Shanghai Hongqiao Airport (airport code SHA) is the smaller, closer-in option of the city’s two airports, sitting about 13 km west of the centre in Changning District. It runs almost entirely domestic flights plus a handful of short regional routes to places like Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong and Taipei. What makes it genuinely useful, though, is the thing right next door: Hongqiao Railway Station, the busiest high-speed rail terminal in China, is part of the same complex. Arrive here and you can be on a bullet train to Suzhou or Hangzhou within fifteen minutes of clearing your gate. This guide walks through both terminals, every realistic way into the city, the train and airport-link connections, layover ideas, the facilities you’ll actually use, and when you should pick Hongqiao over Pudong.
The short version: if you’re flying within China or staying central, Hongqiao usually beats Pudong on time and money. Metro Line 2 reaches the area around East Nanjing Road and the Bund in roughly 35 minutes for a few yuan, a taxi runs about 40 minutes off-peak, and the rail station is a 10-minute covered walk from Terminal 2. Below is the detail behind each of those numbers.
Table of Contents
- Shanghai Hongqiao Airport at a glance
- Terminal 1 and Terminal 2
- Transferring between the terminals
- Getting into the city by metro
- Hongqiao Railway Station and the high-speed network
- The Airport Link Line to Pudong
- Taxi to the city centre
- Didi and ride-hailing
- Airport buses and shuttle lines
- Arriving late at night
- Facilities and services
- How to use a layover
- Hongqiao vs Pudong: which one to use
- Practical tips and common mistakes
- Frequently asked questions
Shanghai Hongqiao Airport at a glance
Hongqiao is the older of Shanghai’s two airports. Pudong opened in 1999 and took over most long-haul international traffic, which left Hongqiao to specialise in domestic routes and the busy short-haul corridor to East Asian cities. It handles on the order of 45 million passengers a year, and the great majority of them are flying to or from somewhere else in China.
The dominant carrier here is China Eastern, which is headquartered in Shanghai. You’ll also see Air China, China Southern, Shanghai Airlines, Juneyao, Spring Airlines and most of the other domestic operators, plus a smaller roster of regional international airlines such as Japan Airlines, Korean Air and EVA Air on the short-haul routes.
For a visitor flying in from Europe, North America or anywhere beyond East Asia, Pudong (PVG) is almost always where you’ll land. Hongqiao becomes the airport that matters once you’re already in China and connecting onward, when you’re hopping over from Tokyo or Seoul, or when your plan involves the high-speed rail network. The address, if you need it for a driver, is No. 2550 Hongqiao Road.
Terminal 1 and Terminal 2
Hongqiao has two terminals, and they are not next to each other. They sit roughly 5 km apart on opposite sides of the airfield, with no walkable connection between them. Getting this wrong is the single most common mistake travellers make here, so it’s worth being clear about which is which.
Terminal 1 is the older and smaller building. Confusingly for a domestic-focused airport, this is the one that handles the international and Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan flights, alongside some domestic services. If you’re flying Korean Air, Japan Airlines, a KLM or Delta codeshare, or a regional carrier, check whether you’re at T1. It has departure halls spread across the upper floors and an arrivals hall on the ground floor.
Terminal 2 is the larger, newer building and it runs domestic flights only. If you’re on China Eastern, Air China, China Southern, Juneyao, Hainan or one of the other mainland carriers on a domestic route, you’ll almost certainly be at T2. It’s also the terminal physically tied into Hongqiao Railway Station and the main metro interchange, which is why most rail-and-air itineraries revolve around it.
The practical takeaway: a domestic flight on a major Chinese airline points you to Terminal 2; an international or Hong Kong / Macau / Taiwan flight, or a budget regional carrier, more often means Terminal 1. Always confirm against your boarding pass rather than assuming, because arriving at the wrong terminal can cost you the better part of an hour to fix.
Transferring between the terminals
If you do need to move from one terminal to the other, you have two options. A free shuttle bus runs between T1 and T2 every 8 to 10 minutes and takes around 15 to 20 minutes door to door. Alternatively, Metro Line 10 connects the two terminals directly, which can be quicker if a shuttle has just left.
