SHA / Airport to city
Shanghai Hongqiao Airport
to central Shanghai
Start with your arrival terminal: Line 10 serves T1 and T2, while Line 2 serves T2. Choose rail for a station-side hotel, a taxi for the door, or check the night bus after a late flight.
Compare your options
- 4 options
- Night arrivals
- Official sources
01 / Choose your journey
Which transfer suits you?
Comparison point: People’s Square, with terminal-specific rail routes. Line 2 from T2 reaches People’s Square directly. Line 10 and the night bus serve different stops, so compare the final walk or connection as well as the fare. Hongqiao Airport and Hongqiao Railway Station are separate places within the wider hub.
- Metro Lines 2 and 10
- Cost
- Distance-based fareBuy a ticket to your final station, not just the first connection
- Journey
- Route dependentAllow terminal walking, any change and the hotel walk
- Metered taxi
- Cost
- Metered totalPer vehicle; destination, traffic and night pricing affect the fare
- Journey
- Traffic dependentThe queue and road conditions are additional variables
- Night bus 316
- Cost
- CNY 2Published bus fare per person; hotel access is extra
- Journey
- Traffic and stop dependentAllow the wait and the final walk or taxi
- Prebooked private car
- Cost
- Provider quoteConfirm the total vehicle price for your address
- Journey
- Traffic dependentMeeting time and the road journey vary
Reference fares and journey estimates from the official sources below, checked 11 November 2026. These are not live quotes. All times are local to Shanghai.
02 / The details
Your transfer options
01 / Daytime travel to a hotel near the metro
Metro Lines 2 and 10
T2 has both Lines 2 and 10. T1 has Line 10, which also links the terminals. Match the rail route to the hotel address before leaving arrivals rather than transferring terminals automatically.
People’s Square on Line 2; other central stops via Line 10
- Check whether you arrived at Hongqiao T1 or T2, then follow Metro / 地铁 signs.
- At T2, choose Line 2 for People’s Square. At T1, use Line 10 and check your onward connection on the station map.
- Buy for the final destination and check the hotel’s nearest exit before leaving the metro.
When it runs: Check the current last departure for your line and direction at the station. Metro service is not continuous overnight.
The Airport Link Line is a different service designed for travel toward Pudong; it is not the direct metro route to People’s Square.
Sources: Hongqiao metro terminals · Airport arrival guidance
02 / A direct ride with luggage or companions
Metered taxi
Use the official rank for the terminal you land in. A direct car ride removes the station change and final walk, which can matter more than the rail journey itself when you have large bags.
Your central Shanghai hotel
- Follow Taxi / 出租车 signs: the published ranks are outside T1 arrivals Gate 1 and T2 arrivals Gate 4.
- Show the hotel’s Chinese name and full address, including its branch.
- Check the meter and keep the receipt when you arrive.
When it runs: After a late flight, check the official taxi queue. Shanghai’s standard night tariff applies from 23:00 to 05:00.
An airport-to-city estimate is not a fixed hotel fare. Confirm your payment method and carry a renminbi backup.
Sources: Airport arrival guidance · Transport fares
03 / An overnight arrival near the served city route
Night bus 316
The airport lists bus 316 from Hongqiao East Transportation Center toward the Bund-side end of East Yan’an Road. This can be useful for a central overnight arrival when the stop suits your accommodation.
East Yan’an Road / East Zhongshan No. 1 Road
- At the T2 side of the hub, follow signs for Hongqiao East Transportation Center / 虹桥东交通中心.
- Look for route 316 and confirm your intended stop with staff or the driver.
- From T1, confirm how to reach the bus departure point before relying on this option; the late bus does not depart from every terminal door.
When it runs: The published airport-side window is 23:00–05:00, with intervals of 30–40 minutes. Reconfirm the day’s departure at the stop.
Do not confuse bus 316 with the separately listed Hongqiao overnight service to Pudong Airport. People’s Square is not the named final stop of bus 316.
Sources: Hongqiao bus services
04 / A confirmed meeting point and vehicle size
Prebooked private car
Arrange a car with your hotel or chosen provider if you need a specific vehicle, help with luggage or a child seat. Give the provider T1 or T2 explicitly, because Hongqiao’s terminal pickup arrangements differ.
