Shanghai Maglev: Pudong Airport to Longyang Road, Tickets and Onward Transfers
Last checked: 15 September 2026. The Shanghai Maglev connects Pudong Airport Terminal 1&2 with Longyang Road. It is not a direct train to every central hotel, and it is not the Airport Link Line between Pudong and Hongqiao.
The Maglev makes the most sense when you want the train experience or your onward route works well from Longyang Road. Before buying a ticket, compare the complete journey: terminal walk, wait, Maglev ride, transfer and final walk to the hotel. A very fast first segment does not automatically make the whole trip simplest with luggage.
Three rail names that are easy to confuse
| Service | Relevant connection | What it means for your plan |
|---|---|---|
| Maglev / 磁浮 | Pudong Airport Terminal 1&2 – Longyang Road | Usually an onward metro or road journey for a central hotel. |
| Metro Line 2 / 地铁2号线 | Serves Pudong Airport Terminal 1&2 and central Shanghai | Compare it when avoiding a Maglev-to-metro transfer matters more than the train experience. |
| Airport Link Line / 市域机场线 | Connects the Pudong and Hongqiao airport areas | Check this separately for an airport-to-airport journey; it is not the Maglev. |
Shanghai’s official Airport Link Line guide, updated in March 2026, explains that line’s route and the out-of-station connection to the Maglev at Pudong. Use the exact service name when asking for directions. A staff member hearing only “airport train” may not know which one you intend.
Choose by your destination, not by the advertised top speed
For a hotel reached conveniently from Longyang Road: the Maglev can be a straightforward first leg. Save the hotel’s Chinese address and nearest metro station, then check the onward route before leaving the airport.
For a central hotel on Line 2: compare staying on the metro with using the Maglev and transferring. There is no need to buy the faster-looking option if changing platforms with bags is the part you most want to avoid.
For Hongqiao Airport or its rail hub: start a fresh route search using the exact terminal or railway station. Do not assume that “Longyang Road” is another name for Hongqiao. Airport, metro and high-speed railway stations are different destinations.
For an exhausted group with several large bags: compare a licensed taxi from the official airport queue. Our recommendation is to value the final transfer and hotel access as highly as the train ride itself.
Match your arrival plan to the district where you will spend your time. Our first-time Shanghai guide can help you avoid choosing a hotel purely for one airport transfer.
Maglev tickets: published prices and the same-day flight discount
The operator’s published ticket table lists an ordinary one-way ticket at RMB 50, an ordinary return ticket valid for a round trip within seven days at RMB 80, and an ordinary one-way fare of RMB 40 with a same-day flight ticket. Confirm the currently offered product and evidence required at purchase; do not assume a flight on a different date qualifies.
Keep your same-day flight booking or boarding pass available and ask the counter about the discount before paying. Do not buy the return product unless its validity window and your actual return route fit. A saving on paper is not useful if you return after the ticket expires or depart from a different airport.
These are Maglev fares, not a guaranteed all-in price to your hotel. An onward metro journey or taxi is a separate cost unless the particular combined ticket explicitly includes it. Do not add an old metro fare from a screenshot and call the result a verified 2026 total.
Buying without a Chinese payment app
Shanghai’s official foreign-card ticketing announcement identifies airport metro customer-service centres with card-payment facilities and Maglev/metro combined ticket options. Look for the accepted-card signs and ask staff which counter sells the product you want. This is counter-payment guidance, not a claim that every foreign card can be tapped directly at a Maglev gate.
Keep a payment backup and do not assume every self-service machine has the same options. If you have set up a phone payment method, retain the physical bank card separately. Our China phone and payment preparation guide helps you avoid making a working mobile connection your only way to buy a ticket.
From the arrivals hall to the train
- Finish arrival formalities first. Immigration, baggage collection and customs are not part of the train journey. An aircraft’s scheduled landing time is not the time you will reach a ticket counter.
- Follow signs for Maglev / 磁浮. The airport station serves Terminal 1&2. Follow the terminal’s current wayfinding rather than using an old gate number from a blog.
- Confirm direction and ticket type. You want Longyang Road / 龙阳路 for the city-bound Maglev. Show same-day flight evidence if asking about the discount.
- Pass the required checks and use the ticket as instructed. Keep it available until the journey and exit are complete. Do not assume a screenshot or an unrelated metro QR code will operate the gate.
- Board with luggage under control. Keep the doorway and aisle clear, and follow staff instructions about where bags can be placed.
We deliberately do not promise a particular operating speed on your trip. Service conditions can change, and a train’s technical capability is not a guarantee of a specific speed or door-to-door travel time.
At Longyang Road: finish the route you planned
When you arrive, pause before following the crowd. Identify whether you are transferring to the metro or leaving for a road vehicle. Have the next station or hotel address ready in Chinese and English; do not choose a metro direction based only on a line number.
Allow time to walk, orient yourself and deal with another ticket or fare gate. Treat the Maglev and metro as separate ticketing steps unless staff confirm your chosen product works for both. If your group separates, agree on a meeting point outside the immediate gate flow.
For a taxi onward, use an official pickup arrangement and verify the destination. Do not accept an unsolicited offer merely because someone recognises that you are a visitor. The most useful navigation item is your hotel’s precise address, not an English district name alone.
Early flights and late arrivals need a separate plan
The Shanghai Airport Authority’s Maglev page currently lists the Pudong-to-Longyang Road operating period as 07:02–21:42. Recheck the actual travel date and direction. Do not rely on historical news about extra late-night trains as proof that an extension operates today.
For an arrival near the end of service, wait until you have cleared the terminal formalities before deciding the train is still feasible. For a departure, work backwards from your airline’s required airport arrival time, then add the hotel-to-station journey, waiting and terminal walk. If that falls before the first usable service, choose a different transfer.
An eight-minute-style headline about the ride, or any other promotional journey time, is not an airport check-in buffer. If your onward journey is a domestic flight, review our domestic flight check-in guide for foreign passports and follow the airline’s actual deadlines.
The short decision checklist
- My destination is reachable sensibly from Longyang Road.
- I know whether I need a one-way, return or explicitly combined ticket.
- I have checked whether same-day flight evidence qualifies for a discount.
- I have allowed for terminal formalities, transfers and the final hotel walk.
- I have an alternative if my arrival is too late or the service changes.
If those answers are clear, the Maglev can be an enjoyable and useful start to Shanghai. If they are not, choose the simpler complete journey rather than the most impressive first segment.