Budget your time honestly here. The shuttle ride itself is short, but the airport’s official minimum connection times are deliberately generous: roughly an hour for a domestic-to-domestic connection within the same terminal, an hour and a half if international is involved, and considerably more, on the order of two and a half to three hours, when you have to change terminals between T2 and T1. If you’re connecting through Hongqiao, give yourself that cushion rather than the optimistic walking time.
Getting into the city by metro
For most independent travellers, the metro is the best way into Shanghai from Hongqiao. It’s cheap, it’s predictable, the platforms are on basement level B1 right inside the terminals, and the signage is bilingual. Two lines serve the airport, and they behave quite differently.
Metro Line 2 (green) is the one most visitors want. It starts from Terminal 2 and runs straight through the spine of the city: West Nanjing Road, Jing’an Temple, People’s Square, East Nanjing Road for the Bund, then under the river to Lujiazui and onward. Reaching the East Nanjing Road area takes about 35 minutes, with trains every five to ten minutes. The fare is distance-based, so expect single-digit yuan for a central trip and a bit more if you ride it all the way out to Pudong Airport at the far end of the line.
Metro Line 10 (purple) is the only metro option from Terminal 1, and it also stops at Terminal 2. It takes a different, more westerly path into town, calling at Hongqiao Railway Station, South Shaanxi Road, East Nanjing Road and Yuyuan Garden, among others. It reaches Xintiandi in around 25 minutes and East Nanjing Road or Yuyuan Garden in roughly 30, and it’s often a little less crowded than Line 2.
There’s a third line in the picture too. Metro Line 17 terminates at the Hongqiao Railway Station / Hongqiao Hub interchange, but it runs west toward Qingpu rather than into the city centre, so it’s useful for the western suburbs and as part of the hub interchange rather than for reaching downtown. At the railway station, Lines 2, 10 and 17 all meet, with a handy cross-platform transfer between Lines 2 and 17.
Paying for the metro. You can buy a single-journey ticket from the machines, but if your phone is set up with Alipay or WeChat Pay you can generate a metro QR code and simply scan in and out at the gates, which is faster and avoids fumbling for change. A rechargeable Shanghai Public Transport Card works too.
A few common journeys from Hongqiao to give you a feel for times:
- East Nanjing Road (for the Bund): Line 2, about 35 minutes.
- People’s Square: Line 2, around 40 minutes.
- Lujiazui (Pudong skyline): Line 2, roughly 55 to 65 minutes.
- Xintiandi: Line 10, about 25 minutes.
- Yuyuan Garden / Old City: Line 10, around 30 minutes.
- Pudong Airport: Line 2 end to end, well over 90 minutes (the slow way; see the Airport Link Line below).
If you want the full picture of how the network fits together, including transfers and payment, our Shanghai metro guide covers it in detail.
Hongqiao Railway Station and the high-speed network
This is the part of Hongqiao that genuinely sets it apart. The airport and Hongqiao Railway Station, the busiest high-speed rail station in China, are built into the same complex, officially the Shanghai Hongqiao Transportation Hub. From Terminal 2 it’s a walk of around 600 metres, roughly ten minutes through covered walkways, to reach the station concourse. From Terminal 1 it’s beyond comfortable walking distance, so take Metro Line 10 a couple of stops.
Once you’re at the station, the high-speed network opens up the whole region and a good chunk of the country. A sample of what’s reachable:
- Suzhou: about 25 to 30 minutes.
- Hangzhou: roughly 45 to 60 minutes.
- Nanjing: around 75 to 90 minutes.
- Hefei: about 2 hours.
- Wuhan: roughly 4 hours.
- Beijing: about 4.5 hours on the fastest services.
- Xi’an: around 6 to 6.5 hours.
Second-class tickets to the nearby cities are inexpensive, and even the long hauls undercut a domestic flight once you account for getting to and from airports. Allow about half an hour between landing and a rail departure to clear arrivals, walk over and pass through the station’s own security. The Suzhou run in particular is one of the easiest day trips anywhere in China to launch from an airport, and it’s why a lot of people route through Hongqiao deliberately. For the full plan, see our Suzhou day trip from Shanghai guide, and the wider day trips from Shanghai hub for other ideas off the rail map.
