Travel thru Shanghai

[danb]

Hi.. I have a question or two. If I book a round trip flight from the US to Nanning and have to pass thru Shanghai will I have any problems? Some flights say that I will have to change airports in Shanghai. Typically I saw a four hour stay in Shanghai. What will happen to my baggage? Will it be transferred for me in Shanghai or do I have to pick it up and lug it to the other airport? I have never past thru Shangahi below. Thanks for any info that you can give me. Danb

[dnoblett]

There are two airports in Shanghai.

 

Do you know which you arrive and depart from? Most international flights are into Pudong, and many domestics connect there, however many domestics also fly out of Hongqiao.

 

If you find you need to get from one airport to the other, there is a bus that runs between them.

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/shanghai/transportation/hongqiao-airport-bus.htm

 

As for baggage, You will be required to collect it, check it through customs, and then recheck it onto the domestic flight either in Pudong or Hongqiao.

 

Twice I have connected in Shanghai, each time when booking travel I made sure both international and domestic flight used the same airport (PVG) Pudong.

[danb]

Thanks for the reply. I am looking at flights now. Some of them do not go thru Shanghai but some of them do. And some of those that do have a notation that a change of airport is required in Shanghai. They also say that there is a 4 hour layover in Shanghai. I guess if I have to change airports I should try to pack lightly if possible. Thanks again. Danb

[Thomas Promise]

Fly into PVG Shanghai the tranfer to #1 Bus will take you to Hongqiao. Cost 30 RMB. Allow 1 hour for customs in PVG and 1 hour travel time to Hongqiao. You do have to pick up your luggage at PVG then transfer it to SHA.

[yuehan123]

Yeah, uh-huh and 4 hours layover minus Shanghais's long airport taxi time, minus possible late arrival, minus the Immigration (usually long lines) time, minus customs time (usually none), minus find the right bus stop, (you are by yourself, right?) minus wait for the bus time, and then- are you travelling at rush hour in Shanghai in order to arrive at Nanning at 0100 and still counting on only 1 hour bus ride?

 

Yep, been there, done that! As with all things travel- smooth as silk (when the wife is with me) ranging to all messed up, especially when travelling alone. Well, one miserable bus ride was at rush hour with frequent construction delays due to closed lanes. But, we had more like 7 hours between flights.

 

Hah, doesn't matter much, the flight to Nanning was cancelled by the time we got to Hongqiao. (more than once.)

 

Also, it is often clear as mud if your domestic flight leaves, or will still leave (as alledged) from Pudong. Find out for sure when you land.

 

Good luck.

[dnoblett]

Someday eventually they will extend the Maglev (SMT) train out to Hongqiao, if they can overcome the local protests over it.

 

The Maglev (SMT) connects Pudong airport to downtown.

 

In January 2006, the Shanghai–Hangzhou Maglev Line extension project was proposed by the Shanghai Urban Planning Administrative Bureau. The extension would continue the existing line towards Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, running via Shanghai South Railway Station and the Expo 2010 site, with a possible continuation towards Hangzhou. The extension would allow transferring between the two airports—located 55 km (34 mi) apart—in approximately 15 minutes.

 

The plan for the extension to Hangzhou was first approved by the central government in February 2006, with a planned date of completion in 2010. Work was suspended in 2008, owing to public protests over radiation fears despite an environmental assessment by the Shanghai Academy of Environmental Sciences saying the line was safe and would not affect air and water quality, and noise pollution could be controlled. According to China Daily, as reported on People's Daily Online 27 February 2009, the Shanghai municipal government was considering building the maglev line underground to allay the public's fear of electromagnetic pollution and the final decision on the maglev line had to be approved by the National Development and Reform commission.

 

Another approval was granted in March 2010, with construction to begin in late 2010. The new link was to be 199.5 km (124 mi) long, 24 km (15 mi) longer than the original plan. The top speed is expected to be 450 km/h (280 mph) but limited to 200 km/h (124 mph) in built-up areas.

