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PVG / Airport to city

Shanghai Pudong Airport
to central Shanghai

Take Line 2 for a low-cost journey into Shanghai, or choose a taxi for a direct ride to your hotel. Your arrival time, luggage and hotel address will decide which works best.

Independent transfer guide · Reviewed

Compare your options
Sweeping curved roof above the check-in concourse in Shanghai Pudong Airport Terminal 2
Inside Pudong Airport’s Terminal 2 departure concourse, photographed in July 2023.Photo: Windmemories · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized and converted to WebP; cropped for display.
  • 5 options
  • Night arrivals
  • Official sources

01 / Choose your journey

Which transfer suits you?

Traveling lightLine 2 keeps the cost down and reaches People’s Square without a change.Bags or childrenA taxi takes you to the hotel door. Compare the total for your group.Arriving overnightCheck the night bus stops, or join the official taxi queue.

Comparison point: People’s Square. Metro and taxi estimates below use People’s Square as the destination. The Maglev and night bus end at different stops, so their fares do not cover the same journey. Allow extra time for immigration, baggage, queues and the final trip to your hotel.

  • Metro Line 2
    Cost
    About CNY 7Per person to People’s Square
    Journey
    About 1 hourRail journey; airport formalities and hotel access extra
  • Maglev + onward metro
    Cost
    CNY 50 + onward fareStandard one-way Maglev ticket per person
    Journey
    8 minutes + connectionMaglev ride to Longyang Road; metro and walking extra
  • Metered taxi
    Cost
    Around CNY 180Per vehicle to People’s Square; reference estimate
    Journey
    About 50 minutesRoad estimate; traffic and the taxi queue add time
  • Airport night bus
    Cost
    CNY 18–34Per person; fare depends on your stop
    Journey
    Traffic dependentAllow an onward walk or taxi to your hotel
  • Prebooked private car
    Cost
    Provider quoteConfirm the full vehicle price before booking
    Journey
    Traffic dependentMeeting time and 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 arrivals with light luggage

A green-and-white Shanghai Metro Line 2 train leaving Yuandong Avenue station

Metro Line 2

The straightforward budget option for a hotel near Line 2. The city’s airport guide gives a reference fare of CNY 7 and a journey of about an hour to People’s Square.

People’s Square · 人民广场

  1. After collecting your bags, follow signs for Metro / 地铁 and Line 2 at Pudong Airport T1 & T2 station.
  2. Choose People’s Square if that is your destination, or buy a ticket to the station nearest your hotel.
  3. At your arrival station, check the exit number against your hotel address before leaving the station.

When it runs: Check the last Line 2 departure at the station before buying a ticket. Rail services do not run through the night.

Before you choose

An hour on the train is not an hour from landing to hotel. Add time for the airport, ticket purchase and walking with your bags.

Sources: Pudong Airport arrival and transport guide · Metro travel and payment

02 / The Maglev experience

A Shanghai Maglev train on the elevated guideway with its blue-and-white body

Maglev + onward metro

The Maglev finishes at Longyang Road, outside the central sightseeing area. For People’s Square, change there to Metro Line 2. Its short airport leg does not remove the station transfer or the final walk.

Longyang Road, then onward to your hotel

  1. Follow Maglev / 磁浮 signs and buy the correct ticket for your trip.
  2. Ride to Longyang Road / 龙阳路 and follow signs for the onward Metro Line 2 connection.
  3. Pay for the onward metro journey separately unless your ticket explicitly includes it.

When it runs: Airport departures: 07:02–21:42, as listed by Shanghai Airport. Confirm the day’s service before traveling.

Before you choose

CNY 50 is the standard Maglev fare to Longyang Road, not the total fare to People’s Square. With large bags, factor in the change between services.

Sources: Maglev · Pudong Airport arrival and transport guide · Transport fares and journey times

03 / Door-to-door travel and shared cost

A turquoise Shanghai metered taxi on a city street with its roof light visible

Metered taxi

A taxi avoids carrying bags between stations and can make sense when several people share the cost. Shanghai’s official guide gives around CNY 180 and 50 minutes to People’s Square; the meter and your actual destination determine what you pay.

Your hotel address

  1. Follow Taxi / 出租车 signs to the official queue: outside T1 Arrival Gate 12 or T2 Arrival Gate 25.
  2. Show the driver your hotel’s full Chinese name and street address, including the correct branch.
  3. Check the meter is running and keep the receipt at the end of the journey.

When it runs: Use the official taxi rank after arrival. The standard night tariff applies from 23:00 to 05:00, so the daytime estimate is not an overnight quote.

Before you choose

The CNY 180 figure is not a fixed airport fare. Traffic, night pricing and a different hotel location can change the total.

Sources: Pudong Airport arrival and transport guide · Transport fares and journey times

04 / An overnight arrival near a served stop

A blue Shanghai Airport Bus Route 1 coach waiting at East Hongqiao Transport Center

Airport night bus

The airport’s late-night bus serves stops including Century Avenue and East Yan’an Road / Zhejiang Middle Road. It can keep costs down after rail services finish, provided the stop works for your hotel.

Selected city stops, not People’s Square itself

  1. Follow Airport Bus signs and ask staff for the Late Night Bus / 守航夜宵线.
  2. Show your hotel address and confirm the closest stop and fare before boarding.
  3. Plan the final leg before you leave the airport; the bus does not stop outside every central hotel.

