PVG · Layover Guide
Shanghai
Stop in Shanghai.
Best layover: 6–24h
LayoverScore™
Base city score. Your route score varies by savings and timing.
Exit realism
Comfortable window
Enough room in Shanghai for a real stop. Keep the buffer at the end anyway.
Landside playbook
If time slips
- Drop the last stop. Go straight to the train, taxi rank, or ride pickup you already chose.
- Add 15 minutes to map ETAs for the return leg at rush hour.
- One ticket for the whole trip protects you when the inbound is late. Separate tickets do not.
Worth knowing
- Do not stack three stops. One solid block in the city beats a rushed loop.
- Do not treat one map time as gospel for immigration lines. Pad on your first pass through this hub.
Planning a stop in Shanghai?
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Places to stay
Search hotelsLayoverScore™ breakdown
Score 74 · Discover 52 · Ease 10
Why Shanghai scores 74
Getting there
Maglev Train $8 · Metro Line 2 $1.5
min to center
metro- 01Maglev + Metro Line 2 (60-75 min to city center)
- 02Metro Line 2 direct (90 min to People's Square)
- 03Taxi/Didi (45-60 min, traffic dependent)
- 01Walk the historic Bund waterfront with Art Deco architecture views
- 02Explore Yu Garden's classical Chinese pavilions and bazaar
- 03Wander the French Concession's tree-lined streets and cafes
- 04Visit the Shanghai Tower observation deck (world's 2nd tallest building)
- 05Sample xiaolongbao soup dumplings at Din Tai Fung or Jia Jia Tang Bao
Experiences in Shanghai
Timed tours and tickets for Shanghai are listed on our partner site.
Open listingsOpens in a new tab.
- The Bund~90 min6 min walk
- Yu Garden~90 min15 min walk
- Xintiandi~75 min25 min walk
- Cloud 9 Bar~75 min10 min walk
- Din Tai Fung~60 min19 min walk
- Nanjing Road Food Street~60 min8 min walk
- The Bund4.7
- Yu Garden4.5
- Oriental Pearl TV Tower4.6
- Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street4.6
- Tianzifang4.2
Need a room for your layover? Browse hotels near the airport.
Where to stay →Drop your luggage. Don't drag it around the city.
PVG Left Luggage Service
Arrivals hall, both terminals
$8/bag
2 min walk
Ramada Shanghai Pudong Airport
Connected to Terminal 2
$50/day
5 min walk
From the terminal to the good part.
Maglev Train
to Longyang Road station
World's fastest commercial train (430 km/h), connects to Metro at Longyang Road
8 min
$8.00
Metro Line 2
to city center
Direct to People's Square and Jing'an Temple
90 min
$1.50
Taxi/Didi
Metered, add 15-30 min during rush hour
55 min
$35.00
Airport Bus Lines
Multiple routes to different city areas
75 min
$4.00
Shanghai Pass
Metro rides and select attractions
Available at airport metro stations
$25
per day
Getting there
Get an Uber from the airportAt the airport
- 01Terminal 2 observation deck with runway views
- 02VIP lounges with shower facilities
- 03Authentic Chinese dining options in both terminals
Read more about Shanghai
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