The Airport Link Line to Pudong
Connecting between Shanghai’s two airports used to be a genuine chore. The Airport Link Line, part of the suburban railway network and opened at the end of 2024, fixed most of that. It’s a dedicated rail link, separate from the city metro, running between Hongqiao and Pudong airports with a stop at Hongqiao Railway Station.
Journey time is roughly 40 minutes between the two airports, a dramatic improvement on the old combination of metro or Maglev plus interchanges that could eat 90 minutes or more. Trains run at intervals of around 15 to 20 minutes through the day, from early morning until late evening, and Hongqiao Terminal 2 has its own station for the line. If you have a connection that splits across both airports, this is the way to make it. Note that the Maglev itself does not serve Hongqiao at all; it only runs from Pudong, so don’t plan around it here.
For everything specific to the Pudong end of a transfer, including the Maglev and the airport-to-city options over there, our Pudong airport to city centre guide is the companion to this one.
Taxi to the city centre
A metered taxi is the simplest option if you’re tired, travelling with luggage or a group, or arriving outside metro hours. From Hongqiao into central Shanghai you’re looking at roughly 25 to 45 minutes off-peak, longer in rush-hour traffic. As a rough guide on fares, People’s Square and the Bund run in the region of 80 yuan by day, Lujiazui a little more, and a cross-city run all the way to Pudong Airport is far steeper. A modest night surcharge applies between 23:00 and 05:00.
Where to find one: use the official taxi rank, which at Terminal 1 is outside the arrivals hall on the ground floor and at Terminal 2 is on the south side of Gate 4 of the arrivals hall, also ground floor. Only take metered taxis from the rank. Ignore anyone approaching you inside the terminal offering a flat fare or a “private car”; that’s the classic airport overcharge and it’s best avoided everywhere in the city. Payment is by cash or, more commonly now, WeChat Pay or Alipay.
Didi and ride-hailing
Didi is China’s equivalent of Uber and a reliable alternative to the taxi rank, usually a touch cheaper for the same trip. Set it up before you arrive, ideally linking a payment method while you still have your home connection, because getting it working from scratch on Chinese mobile data can be fiddly. Set your destination, request the car, and walk to the designated ride-hailing pickup zone, generally outside the terminals at ground level. Wait times are typically 5 to 15 minutes, though they stretch later at night.
Airport buses and shuttle lines
Hongqiao is served by a network of airport bus and shuttle routes, which can make sense if your hotel happens to sit on a line or if you’re travelling on a tight budget. A few of the useful ones:
- Airport Bus Line 1 links Hongqiao with Pudong Airport directly by road, an alternative to the Airport Link Line.
- Line 941 runs to the South Square of Shanghai Railway Station.
- The Night Line (316) heads toward East Yan’an Road and the Bund area and is the one to know about after the metro stops.
- Several Hongqiao Hub shuttle lines fan out to suburban districts such as Jiading and the science parks, which are mainly of interest if you’re staying out that way.
For most visitors heading into the centre, though, the metro is simpler and more predictable than working out a bus route, so the buses are worth knowing about rather than defaulting to.
Arriving late at night
Hongqiao quietens down noticeably after about 23:00. The last Line 2 and Line 10 trains from the airport leave in the late-evening window, broadly around 23:30 to just before midnight depending on the line and the day of the week (Line 10 runs later on Friday and Saturday nights). If you land after that, your realistic choices are:
- Taxi: the rank operates around the clock and is the most dependable late-night option.
- Didi: available overnight, though expect longer waits.
- Night bus 316: runs through the small hours toward the Bund for a fraction of a taxi fare, if the route suits your hotel.
- An airport hotel: sometimes the sensible call for a very late landing and an early onward flight, which brings us to facilities.
Facilities and services
Hongqiao covers the practical bases well, and Terminal 2 in particular has been kept modern.
Food and drink. Both terminals have food courts and familiar chains, with the likes of Starbucks and noodle counters landside and a fuller spread of restaurants once you’re through security. A sit-down meal is reasonably priced by airport standards; a quick noodle or coffee is cheaper still.