 

However, in October 2010 the non-maglev Shanghai–Hangzhou High-Speed Railway was opened, bringing travelling time between the two cities down to 45 minutes. Plans for a Maglev link have been suspended again.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Maglev_Train

[ameriken]

I've been to Shanghai several times and flown out of both airports (though never as a connection) and personally if I doubt I would fly in to PVG and connect with at SHA in 4 hours. Yes, it's doable but could be a royal pain in the ass...if your flight arrives late (which happened to my wife when her flight was delayed in SFO for mechanical issues) you've got even less time to do it all. My wife is from Shanghai and she said she would not do it and would try to fly in and out of PVG.

 

I mean you've got immigration, baggage claim, finding the right bus, travel time, hoping you encounter light traffic, then checking in at the other airport. Just one of those things that looks good on paper that you regret when you are actually there after a 13 or 14 hour overseas flight and trying to do it all within a 4 hour window. Not a large margin for error.

[yuehan123]

There is also a high speed train that goes from the PVG terminal to somewhat near 'the other' airport. Take a taxi the rest of the way. We studied this in the past and decided "no thanks."

 

My wife, who is home now (and also from Nanning), says this:

 

1. It is too dangerous to fly into Nanning and then try to go downtown after 10:30 pm.

 

2. In her words "...there are a ton of airlines flying from Shanghai." (PVG) to Nanning (NNG) "Go to the ticket counter and buy a ticket direct from PVG to NNG." She is confident you will not pay much (if any) more than trying to book ahead of time on line.

 

3. Spend the night in the Shanghai airport Hotel. They have two. Then, fly out the next day, arriving in Nanning during daylight hours. (yes, we have stayed there once).

[ameriken]

Speaking of hotels at PVG, my wife and I stayed at the Jin Jiang in 2006, was a decent hotel and back then was only about 300 RMB.

 

http://www.hotels.com/ho351635/jinjiang-inn-shanghai-pudong-airport-ii-shanghai-china/

[danb]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I have never flown in or out of Shanghai before. Didn't know what to expect. Now I have a much better idea. I was trying before to have my all my flights with Delta but some issues came up. At this point flying into Shanghai on Delta is still my best option but then it looks like I will have to make my domestic travel arrangements on my own. Tonite I was just looking at Ctrip website for travel from Shanghai to Nanning. You all's suggestions about staying overnite might work out for best. I can get into Nanning much earlier in the day. Another option that I saw was a train from Shanghai to Nanning. I was looking at the times and thought it was saying the trip was 4 or 5 hours long. Doubled check and then realized that I needed to add a day to the travel time. Forget that idea!!! I was trying to give those fast train credit for traveling a lot faster then they can. I think my flight from the states will arrive a little before 3 in the afternoon. I am going to lay things out on paper and see what I can work out. Originally I thought 4 hours was enough time but after to listening to what you all have said I will allow for more time. Or better yet I will make my travel arrangements using only one airport ( Pudong). Thank you again I appreciate you all's insight. Danb

[Doug]

Good idea. If it were me I would google your city to Nanning and not go through PVG at all. I could easily go from one airport to the other because I have done it many times, but for the first time, alone??? haha. Besides miles earned on Delta don't give you much when trying to cash them in. (It takes more miles than other airlines I discovered, after doing most of my trips with Delta.) I can't imagine the cost is less doing it this way. Domestic flights in China are not so cheap.

 

If you decide on Shanghai, just get to HungChow airport ASAP, then eat. If like me you may have a delayed flight anyway. At least my flight to Nanning was, and the plane was sitting in Pudong all along, as we waited 3-4 hours for it to fly the very short distance to Hongqiao. I thought the Chinese were going to make a riot waiting for that plane to come get us. A Taxi is expensive, but maybe easier if you can't find your way to the right bus.

 

You are talking Nanning, not Nanjing aren't you??? Makes no sense to me to go through Shanghai for Nanning, but Nanjing is near, just take high speed train from...... HungChow.

