By air
Shanghai has two airports – Pudong and Hongqiao. Pudong serves predominantly international destinations and Hongqiao local ones (including Hong Kong and Macao). Alongside the mass of international carriers, China has many domestic airlines, which serve all the major cities. On top of the pricier cost of the air fare, the taxi fare from Puxi to the Pudong airport can be up to 250 RMB each way.
Pudong has two terminals: Terminal 1 serves most of the domestic airlines, while the Terminal 2 is for most international flights.
Maglev train
Shanghai has its own magnetic levitation train. This is a high-speed train, suspended on a magnetic cushion above rails that can reach speeds of over 265 mph (430 km/h). It started to work in 2004, after an investment of 1.3 millions of USD.
It runs from Longyang Subway Station (line 2) to Pudong International Airport. The Maglev makes this journey of 30.5 km in about 7-8 minutes and is cheaper than a taxi to the airport at just 50 RMB each way (80 RMB two ways). The first train is at 6:45 and the last one at 21:30.
For time tables and ticket information, visit The Shanghai Maglev Official website at http://www.smtdc.com/en.
Ferries
Ferries run between Pudong (the east side of the city) and Puxi (the west side). The Pudong pier is a short walk from all the major features of the skyline. There are two piers from Puxi: one right on the Bund, and the other is near Yu Yuan. The ferry runs until 21:30, so it may not be the best choice for a night on the other side of the city, but it is a great way to see the night skyline. There are two kinds of ferries, the “air-conditioned” ferry, which is nicer and has more plush seats, and the standard ferry. The standard ferry only has seats around the edges of the boat, and many commuters ride this ferry with their bicycles or scooters for a nominal extra fee. The ferry costs between 2½ and 5 RMB.
Bicycling
There must be over a million bicycles in Shanghai! It usually doesn’t take expats long to catch-on to the idea that the quickest, cheapest, healthiest and most pleasant way to get around is by bike. Bicycles are extraordinarily cheap in Shanghai and, due to the large number of other cycle users and slowness of the traffic, are especially abundant in the former French concession (Xuhui) area. Pollution is always an issue in Shanghai – bike riders should take this into account when they plan long bike rides.
The government has introduced laws banning cycles from using main roads in Shanghai, but the network of cycle lanes is vast. It’s a little daunting at first, especially as car driving is so erratic, but once you have your routes worked out – you’ll really enjoy it. Bikes share the special lanes with motor bikes and motorcycles. However, some roads do not have these special lanes and bikes ride anywhere they can find an open lane.
The problem of using a bicycle is the summer. The high temperatures and humidity result in a sweat-soaked rider, even on short trips. A good option is to buy an electrical bike. They are cheap – there is a wide range of prices starting at 1.000 RMB – and are really useful, since during rush hours they are faster than cars and taxis.
