Shanghai Airport to City: Pudong & Hongqiao Transport Guide (2026)

Shanghai has two airports that feel like different cities. Pudong (PVG) is the big international gateway, far out to the east; Hongqiao (SHA) is mostly domestic and sits much closer in. The cheapest way into town from Pudong is Metro Line 2 at around 7 RMB; the fastest single stretch is the maglev at 431 km/h. And the single most useful 2026 update, if you ever have to connect between the two airports, is that the new Airport Link Line finally joins them by rail. Here is every option, with real prices and times, so you can pick before you land. Pudong Airport to the city: what are my options? PVG is roughly 40 to 50 minutes from central Shanghai by road. Your realistic choices: The Maglev (fast, but only to Longyang Road) Route: Pudong Airport to Longyang Road station only. It does not reach the Bund or People's Square. At Longyang Road you change to Metro Line 2 or 16. This trips up a lot of first-timers. Time and speed: about 8 minutes for the 30 km run, topping out near 431 km/h in peak hours. Price: 50 RMB one-way in economy, 80 RMB round-trip, or 40 RMB if you show a same-day boarding pass or air ticket (paper or on your phone). Combo tickets pairing the maglev with a metro…