The city where Pudong International Airport is located is Shanghai. Air gates are small in size, so it is impossible to get lost here. However, they are quite non-standard. Runways are located on both sides of two terminals, and not on one, like most hubs.
No less interesting is the history of the construction of the airport. It was conceived as an auxiliary to the existing Hongqiao, and became Shanghai's main air harbor. It is also interesting that the world's first magnetic suspension railway line was also built here. She connected the hub with the metro of the metropolis.
In this article, we will tell you all about Pudong Airport. We will describe its history, and also reveal simple secrets of how to get from the air harbor to the center of Shanghai. Guest reviews have become our main informative base.
History
If you fly China Etern Airlinez, then Shanghai-Pudong International Airport will take you. But back in 1999, China's largest metropolis had other air gates. Foreign passengers (and even domestic flights) were hosted by Hongqiao Airport. It was repeatedly expanded and modernized until it came to the conclusion that in order for the hub to satisfy the growing flow of people, it was necessary to demolish many neighborhoods of urban development. Therefore, it was decided to build a new airport.
A place for him was chosen on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, in the Pudong region, which is thirty kilometers east of the center of Shanghai. The first terminal was designed by French architect Paul André. Judging by the reviews of passengers, the exterior design resembles two sea waves. The first flight "Pudong" took in October 1999. In March 2008, the second terminal was completed. The marine theme has been preserved in the design of this building. From afar, it resembles a seagull spreading its wings.
Hub feature
Today, Pudong Airport (Shanghai) took all international flights from Hongqiao except for Haneda (Tokyo) and Gimpo (Seoul). Airliners arriving here from Macau and Hong Kong (PRC) also land here. Despite the fact that Pudong consists of only two terminals (the construction of the third has not yet been completed), it is the largest airport in China in terms of passenger traffic and surpasses even Beijing Capital in this parameter.
Now it serves sixty million travelers a year. With the construction of the third terminal and two runways, this figure should increase to 100 million. Pudong carriers such as China Western Airlines, Air China, Shanghai Airlines and Spring Airlines consider their home haven. This hub is the sixth in the world in terms of congestion and twenty-ninth - in international passenger traffic.
Airborne Scheme
At present, Pudong Airport (Shanghai) consists of two terminals. They stand at a fairly large distance from each other. Between them from six in the morning until midnight, a free shuttle bus runs at intervals of ten minutes. Passengers like that in any of the Puduna terminals the traveler will find everything necessary. Baggage can be checked in for storage. Judging by the reviews of people, there is an opportunity to have a meal in one of the restaurant courtyards, exchange money in bank branches, and stint in duty-free shops.
If a simple waiting room does not suit you, then there are hotels of different stars near the airport. In order to receive a VAT refund from a one-time purchase in an amount not less than five hundred yuan, you need to go to customs (gate 10 in the first terminal and 25 in the second). With the documents drawn up there, then you need to go to the international departures area and find the “Tax-free” item there.
How to get from Shanghai to Pudong Airport?
If you travel with a lot of luggage and do not want to fool yourself with subway schemes, it is better to call a taxi. Judging by the reviews of passengers, this service in Shanghai is more expensive than in other Chinese cities. A trip can cost one hundred and fifty yuan during the day, and more than thirty dollars at night. Experienced travelers are advised to beware of private traders who can rip off the triple price. In addition, they will take you around the city for a long time.
Reviews of tourists indicate the following fact: if you are leaving the hotel, it is better to ask for a taxi with a counter at the reception. Drivers often do not understand English. Therefore, if you want to get to the Pudong Airport (Shanghai), and not somewhere else, you need to learn the words "Pudong Guoji Jichang."
The most economical option for transport to the air harbor is the metro. The green line (second) connects the two airports in Shanghai. So you can easily get from Hongqiao to Pudong and back. You can also take the bus from Nanjin Road, Jin An Temple People's Square. But there is a risk of being late for the plane due to traffic jams.
How to get to the city from Pudong Airport?
The center of Shanghai, tourists say, is located more than thirty kilometers from the air harbor. The fastest way to overcome this distance is the Maglev train. It travels at speeds from 350 to 430 kilometers per hour. The train arrives in Shanghai in seven minutes and twenty seconds. But it is rather a tourist attraction. Such a pleasure costs fifty yuan, about eight dollars (travel in a regular subway $ 0.5-3).
In addition, the “Maglev” does not arrive in the center of Shanghai itself, but at the Lun Yan Lu metro station - the same green line. It is not difficult to navigate in the terminals and find outings to a high-speed train or subway - everywhere there are English-language signs with clear pictures. Tickets are sold in vending machines. They also have the option of switching to English.