The hotel address on your booking
- Send the full Chinese address of your Shanghai hotel, passenger count and luggage details.
- Get the meeting point, driver contact and included waiting time in writing.
- Check whether parking, tolls, child seats and late-night charges are included.
When it runs: Confirm the actual landing time, flight number and delay policy with the provider before paying.
The pickup location is set by your booking. There is no verified private-car price or live availability on this page.
03 / After baggage claim
Find your pickup point
Identify T1 or T2 first
T1 connects to Line 10. T2 connects to Lines 2 and 10. Follow the current terminal signs for your chosen service rather than heading toward the railway station simply because it also says Hongqiao.
Sources: Hongqiao metro terminals
Use your terminal’s taxi rank
The city’s arrival guide identifies T1 arrivals Gate 1 and T2 arrivals Gate 4 as the taxi pickup points. Follow on-site signs if access is adjusted.
Sources: Airport arrival guidance
For night buses, find the East Transportation Center
Bus 316 is listed at Hongqiao East Transportation Center on the T2 side. Check the bay and destination before joining a queue; other late services head away from central Shanghai.
Sources: Hongqiao bus services
04 / Arriving late
Plan your late-night arrival
Check the whole rail journey
A train leaving your terminal is useful only if the connection you need is still operating. Check your final station after baggage collection, not only the flight’s scheduled landing time.
Choose between the night bus and a direct car
The published 316 service runs from 23:00 to 05:00 at the East Transportation Center. If its stops or the transfer from T1 do not fit your trip, use the signed taxi queue or a confirmed private pickup.
Sources: Hongqiao bus services
Budget for the night taxi tariff
Shanghai’s standard night period is 23:00–05:00. The city tariff guide specifies a 30% increase to the base and distance rates in that period; your actual bill remains metered.
Sources: Transport fares
05 / Ready to go
Tickets, payment and your address
Metro tickets and cards
Shanghai’s metro guide confirms international bank-card payments at station service centers. Buy a ticket to the final station and ask staff for help if your chosen card or phone payment does not work.
Sources: Metro payment
Keep a road-transport backup
Confirm taxi or bus payment before boarding and carry some renminbi. Do not assume that your foreign bank card can be charged directly in every vehicle.
Save the exact address
Keep the hotel’s Chinese name, street address and branch offline. Hongqiao district, Hongqiao railway station and Hongqiao airport are not interchangeable drop-off instructions.
06 / Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Which Hongqiao terminal has Metro Line 2?
Line 2 serves Terminal 2. Terminal 1 is served by Line 10, which also connects to Terminal 2. Check the best route for your hotel before deciding whether to change lines.
Is there a night bus from Hongqiao Airport into Shanghai?
The airport lists bus 316 from Hongqiao East Transportation Center between 23:00 and 05:00, toward East Yan’an Road / East Zhongshan No. 1 Road. The published fare is CNY 2 per person. Confirm the current departure and your final hotel connection.
Where are Hongqiao Airport’s taxi pickup points?
The official city arrival guide lists outside Gate 1 on T1’s arrivals floor and outside Gate 4 on T2’s arrivals floor. Follow current airport signs if the access arrangement has changed.
Should I use the Airport Link Line for People’s Square?
Use the central metro network for this journey. Line 2 serves People’s Square from T2; the Airport Link Line is a separate service connecting the Hongqiao and Pudong airport areas.
07 / Check the details
Sources and updates
Reviewed . Fares and operating windows are published reference information, not a live feed. Recommendations reflect the tradeoffs described above; check the official operator before traveling.
- Shanghai Airport · Hongqiao metro terminals
T1 Line 10 and T2 Lines 2 and 10.
- Shanghai government · Airport arrival guidance
Hongqiao terminal connections, taxi pickup gates and the separate Airport Link Line.
- Shanghai Airport · Hongqiao bus services
Route 316 departure point, operating window, destination, interval and fare.
- Shanghai government · Transport fares
Standard taxi night tariff and metered pricing.
- Shanghai government · Metro payment
Single-journey tickets and international bank-card payment at service centers.