Shanghai transit for 4.5 hours [Ideas?]

[steveward]

Hello, I have a transit stop in Shanghai for 4.5 hours (3pm-7.30pm) on the way home next month. Rather than spend even more time in yet another airport I wondered whether there are suggestions for stress-free ways to spend the time without rushing anywhere. I thought of taking the train downtown to the Bund for a few photos but it seems to take close to an hour each way... which sounds feasible in theory but i dont know the practice. And there may be better suggestions out there. Thanks in advance. Arrive on Lufthansa and depart Air China - in business, if that helps with any of the timings...!

 

[smit0847]

Re: Shanghai transit for 4.5 hours

Maglev to the city takes 7 minutes but im not sure itll be worth your time while you get through immigration and back through security.

 

[steveward]

Re: Shanghai transit for 4.5 hours

Maglev to the city takes 7 minutes but im not sure itll be worth your time while you get through immigration and back through security.

thanks... google maps says 7 mins Maglev and another 40-odd on other train and walking to the Bund... so be close perhaps to 2 hours transit.. wondering if thats too tight or if we can reliably get back and past security?

 

[smit0847]

Re: Shanghai transit for 4.5 hours

I wouldnt risk it myself. Is this in and out of PVG by the way?

 

[smit0847]

Re: Shanghai transit for 4.5 hours

Is there anything around pudong town you could do instead?

 

[steveward]

Re: Shanghai transit for 4.5 hours

I wouldnt risk it myself. Is this in and out of PVG by the way?

yes it is thanks

 

[Dr Ralph]

Re: Shanghai transit for 4.5 hours

I don't believe that the time you have available is sufficient to leave the airport. At least without the stress of worrying about getting back to the airport on time.

 

[steveward]

Re: Shanghai transit for 4.5 hours

Is there anything around pudong town you could do instead?

my first time... all suggestions welcome!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Shanghai transit for 4.5 hours

Hello, I have a transit stop in Shanghai for 4.5 hours (3pm-7.30pm) on the way home next month. Rather than spend even more time in yet another airport I wondered whether there are suggestions for stress-free ways to spend the time without rushing anywhere. I thought of taking the train downtown to the Bund for a few photos but it seems to take close to an hour each way... which sounds feasible in theory but i dont know the practice. And there may be better suggestions out there. Thanks in advance. Arrive on Lufthansa and depart Air China - in business, if that helps with any of the timings...!

Couple of things to consider.

Arriving LH and departing Air China - LH may not be able to through check luggage, and may also not be able to issue your connecting boarding pass. There have been a couple reports of this in the last few months and if this is the case, you'll need to land, collect bags, and then wait until the Air China check-in counters open. This is usually 3 hours before departure. If this is the case, it will severely limit your options. (There is no airside transit facility to facilitate bag tagging or getting an onward boarding pass.)

You will be eligible for transit without visa - so no problems on that front.

IF LH can through check bags... with 4.5 hours a visit to the Bund might be doable but will be tight. It takes about 60-80 minutes to get into to the Bund from the time you land - give or take. That includes passport control (if there's no real lines), getting to the maglev station, the 7 minute journey on the maglev, and connection to metro line 2, plus the journey to town. (Do not take line 2 from the airport - that takes a long time.)

The maglev station is not close to the city - it's another 20 minutes on the metro. You would exit the Line 2 metro at the Nanjing Road East station - then have a short walk to the bund.

You will need to repeat the same process in reverse. Doable? Maybe just - in about 3.5 hours - but you might have a very limited time at the bund. And that doesn't give much time to complete departure processes (you should really aim to be back at the airport to go through immigration no later than 90 minutes before departure).

IF you need to collect bags and wait for check-in to open - the alternative is a simple round-trip on the maglev - which is well worth it. Assuming you check your bags at the three hour mark - you can then make your way to the magalev station at the airport. You should allow 30-40 minutes for the round-trip on the maglev from the time you buy your ticket at the maglev counter. This would allow a one-way journey, hopping out to have a look at the longyang road Maglev terminal shops (very basic - a newsagent, bread shop, MacDonalds etc etc - but will introduce you to the hustle and bustle of china), and catching the next maglev back to the airport either 15 or 30 minutes later (check the timetable).

 

[seanpodge]

Re: Shanghai transit for 4.5 hours

4.5 hours is pretty tight. PVG is in the very far east of Shanghai and there isn't really much around it besides some golf courses, villas and farmland that hasn't been claimed by developers yet. Assuming an on time arrival and smooth passage through immigration, I agree with MEL_Traveller that a trip on the Maglev would be fairly stress free. The Maglev runs at its maximum 431 km/h speed from 15:00 to 15:45, so if you make it on time for that it would be well worth it. Besides from 9:00 to 10:45, all other maglev services are at a dull and boring 301 km/h. Don't waste money on VIP tickets, the train will be nearly empty and the trip is only 8 minutes max. anyway.

Longyang Station, the other end of the maglev is still a fair bit out from where the action is, so given the time constraints, I'd probably just head straight back to the airport. The *A-CA lounge in T2 is actually pretty good, especially by Chinese standards.

 

[mushez]

Re: Shanghai transit for 4.5 hours

4.5 hours is a bit of time to kill in PVG, but not really enough to go anywhere far as it takes an hour to get anywhere normally from and to PVG

 

[aussiel]

Re: Shanghai transit for 4.5 hours

I've done a similar thing in the past, although didn't have to clear immigration and customs (arrived by car at the airport with 4 or 5 hours to kill).

