Shanghai Pudong Airport to the City: Metro, Maglev or Taxi?
Choose the best PVG transfer for your hotel, arrival time and luggage—with current official rail hours, indicative fares and late-night alternatives.
What you need to know.
For most independent travelers, Metro Line 2 is the best default: the official guide estimates about RMB 7 and roughly one hour to People’s Square. Choose the Maglev for the eight-minute airport-to-Longyang Road segment or the experience—not because it reaches the Bund. Choose the official metered taxi for heavy luggage, door-to-door travel, a shared group fare or a late arrival. The Late Night Bus starts at 23:00 from Terminal 1 and 23:03 from Terminal 2; in the gap after rail service, the 24-hour taxi rank is the straightforward option.
This guide is written for independent travelers landing at Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG). Details marked with a review date can change; use the linked official source for the final check.
Choose for the complete hotel journey.
The fastest vehicle is not always the fastest door to door. Hotel location, immigration time, luggage and the final transfer matter more than a headline speed.
| Option | Best for | Current reference | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro Line 2 | Budget travel and hotels near the metro | About ¥7 and 1 hour to People’s Square | Crowds, luggage and a 22:30 last regular departure |
| Maglev | The experience or stays near Longyang Road | ¥50 single; about 8 minutes to Longyang Road | It does not reach the Bund or main hotel districts |
| Official taxi | Door to door, groups, luggage or late arrival | Around ¥180 / 50 minutes to People’s Square by official estimate | Metered total varies with traffic, time and surcharges |
| Late Night Bus | Solo budget travel after rail closes | ¥18–34; fixed overnight route | Stops do not deliver you to the hotel |
The sensible default for most central hotels.
Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 share Pudong Airport Terminal 1&2 Station. The regular westbound Line 2 timetable currently starts at 06:00 and ends at 22:30.
The city’s airport guide gives People’s Square as an approximately one-hour, RMB 7 reference—not a fixed fare or duration for every downtown address. Metro fares are distance-based, and hotel-to-station walking time belongs in the decision.
Current regular service runs through toward central Shanghai; old advice requiring every passenger to change at Guanglan Road is outdated. Eligible contactless international cards can be tapped at supported gates, while the airport station service center provides another way to buy a ticket when a card does not work.
- Treat 22:30 as the train’s departure time—not a safe flight-arrival cutoff. Immigration, baggage claim and the walk to the station take time.
- Save the hotel’s Chinese address before landing and confirm the nearest station exit.
- For a large suitcase at peak time, the lowest fare may not be the lowest-friction choice.
Eight minutes to Longyang Road—not eight minutes downtown.
The Maglev covers the airport-to-Longyang Road rail segment in about eight minutes. From Longyang Road, most visitors still need Metro Line 2, 7, 16 or 18, or a taxi.
The current ordinary single fare is RMB 50, with an RMB 40 ordinary single fare listed for a passenger showing a same-day flight ticket. The official timetable currently lists PVG departures from 07:02 to 21:42. Recheck the same-day notice before relying on the final service.
The present airport page describes a maximum operating speed of 300 km/h. Older 430 km/h claims should not be used as the current service promise. Walking, ticket purchase, waiting and the Longyang transfer also belong in the total time.
Use the official queue when rail no longer fits.
The airport taxi rank operates 24 hours. Follow overhead signs to the official queue, use the meter and keep the receipt; pickup doors can change, so do not rely on an old gate number.
Shanghai’s official airport guide uses roughly RMB 180 and 50 minutes to People’s Square as a daytime reference, not a quote. Traffic, waiting, vehicle type, distance, nighttime pricing and other permitted surcharges can change the total.
For a cheaper overnight alternative, the airport’s Late Night Bus starts at 23:00 from Terminal 1 and 23:03 from Terminal 2, then runs a fixed route toward central stops and Hongqiao. Current published fares are RMB 18–34. It will not deliver you to the hotel, so price and plan the final taxi or walk from the chosen stop.
- 01
Ignore arrivals-hall solicitation
Follow the airport’s official Taxi signs rather than accepting an unsolicited flat-price ride.
- 02
Show the Chinese address
Keep the hotel name, full address and phone number in Chinese, even if the map pin is already saved.
- 03
Confirm the meter
Use the official metered ride, keep the receipt and note the vehicle plate if a problem occurs.
- 04
Keep a payment backup
Do not assume every taxi accepts every foreign card. Keep mobile payment or RMB available as a fallback.
Use the Airport Link Line for a cross-airport transfer.
If the destination is Hongqiao Airport or Hongqiao Railway Station, compare the Airport Link Line before defaulting to the city-center options in this guide.
The official guide gives about 40 minutes and RMB 26 between the two airport hubs. The current published PVG operating window is 06:00–22:15 with roughly 15-minute service. This line is designed for the airport and Hongqiao connection; it is not the normal recommendation for the Bund or a central Shanghai hotel.
Small assumptions that create avoidable friction.
Using landing time as the metro cutoff
A 22:00 touchdown does not guarantee reaching a 22:30 train after immigration and baggage claim.
Calling Maglev a downtown train
It ends at Longyang Road. The hotel journey usually needs another metro or taxi leg.
Following the old Guanglan Road rule
Regular current Line 2 service runs through; the compulsory transfer described by old guides is no longer the default.
Treating a taxi reference as a quote
The published RMB 180 / 50-minute example is indicative. The meter, traffic and time determine the actual trip.
Questions travelers ask before they commit.
01Does the Shanghai Maglev go to the Bund?＋
No. The Maglev ends at Longyang Road. Continue by metro or taxi for the Bund and most central hotel districts.
02Do I need to change Line 2 trains at Guanglan Road?＋
No. Regular current Line 2 service from Pudong Airport runs through toward central Shanghai; older guides describing a compulsory change are outdated.
03What is the last regular metro from Pudong Airport?＋
The current regular last Line 2 departure from the airport station is 22:30. Check same-day notices and allow time after landing for immigration, baggage and the station walk.
04Can I pay for the Shanghai metro with a foreign card?＋
Eligible contactless international cards can be used at supported gates. The airport station service center also supports ticket purchase with listed international cards when needed.
05What should I take from PVG after midnight?＋
Use the airport’s 24-hour official taxi rank for door-to-door travel, or the fixed-route Late Night Bus when its stops and final connection suit the trip.
06What is the best transfer from PVG to Hongqiao?＋
Compare the Airport Link Line first. Official guidance gives roughly 40 minutes and RMB 26 between the airport hubs, subject to the current operating timetable.
What we checked—and when.
Official links are provided for verification, not as endorsements. Operating details can change after our review date.