Lounges. There are several airline and pay-per-use lounges across the two terminals, including the airline operators’ own rooms and independently accessible options for Priority Pass and similar memberships, plus an hourly-rate rest lounge on the departure level at Terminal 2. Economy passengers can generally buy their way in.
Shopping. Beyond standard duty-free you’ll find a run of brand boutiques airside in Terminal 2, from international labels to a Shanghai specialty shop near the gates if you’ve left souvenirs to the last minute.
Wi-Fi. Free airport Wi-Fi covers both terminals. You activate it by scanning your passport at one of the Wi-Fi ticket machines to get a login, a small extra step compared with home but quick once you find a machine.
Money. ATMs are available in both terminals and generally give a better rate than the currency-exchange counters. As elsewhere in China, day-to-day spending leans heavily on mobile payments, so getting Alipay or WeChat Pay working is more useful than a thick wallet of cash.
Left luggage. Staffed left-luggage counters operate in both terminals (broadly daytime hours, with T2 open later than T1), charged by bag size and time, which is handy if you want to dash into the city on a layover without your bags.
Tax refund and visa-free transit. There’s a departure tax-refund service for eligible shopping, and Shanghai’s generous visa-free transit policy applies at Hongqiao as well as Pudong, letting eligible travellers from a long list of countries enter for a set number of hours or days to explore. Check the current rules against your nationality before you count on it.
Hotels. For sleeping close to the airport, the standout for convenience is the Boyue Shanghai Hongqiao Airport Hotel, which connects directly into Terminal 2. Around Terminal 1 there are shuttle-linked options including the Shanghai International Airport Hotel and the Argyle. A short ride away in the wider Hongqiao business district you’ll also find full-service hotels under the Hilton, Marriott and Sheraton names. If you’d rather base yourself in the city instead and just pass through the airport, our where to stay in Shanghai guide breaks down the neighbourhoods.
How to use a layover
Because Hongqiao is close to the city and wired into the metro and rail, layovers here can be put to good use. Roughly:
Two to three hours: stay airside. Eat, browse, and find a quiet corner or a lounge. Not enough time to leave and come back safely.
Around six hours: a quick foray is feasible. A short metro hop to Jing’an or Xintiandi for a meal and a wander works if you’re disciplined about timing. Budget about 90 minutes round-trip on the train plus an hour on the ground, and watch the clock.
Eight hours or more: you can reasonably get into the centre. Line 2 to the East Nanjing Road area, a walk along the Bund, a proper lunch, and back, comes to roughly four to five hours all in. Leave a comfortable margin for the return and security.
An overnight or 24-hour stop: consider a hotel at or near the airport, sleep, and take a relaxed half-day in the city the next morning, or jump on a bullet train to Suzhou and back. For structured ideas on how to spend the time, our Shanghai itineraries are a good starting point.
Hongqiao vs Pudong: which one to use
When you have a choice of airport, here’s how the decision usually breaks down.
Choose Hongqiao when:
- You’re flying a domestic Chinese route. The bulk of internal flights use Hongqiao.
- You’re connecting to or from the high-speed rail at Hongqiao Railway Station.
- You’re on a short East Asian hop to Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong or Taipei.
- Being close to the centre, around 13 km, matters more to you than the breadth of international routes.
Choose Pudong when:
- You’re flying long-haul international to Europe, the Americas, the Middle East or Australia.
- Your airline simply operates out of Pudong, as most international carriers do.
- You specifically want to ride the Maglev, which only runs from Pudong.
One nuance worth flagging: Pudong sits about 30 km out and roughly 60 km from Hongqiao, so if your itinerary forces a same-day transfer between the two, build in real time and lean on the Airport Link Line. Detailed Pudong-side guidance lives in our Pudong airport to city centre guide.
Practical tips and common mistakes
Confirm your terminal before you set off. T1 and T2 are 5 km apart with no walkway between them; the wrong one costs you 30 to 40 minutes.
Default to Metro Line 2 for the central city. It’s the cheapest, most direct route to the Nanjing Road and Bund area.
Give terminal changes more time than you think. The shuttle is quick, but official connection minimums run to a couple of hours when you switch terminals.
