxi that takes you to whatever your destination is.
- Maglev: The super-fast magnetic train leaves directly from the airport, costs 50 RMB for one way, and takes you to a subway station in Pudong. It's a fun and fast experience for visitors (maxing out at 450 km/h unless it's raining), but you're still in Pudong when you get off and have to continue by subway or taxi to your final destination.
- Subway: Line #2 has recently been extended to Pudong airport and takes you right to the city center for only 8 RMB, but the trip takes almost two hours. Another drawback is that you still have to switch trains at Guanglan Road Station (????…°???), even though it's the same line.
For Hongqiao airport, the options are similar, except that there's no Maglev connection. There are buses going, taxis take about half an hour at roughly 50 RMB, and subway line #2 would allow you to go all the way from Hongqiao to Puding airport, in case you need to :-) Of course, it also stops at the city center.
- Taxi: The most expensive but most convenient way for people who have a specific address that they want to get to. A ride from Pudong airport to Puxi (where the city center is) costs a little more than 200 RMB and takes 40 to 60 minutes, depending on traffic. You might have to wait in line for a taxi at the airport, but often it's quite quick. If you are new to China and don't speak Chinese, make sure you have the destination address written in Chinese characters as taxi drivers cannot read latin characters.
- Bus: Taking the bus is a lot cheaper at about 20 RMB and doesn't take much longer, but can be crowded with little space left for luggage. There are signs at the airport leading the way to the bus stop. A good place to be dropped of is at Jing'an Temple, which is at the center of the city and a good place to catch a taxi that takes you to whatever your destination is.
- Maglev: The super-fast magnetic train leaves directly from the airport, costs 50 RMB for one way, and takes you to a subway station in Pudong. It's a fun and fast experience for visitors (maxing out at 450 km/h unless it's raining), but you're still in Pudong when you get off and have to continue by subway or taxi to your final destination.
- Subway: Line #2 has recently been extended to Pudong airport and takes you right to the city center for only 8 RMB, but the trip takes almost two hours. Another drawback is that you still have to switch trains at Guanglan Road Station (????…°???), even though it's the same line.
For Hongqiao airport, the options are similar, except that there's no Maglev connection. There are buses going, taxis take about half an hour at roughly 50 RMB, and subway line #2 would allow you to go all the way from Hongqiao to Puding airport, in case you need to :-) Of course, it also stops at the city center.
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@Frances - ooh, Friday afternoon traffic. It's going to be tight, I'd really recommend using the subway. While a taxi, in theory, could be faster, the subway you can basically know that its going to take 90 minutes. Since domestic flights in China only need 45 minutes before the counter closes, you can make it, but only if you know exactly where you're going and don't have a lot of luggage and already grab your boarding pass from Pudong.
The subway ride from Pudong to Hongqiao is 96 minutes according to Explore Shanghai - so that gives you 30 minutes to collect luggage, (if any) make your way to the subway (Pudong is closer - Hongqiao is a 5-7 minute walk from the gates - and that's if you know where you're going, its slightly poorly signposted, make your way through security and to the gate.
The subway ride from Pudong to Hongqiao is 96 minutes according to Explore Shanghai - so that gives you 30 minutes to collect luggage, (if any) make your way to the subway (Pudong is closer - Hongqiao is a 5-7 minute walk from the gates - and that's if you know where you're going, its slightly poorly signposted, make your way through security and to the gate.
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What is the fastest way to get from Pudong Airport to Hongqiao Airport? I will arrive at Pudong on Friday at 5:30pm and the connecting flight from Hongqiao departs at 8:15pm. Can I make it?
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- Maglev - If you show your plane ticket or flight itinerary, you get discount so the Maglev ticket will cost 40rmb. Also be careful with the return ticket. It is only valid for 1 week and costs 80rmb. So return ticket has really no advantage unless you are going to the airport to pick up a friend or seeing someone off.
Going by Maglev then with a taxi is also the fastest way to the city and to the airport.
3 people using Maglev+Taxi... 40rmb+40rmb+40rmb+50rmb(taxi) = 170rmb. This is still cheaper than complete journey by taxi (more than 200rmb)
Finally, I can get from door of airplane to door of my apartment (Xujiahui) in less than 1 hour. Shanghai is one of the most efficient airports in the world and an excellent transport system. In one hour you cannot even get out of the airports in India.
Going by Maglev then with a taxi is also the fastest way to the city and to the airport.
3 people using Maglev+Taxi... 40rmb+40rmb+40rmb+50rmb(taxi) = 170rmb. This is still cheaper than complete journey by taxi (more than 200rmb)
Finally, I can get from door of airplane to door of my apartment (Xujiahui) in less than 1 hour. Shanghai is one of the most efficient airports in the world and an excellent transport system. In one hour you cannot even get out of the airports in India.
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I agree with what Nils said, the Maglev can bring you awesome traveling experience. I think if you you buy return ticket, it costs 80RMB. Its really fast, only takes you about 6 mins, and then take subway, which is very frequent, and hassle free, well most time.
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Subway?
====EDIT/ADD======
Reason why i said subway. Is with all these security checks these day. I think it is the best to take the subway. To minimize the number of hauling the luggage up to the xray machine and get pushed by the guy behind you.
Just do it once.. And that's it...
Of course the other alternative to avoid that is taking a taxi, but with the new terminal at HQ, both airport now cost a lot to take taxi.
I work at Zhangjiang, so i used to like Maglev too. But now.. I usually get my after work flight fly out at HongQiao. And take subway from ZJ all the way to HQ. ..and from HQ back to work/home along line 2.
So i still think Subway is the best ... If we don't count the costly taxi.
====EDIT/ADD======
Reason why i said subway. Is with all these security checks these day. I think it is the best to take the subway. To minimize the number of hauling the luggage up to the xray machine and get pushed by the guy behind you.
Just do it once.. And that's it...
Of course the other alternative to avoid that is taking a taxi, but with the new terminal at HQ, both airport now cost a lot to take taxi.
I work at Zhangjiang, so i used to like Maglev too. But now.. I usually get my after work flight fly out at HongQiao. And take subway from ZJ all the way to HQ. ..and from HQ back to work/home along line 2.
So i still think Subway is the best ... If we don't count the costly taxi.