Quick answer

Shanghai Hongqiao Airport is SHA, about 13 km west of the city center. Confirm your terminal first: Terminal 2 is served by Metro Lines 2 and 10; Terminal 1 is served by Metro Line 10. For luggage or a late arrival, use the official taxi rank rather than following unsolicited offers. Hongqiao is not Pudong (PVG).

If this happens, do this

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Situation What to do next
You land at Terminal 2 Follow metro signs for Line 2 or Line 10, or use the official taxi rank outside arrivals.
You land at Terminal 1 Use Metro Line 10 (not Line 2), or the taxi rank outside Gate 1.
You need Pudong Airport next Use the Airport Link Line (~40 minutes between airports per official guidance); allow time for walking and check-in.
Rail has stopped Use the official taxi queue or ask the airport desk about night buses.

Shanghai Pudong Airport to the City: Arrival Guide.

Confirm airport and terminal

Hongqiao (SHA) primarily serves domestic flights and regional East Asia routes. It has two terminals. Shanghai also has Pudong Airport (PVG) and a separate Hongqiao Railway Station—do not treat those as the same place as your arrival terminal.

Before you leave the jet bridge, note the terminal printed on your boarding pass or airline app. Pickup areas, metro lines and taxi gates differ by terminal.

Compare the main options

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Option Useful when Check before choosing
Metro Line 2 (T2) Your hotel is on Line 2 (for example toward People's Square or the National Exhibition and Convention Center) Last train time, luggage, and walking after the exit
Metro Line 10 (T1 or T2) You arrive at T1, or Line 10 is closer to your hotel Terminal-to-station walk and transfers
Official taxi Heavy luggage, a group, or late arrival Gate number for your terminal and a Chinese hotel address
Airport Link Line You are transferring toward Pudong Airport Walking from arrivals to the link-line entrance and current timetable
Booked ride-hailing Your app and payment already work The app's designated pickup zone for that terminal

Metro: Lines by terminal

According to Shanghai municipal guidance (updated June 4, 2026):

  • Terminal 1 is served by Metro Line 10, which also connects Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.
  • Terminal 2 is served by Metro Lines 10 and 2. Line 2 provides direct access toward the National Exhibition and Convention Center corridor.

Follow signed 地铁 / Metro directions inside the terminal. Buy a single-journey ticket at a machine or service counter, or use an accepted contactless card where Tap to Ride is enabled. Shanghai Metro states that eligible contactless cards—including UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard, American Express and JCB—and eligible e-CNY hard wallets can tap at the gates. Airport metro customer service centers have also been set up to sell tickets with foreign bank cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, UnionPay and others listed on site signage).

Downtown metro fares are distance-based and start at 3 yuan for trips up to 6 km, with an additional 1 yuan per 10 km (official fare summary updated June 30, 2026). Always check the fare displayed for your destination and the current first/last train boards—do not rely on a saved schedule.

Official taxi

Shanghai's airport transport guide says a taxi from Hongqiao to the city center typically takes about 30 minutes and costs about 100–150 yuan, depending on traffic. Night and holiday surcharges may apply under city taxi rules.

Official taxi pick-up points (same source):

  • Terminal 1: outside Gate 1 on the arrivals floor
  • Terminal 2: outside Gate 4 on the arrivals floor

Join the signed queue. Show a Chinese hotel name and address. Ask for the meter and keep a receipt if one is offered. Ignore anyone approaching you inside arrivals with an unofficial car offer.

Make a Chinese hotel address card before you leave the terminal.

If you must move between Hongqiao and Pudong, Shanghai's Airport Link Line is in operation and the municipal guide cites about 40 minutes between the airports. That figure is train time only: add baggage reclaim, walking, security and check-in buffers for a same-day flight connection. A short rail segment does not make a tight connection safe.

After collecting your baggage

  1. Confirm SHA vs PVG, then T1 vs T2.
  2. Save the hotel's Chinese name, full address and phone.
  3. Decide metro, taxi or booked ride before leaving the secure area when possible.
  4. Follow airport signs—not verbal offers—to metro, taxi or ride-hailing pickup.
  5. Keep a payment backup (wallet app, physical card or modest cash).

Late arrival or limited mobility

If metro service has ended, use the official taxi rank or ask airport information for operating night buses. With heavy luggage, stairs or several transfers, a taxi may be calmer than the cheapest rail path. Prefer staffed official queues over curb touts.

Disclaimer

App interfaces, payment rules, station practices, hotel policies and local procedures may change. Treat this guide as a source-checked practical guide, then verify important details with the official service, your hotel, transport staff or your card issuer before relying on it in an urgent situation.

Sources and review

Sources reviewed on 2026-10-26. These sources support the service or policy facts; the practical fallback steps are editorial guidance. This is not a recorded field test.