If you have to pick up your luggage, and then check in counters are open, you could always take your bags on the Maglev, they scan your bags on entering the departure lounge. It's never really full. The other option is to leave your bags at the storage (between 10 and 50 Yuan per piece).

It was exciting for me (waited around until 3:01 to get the first high speed train of the day), but I can see it's not ever cup of tea. I had a quick walk around Longyang (not all that exciting, although there was some weird karaoke type heavy metal show going on?!) and got on the next train back. I could just make out the skyline of Shanghai due to the pollution.

If you have OW access to the lounges, they could be worse, the VIP lounge looks over the runway, so you can have a pour your own dr

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Re: Shanghai transit for 4.5 hours

Steve 4.5hrs is a bit slim - best suggestion I can make is ride Maglev to Loyyand are then subway further 2 stops to spend an hour or so browsing the fake market at Science and Technology Station - always fun there - you can always find a bargain or 3 - then Maglev back to PVG - you can never get sick of >400kmh train ride - and whoosh and rock as you pass the other Maglev train going in other direction has to be felt to be believed.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Shanghai transit for 4.5 hours

Steve 4.5hrs is a bit slim - best suggestion I can make is ride Maglev to Loyyand are then subway further 2 stops to spend an hour or so browsing the fake market at Science and Technology Station - always fun there - you can always find a bargain or 3 - then Maglev back to PVG - you can never get sick of >400kmh train ride - and whoosh and rock as you pass the other Maglev train going in other direction has to be felt to be believed.

Not a bad idea CE!

Link here with details: The Underground Market at Shanghai Science and Technology Museum | Shanghai Expat Blog.

IF bags have to be rechecked, should give 30 mins time to explore the market.

 

[steveward]

Re: Shanghai transit for 4.5 hours

Couple of things to consider.

Arriving LH and departing Air China - LH may not be able to through check luggage, and may also not be able to issue your connecting boarding pass. There have been a couple reports of this in the last few months and if this is the case, you'll need to land, collect bags, and then wait until the Air China check-in counters open. This is usually 3 hours before departure. If this is the case, it will severely limit your options. (There is no airside transit facility to facilitate bag tagging or getting an onward boarding pass.)

You will be eligible for transit without visa - so no problems on that front.

IF LH can through check bags... with 4.5 hours a visit to the Bund might be doable but will be tight. It takes about 60-80 minutes to get into to the Bund from the time you land - give or take. That includes passport control (if there's no real lines), getting to the maglev station, the 7 minute journey on the maglev, and connection to metro line 2, plus the journey to town. (Do not take line 2 from the airport - that takes a long time.)

The maglev station is not close to the city - it's another 20 minutes on the metro. You would exit the Line 2 metro at the Nanjing Road East station - then have a short walk to the bund.

You will need to repeat the same process in reverse. Doable? Maybe just - in about 3.5 hours - but you might have a very limited time at the bund. And that doesn't give much time to complete departure processes (you should really aim to be back at the airport to go through immigration no later than 90 minutes before departure).

IF you need to collect bags and wait for check-in to open - the alternative is a simple round-trip on the maglev - which is well worth it. Assuming you check your bags at the three hour mark - you can then make your way to the magalev station at the airport. You should allow 30-40 minutes for the round-trip on the maglev from the time you buy your ticket at the maglev counter. This would allow a one-way journey, hopping out to have a look at the longyang road Maglev terminal shops (very basic - a newsagent, bread shop, MacDonalds etc etc - but will introduce you to the hustle and bustle of china), and catching the next maglev back to the airport either 15 or 30 minutes later (check the timetable).

Alright - maglev trip it is - something to brag to my small boys about anyway. Thanks v much for such informative reply. S

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Shanghai transit for 4.5 hours

Alright - maglev trip it is - something to brag to my small boys about anyway. Thanks v much for such informative reply. S

I think you can buy maglev tickets on credit card. But if you have some chinese cash on you (for the metro ticket), I'd recommend a quick 30 minute trip to the market Cruiser Elite mentioned. It'll give that little bit extra 'taste' of china. I think the metro fare should be 2RMB each way (might be 3, not sure)

 

[steveward]

Re: Shanghai transit for 4.5 hours

Steve 4.5hrs is a bit slim - best suggestion I can make is ride Maglev to Loyyand are then subway further 2 stops to spend an hour or so browsing the fake market at Science and Technology Station - always fun there - you can always find a bargain or 3 - then Maglev back to PVG - you can never get sick of >400kmh train ride - and whoosh and rock as you pass the other Maglev train going in other direction has to be felt to be believed.

great! we will if time allows. thx a lot

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Shanghai transit for 4.5 hours

great! we will if time allows. thx a lot

There are several ATMs in the arrivals area (after you exit customs). You could withdraw RMB100 which would cover the maglev (RMB40 each way provided you show a boarding pass or itinerary), and have some money left over for either the metro to the market, or a burger or something at MacDonalds at Longyang Road station.

 

[steveward]

Re: Shanghai transit for 4.5 hours

sorted! thanks again... this makes it stress free. depends on the punctuality of flight of course but hopefully I can escape for this little adventure. cheers