Arriving in Shanghai: Maglev, Metro Line 2, Taxis and Paying with a Foreign Card
How to get from Pudong into Shanghai by Maglev, Metro Line 2 or taxi, Hongqiao in brief, tapping a foreign bank card at metro gates, the Shanghai Pass for visitors, and the emergency numbers.
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Shanghai has two airports. Pudong (PVG) takes most international flights and is east of the city. Hongqiao (SHA) is west, closer in. Before you fly, file China’s online arrival card, and set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card.
Maglev to Longyang Road
The Shanghai Airport Authority lists the Maglev fare as 50 yuan one way and 80 yuan return in standard class, or 100 and 160 yuan in VIP class. Trains run from the Pudong Terminal 1 and 2 station to Longyang Road from 07:02 to 21:42. The city government says “You can leave at Longyang Road Station and switch to Metro Line 2 there.”
Metro Line 2
The city government calls Line 2 “the most economical way to travel to and from the airport, with a fare of about 7 yuan”. It says the trip from the Terminal 1 and 2 station to People’s Square “takes about one hour.”
Taxis
The city government says “A taxi ride to People’s Square costs around 180 yuan and takes about 50 minutes.” The taxi stands are outside Arrival Gate 12 at Terminal 1 and outside Arrival Gate 25 at Terminal 2.
Hongqiao
Hongqiao Terminal 1 is “served by Metro Line 10”, and Terminal 2 by Lines 10 and 2. A taxi into the city takes “around 30 minutes and costs between 100 and 150 yuan, depending on traffic”, the city government says. The taxi stands are at Gate 1 on the arrivals floor of Terminal 1 and Gate 4 at Terminal 2 arrivals.
Tapping a foreign card on the metro
Meet in Shanghai, the city’s official visitor site, reported that from 28 June 2025 the whole metro accepted “Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, or UnionPay” cards from foreign visitors at the gates. The city’s guide for visitors says to “activate the small amounts password-free payment feature on your bank card” first. If a payment fails, UnionPay’s hotline is 95516.
Pudong’s district government reported a pilot from 14 June 2025 letting Visa, Mastercard, American Express and JCB cardholders tap through the Maglev gates. When a card carries both UnionPay and a foreign brand, “the gate uses UnionPay first.”
We found no official notice from 2026 confirming that either still works the same way. If the gate refuses your card, the city’s advice is to “ask the metro staff to help you buy a single-journey ticket.”
Alipay, WeChat Pay and the metro apps all need a connection at the gate. Set up a Saily eSIM before you leave home; Saily’s own China page says to install it before travelling, because its app may be hard to reach once you are in China. On a longer trip, add the next country to the same Saily profile. Our China SIM guide covers the rest.
The Shanghai Pass
The city government describes the Shanghai Pass as “a multipurpose prepaid card designed for overseas visitors to Shanghai”, with a “maximum balance of 1,000 yuan”. It “can be purchased at major transport hubs and subway stations throughout the city.” The page does not mention a deposit or fees.
Emergency numbers
The Shanghai government lists 110 for police, 119 for fire and 120 for medical emergencies, and says English is available on each. The 12345 government service hotline runs 24 hours “in Chinese as well as 18 foreign languages, including English”, for questions and complaints, not emergencies.
Saily, a data eSIM you install before you fly and top up per country Our full write-up. (affiliate link)