Lean on the railway station. A ten-minute walk to a bullet train is the best thing about this airport; the Suzhou day trip is the easy win.
Mind the last metro. Trains stop in the late-evening window. After that it’s taxi, Didi or the night bus.
For Pudong transfers, take the Airport Link Line. About 40 minutes beats every older combination.
Set up mobile payments before you land. A working Alipay or WeChat Pay covers the metro, taxis, Didi and most shops, and saves a lot of friction.
Keep a little cash as backup. A couple of hundred yuan covers anything that won’t take a phone.
Install your apps and a VPN at home. Maps, ride-hailing and messaging apps are far easier to set up before you hit China’s network, and many foreign services need a VPN.
If you’re still shaping the broader trip, our how to plan a trip to Shanghai guide ties the airport choice into visas, timing and budget.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between Hongqiao and Pudong airports?
Hongqiao (SHA) is closer to downtown, about 13 km, smaller, and built around domestic and short regional flights, and it’s attached to the main high-speed rail station. Pudong (PVG) is about 30 km out, larger, and handles most long-haul international flights, and it’s the only one with the Maglev.
How do I get from Hongqiao Airport to central Shanghai?
Metro Line 2 is the cheapest and most useful, reaching the East Nanjing Road / Bund area in about 35 minutes for a few yuan. A metered taxi is faster door to door, roughly 25 to 45 minutes off-peak, for a higher fare. Didi sits between the two on price.
How long does Metro Line 2 take to East Nanjing Road?
About 35 minutes from Hongqiao Terminal 2, a little longer in peak hours, with trains every five to ten minutes.
Can I take the metro from Terminal 1?
Yes. Terminal 1 is served by Metro Line 10, which also reaches the centre and stops at Hongqiao Railway Station. For Line 2 you’d need to get to Terminal 2 first, either on Line 10 or the free shuttle.
How do I get from Hongqiao Airport to Hongqiao Railway Station?
From Terminal 2 it’s a covered walk of around 600 metres, about ten minutes, into the same hub. From Terminal 1 it’s too far to walk comfortably, so ride Metro Line 10 a couple of stops to the station.
How long is a Hongqiao to Pudong airport transfer?
The Airport Link Line covers it in roughly 40 minutes and is the fastest option. By road, a taxi or bus runs longer and depends heavily on traffic; the end-to-end city metro is the slow last resort at well over an hour and a half.
Is the Maglev at Hongqiao?
No. The Maglev only runs from Pudong Airport. To move quickly between the two airports, use the Airport Link Line instead.
Can I do a Suzhou day trip from Hongqiao?
Yes, and it’s one of the simplest anywhere. Walk from Terminal 2 to Hongqiao Railway Station, take a high-speed train to Suzhou in about 25 to 30 minutes, and you’re there. It’s a popular reason to route through Hongqiao deliberately.
Are there hotels at Hongqiao Airport?
Yes. The Boyue Shanghai Hongqiao Airport Hotel connects directly into Terminal 2, and there are shuttle-linked hotels near Terminal 1 plus full-service Hilton, Marriott and Sheraton properties in the surrounding Hongqiao business district.
What should I do if I arrive late at night?
Take a taxi from the official rank, which runs 24 hours, or order a Didi (with longer waits overnight). The night bus 316 heads toward the Bund cheaply if it suits your hotel. For a very late landing before an early flight, an airport hotel can be the easier choice.
Can I check in at Hongqiao for a Pudong flight?
Generally no, unless your airline specifically offers through check-in for a connecting itinerary. Confirm with the carrier; otherwise plan to collect and re-check your bags at whichever airport your onward flight departs from.
Planning around Hongqiao
Used well, Shanghai Hongqiao Airport is one of the most convenient airport-and-railway combinations you’ll come across. Take Metro Line 2 for the central city, walk over to Hongqiao Railway Station for a day trip or onward leg, and use the Airport Link Line whenever a Pudong transfer is unavoidable. For the bigger transport picture, see our pillar guide to getting around Shanghai; for the other airport, our Pudong airport to city centre guide is the companion; and to pull the whole visit together, start with how to plan a trip to Shanghai.
Official reference: Shanghai Airport Authority (SHA).