When it runs: T1 departures: 23:00–05:30 next day. T2: 23:03–05:33. The airport lists intervals of no more than 30 minutes, adjusted to passenger demand.

Before you choose

East Yan’an Road / Zhejiang Middle Road is a downtown stop, not People’s Square station. Check the walk or arrange a short onward taxi ride.

Sources: Airport buses

05 / An arranged meeting point or specific vehicle needs

Signed ride-hailing pickup stand at Shanghai Hongqiao Airport Terminal 1

Prebooked private car

A prebooked car can be useful when you want a named driver contact, a larger vehicle or a child seat. Ask your hotel or chosen provider for a written quote and arrival instructions.

The address agreed with your provider

  1. Confirm the number of passengers, luggage allowance, child seats and the exact destination.
  2. Get the meeting point, driver contact, flight-delay policy and included waiting time in writing.
  3. Check parking, tolls, cancellation terms and any late-night surcharge before paying.

When it runs: Confirm your actual landing time, terminal and flight number with the provider. Overnight pickup depends on the booking you arrange.

Before you choose

There is no verified private-transfer price or live availability on this page. A prebooked driver may meet you somewhere different from the public taxi rank.

03 / After baggage claim

Find your pickup point

Metro Line 2 entrance gates beside the A hall sign at Pudong Airport Terminal 1 and 2 station
The Line 2 entrance at Pudong Airport T1 & T2 station in October 2024. Follow the current terminal signs when you arrive.Photo: Kmchang28 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized and converted to WebP.

For rail: follow the service name

Metro Line 2, Maglev and the Airport Link Line are different services. For the direct budget route to People’s Square, follow Metro / 地铁 and Line 2. Maglev / 磁浮 goes to Longyang Road. The Airport Link Line is useful for Hongqiao, rather than this central-city journey.

Sources: Pudong Airport arrival and transport guide · Maglev

For taxis: use the signed queue

The published taxi pickup points are outside T1 Arrival Gate 12 and T2 Arrival Gate 25. Follow current airport signs if access has changed. Keep your hotel’s Chinese address ready before you reach the front of the queue.

Sources: Pudong Airport arrival and transport guide

For a booked car: use your confirmation

Save the provider’s meeting instructions and contact number before you fly. Check whether the driver meets you inside arrivals or in a parking area; the arrangement is specific to your booking.

04 / Arriving late

Plan your late-night arrival

Use the time you leave arrivals

Landing before the last train does not guarantee you will catch it. Immigration and baggage collection happen first. Check the next departure after you reach the station, and have a road option ready.

Check the overnight bus stop

The published night bus starts at 23:00 from T1 and 23:03 from T2, with services through to 05:30 and 05:33 respectively. Check whether Century Avenue or East Yan’an Road / Zhejiang Middle Road is useful for your hotel.

Sources: Airport buses

Allow for the night taxi tariff

Shanghai’s standard taxi night period is 23:00–05:00. The official tariff guide lists a 30% night increase to the base and per-kilometre rates. Budget above the daytime reference estimate and pay the metered total.

Sources: Transport fares and journey times

05 / Ready to go

Tickets, payment and your address

Metro tickets

Buy a single-journey ticket at the station. Shanghai’s official guide confirms international bank-card payments at station service centers, plus app-based options. Ask station staff if your card or phone payment does not work.

Sources: Metro travel and payment

Taxi payment

Carry a cash backup in renminbi and confirm your intended payment method before setting off. Do not assume that every taxi can take your foreign bank card directly.

Your hotel address

Save the Chinese hotel name, street address, telephone number and map pin offline. A chain name alone may send you to the wrong branch. If you are taking rail, also save the nearest station and exit.

06 / Common questions

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest way from Pudong Airport to central Shanghai?

For a daytime trip to People’s Square, Metro Line 2 is the lowest-cost option in this comparison. Shanghai’s official airport guide gives a reference fare of about CNY 7 per person and a journey of about one hour. Your hotel may require another metro ride or a walk.

Does the Maglev go directly to Shanghai city center?

No. The airport Maglev ends at Longyang Road. For People’s Square, continue on Metro Line 2. The standard CNY 50 one-way Maglev fare does not include that onward journey.

How much is a taxi from Pudong Airport to People’s Square?

Shanghai’s official guide gives a reference estimate of around CNY 180 and 50 minutes. It is not a fixed fare: traffic, the night tariff and your exact destination can change the metered total.

How do I get into Shanghai after midnight?

Consider the official taxi rank, a prearranged car, or the airport’s Late Night Bus if a stop suits your hotel. The published bus window runs until 05:30 from T1 and 05:33 from T2. Confirm the stop and the final trip to your hotel before boarding.

Where do I find the taxi queue at Pudong Airport?

Shanghai’s airport arrival guide lists the official taxi queues outside T1 Arrival Gate 12 and T2 Arrival Gate 25. Follow current Taxi / 出租车 signs if terminal access has changed.

Is the Airport Link Line the same as Metro Line 2?

No. They are different services. Metro Line 2 serves People’s Square on the central-city journey described here. The Airport Link Line connects the Pudong and Hongqiao airport areas; check that service separately if you are transferring to Hongqiao.

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.