Shanghai Metro Guide (2026): Maglev, Lines & Airports

Shanghai’s metro is one of the best in the world — fast, clean, bilingual, and it connects both airports, the high-speed rail hub and every major sight.

This guide covers the Maglev to Pudong, the Hongqiao airport-and-train complex, the stops you’ll use around the Bund and Lujiazui, and how to pay with or without a ticket.

The Maglev to Pudong

The Shanghai Maglev is the showpiece of the airport connection. It runs between Longyang Road station (on Line 2 and Line 7) and Pudong International Airport (PVG) in about 8 minutes, reaching speeds you won’t feel on a normal train.

• Board at Longyang Road, not from downtown — you take Line 2 to reach it.
• The Maglev is priced above the ordinary metro; roughly double to triple a normal fare, depending on whether you hold a same-day flight ticket (which sometimes earns a discount).
• It stops running earlier in the evening than the metro — check the timetable if you have a late flight.
• The cheaper alternative is Metro Line 2 all the way to Pudong, which takes roughly an hour but costs far less.

If you’re heading straight into the city from a flight, the Maglev plus Line 2 is the classic move. See our Shanghai destination guide for the broader picture of the city.

Hongqiao: airport + high-speed rail in one

Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) is the city’s marvel of connectivity — an airport terminal, a huge high-speed rail station and two metro lines (Line 2 and Line 10) all under one roof.

• Arriving by train from Beijing, Hangzhou or elsewhere? Walk from the rail platforms to the metro concourse or the airport terminal without leaving the building.
• Line 2 runs right across the city and serves both Hongqiao and Pudong — it’s the spine line for most visitors.
• Line 10 also serves Hongqiao and runs through the old town toward the Bund area.

Most domestic and some regional flights use Hongqiao; most international flights use Pudong (PVG). If you’re transiting air-to-rail in Shanghai, it’s almost always Hongqiao you want.

One question first-timers ask constantly: how to transfer between Pudong and Hongqiao. There’s no direct express between them — you take Line 2 end to end (roughly 70–90 minutes through the center), or a taxi if your bags and schedule justify it. If you’re connecting from a domestic Hongqiao flight to an international flight out of Pudong, allow generous time; these are two very separate corners of the city.

The Bund, Lujiazui and the stops you’ll use

• The Bund — get off at East Nanjing Road (Line 2 or Line 10); the waterfront promenade is a couple of minutes’ walk.
• Lujiazui — one stop further east on Line 2, right in the Pudong skyscraper district (Shanghai Tower, the Financial Center and the Oriental Pearl).
• People’s Square — Line 1, Line 2 and Line 8 meet here; it’s the transport heart of the city and near Nanjing Road shopping.
• Yu Garden / Old Town — Yuyuan Garden station on Line 10, close to the bazaar and the old city lanes.
• French Concession — no single stop, but Line 10 (Shaanxi South Road) and Line 1 (Hengshan Road) put you in the right neighborhood for wandering.
• Zhujiajiao water town — a classic day trip, roughly 40–50 minutes from central stations by Line 17 out to Zhujiajiao station.

Tickets and QR entry

Two easy ways to ride:

1. Ticket vending machines — at every station, accepting cash and QR payment. Select your destination, pay, and keep the single-journey card or token to scan out.
2. QR entry — the fastest method. In Alipay, open the transport section (出行), select the Shanghai metro QR, scan at the gate, ride, and scan again to exit. This requires Alipay set up with a payment method — see our payments guide before you fly.

A single phone QR works across the whole network, and many stations also sell reloadable transport cards if you prefer a physical option.

English-friendly by design

Shanghai’s metro is one of the most tourist-friendly in China:

• Station names are shown in Chinese with pinyin, and key names like East Nanjing Road appear fully in English.
• Announcements are bilingual on all lines.
• Exit signs (A, B, C, D) tell you which street corner to leave from — check the exit number for your destination before you reach the top.
• If you get lost, station staff and the self-service maps are approachable; having the Chinese name of your stop on your phone helps.

Practical tips

• Security checks at every entrance — bags screened, occasionally water bottles tested. Add a minute or two.
• Peak hours on weekdays (roughly 7:30–9:30 am and 5:30–7:30 pm) are crushingly busy; avoid them with luggage.
• Fares are distance-based and cheap, typically a few yuan for central rides; the Maglev is the notable exception.
• Last trains leave central stations around 10:30–11:30 pm by line — plan late returns accordingly.
• For the general principles that apply across all Chinese cities, read our China metro guide.

Last updated: August 2026. Metro lines and fares change — confirm before you go.