Edited August 7, 2014 by Doug (see edit history)

[danb]

Hello, everyone. I made it to Nanning thru Shanghai. I had a a glitch or two. It was about 1100 USD from the US to Shanghai. Better than the 1700 USD priced that changed to over 2200 seemingly overnight. That was from US to Nanning via Beijing. I often seem to want to travel during the peak demand times. It was another 300 USD for the Shanghai to Nanning (RT) domestic flights. And another 100 dollars for two hotel nights in Shanghai. Coming I wasn't able to get a room at the Jing Jiang Hotel so I stayed at the China Southern Pearl Hotel. It was near the airport and was okay for a lay over. I did get taken a little at the Pudong Airport from someone selling his services. He told me that there was no shuttle to that hotel. That was not true. I also bought a sim card from him that I later could not recharge in Nanning. All told it cost me 400 RMB. It could have been worse. I did get to the correct hotel and the sim card worked for about a week until I got to Nanning. Next time I will be more aware.

 

So now I have just made return arrangements to the states thru Shanghai. I was abe to make reservations at the Jin Jiang Hotel this time. The only problem that I have is that the only flight that works for me is going to Hongqiao in the afternoon.. My flight to the states is leaving from Pudong the next day in the afternoon. So I will need to figure out how to get the Jin Jiang Hotel. I should have a lot of extra time. So either a taxi to the hotel or the shuttle to Pudong airport and the caught the Hotel shuttle. Which way do you think more sense? Thank for all your suggestions. Danb

[Beachey]

If you are feeling adventurous and do not have too much luggage, you can take the subway all the way from Hongqiao to Pudong, it takes about an hour and a half. It will set you back 8 RMB. The subway is cosigned in English and it is Line 2 the entire way.

 

http://www.shmetro.com/node155/node158/201004/con103685.htm

 

ETA: looking at the link for your hotel, it right on the Maglev line, if you get off at the Longyang station on Line 2, you can then take the Maglev, the Maglev is pricey but pretty cool and worth it in my opinion, they would cut down your travel time by a lot.

Edited August 25, 2014 by Beachey (see edit history)

[Doug]

Also there are 2 good hotels in one, right in the middle of Pudong airport, between the 2 terminals. One is a number like 96 Hotel or something like that. We have stayed there many times the night before I leave. (I really believe the huge mirror in the bathroom is 2 way and who knows maybe a camera, haha, but I don'[t care) The price is reasonable. They have a restaurant, not the best but OK, and actually there is a food court downstairs from there in the airport walkway between the 2 terminals. That way you are THERE. We never made a reservation, but always got a room. The best hotel I ever stayed in was in Pudong city and we got a shuttle bus to the airport, but there was a wreck and we almost missed the plane. So, I stay AT THE AIRPORT, since that dang place is so hard to get to.

[danb]

Okay. My flight back to the states is from Pudong to the states. My flight from Nanning is to Hongqiao. I would have preferred going into Pudong but the hours didn't work that well for me. I wanted to book a flight from Nanning to Shanghai that was not the last flight of the day for any particular airlines. The reason for that is that I have had flights in China that just didn't go/leave. Twice I believe. Luckily both times I had a later flight that I was put on. I am also leaving a day early.

 

As far as staying at the Jin Jiang Hotel. I have already paid for the room and it is less than 3.8 KM from the Pudong airport. I maybe would be able to cancel that reservation but I would want to have a new reservation at the hotel at the terminal. I tried to find a listing of any hotels on the airport's ground but can't find one as of yet. I will continue to look.

 

The maglev train sounds pretty interesting. But I will have one large duffle style bag and a computer backpack. If I can get that thru the turnstile I could give that a go maybe. Depends on what kind of turnstile set-up they have.

 

Looking at all the information that you all have given me it sound like the two airports are about 60 km apart. A taxi is maybe an expensive option. So it is either try the Maglev or the airport shuttles. I am now understanding some of the problems of using both airports in Shanghai. Thanks again for the thoughts and information. Danb