---
title: "Pudong to Hongqiao: How to Transfer Between Shanghai's Two Airports (2026 Guide)"
description: "Compare the Airport Link Line, Metro Line 2, and taxis for transferring between Pudong and Hongqiao airports in Shanghai."
type: "guide"
published: "2026-07-04T00:00:00"
updated: "2026-07-04T01:48:59.417125Z"
reading_minutes: 7
word_count: 2211
tags: ["shanghai", "airport-transfer", "china-travel", "public-transport", "travel-tips"]
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---

# Pudong to Hongqiao: How to Transfer Between Shanghai's Two Airports (2026 Guide)

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**The fastest way to get from Pudong (PVG) to Hongqiao (SHA) is the new Airport Link Line, which connects the two airports in about 40 minutes — far quicker than Metro Line 2's 90-plus-minute crawl. It's the option that finally makes a same-airport-city transfer feel simple, if you leave enough time.**

Shanghai has two major airports on opposite sides of the city, and connecting between them used to be the most nerve-wracking part of a China trip. That changed at the end of 2024, when the Airport Link Line (机场联络线) opened and cut the cross-city run to under 40 minutes. Yet most guides still describe the slow old routes, or explain the train without ever telling you how much buffer a real transfer needs. This one does both.

One honesty note up front. LyrikTrip designs private China trips, so we arrange airport transfers at both PVG and Hongqiao. That gives us no reason to oversell any single option — and every reason to tell you plainly how much time a self-connection really takes and when it's a genuine risk. The rail times and fares below are verified against Shanghai Metro and airport sources as of July 2026; road-dependent figures (taxis) still shift with traffic, so confirm those before you travel.

## Key Takeaways

- **The Airport Link Line is the new default.** It links PVG and Hongqiao in about 40 minutes at up to 160 km/h — roughly twice as fast as Metro Line 2 (Shanghai Metro / airport, verified 2026-07).
- **Metro Line 2 is the cheap backup, not the smart choice.** The single green-line ride between the two airports takes 90-plus minutes with many stops — fine on a budget with hours to spare, painful with luggage or a flight to catch.
- **A taxi is the door-to-door option, but the two airports are far apart.** They sit on opposite sides of Shanghai, so expect a long ride and a fare that climbs with traffic — treat any figure as a ballpark.
- **Allow far more time than the 40-minute ride suggests.** A self-transfer means claiming bags, crossing to the other airport, then re-checking in and re-clearing security — plan a half-day, not an hour.
- **Never book a tight same-day self-connection on separate tickets.** With no protected connection, one delay on the first flight can cost you the second — there's no rebooking and no baggage transfer.
- **First Airport Link Line train from PVG is 06:00, last is 22:15** (Shanghai Metro / airport, verified 2026-07) — if you land late or leave at dawn, check you're inside the service window.

---

## What Is the Fastest Way From Pudong to Hongqiao Airport?

**The Airport Link Line is the fastest and simplest route — about 40 minutes end to end, running at up to 160 km/h between Pudong Airport Terminal 1&2 and Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2, with trains roughly every 15 minutes (Shanghai Metro / airport, verified 2026-07).** Opened on December 27, 2024, it's a dedicated suburban railway built specifically to stitch Shanghai's two airports together, and it has quietly solved the city's worst transfer headache.

The line runs from Pudong Airport T1&T2 to Hongqiao Airport T2 with a handful of stops in between (seven stations in total, including Shanghai International Resort near Disney). Fares start at ¥4 and rise by about ¥0.45 per kilometer; the full airport-to-airport run is reported at around ¥26 (Shanghai Metro / airport, verified 2026-07). The first train from Pudong departs at 06:00 and the last at 22:15, so it covers almost any daytime or early-evening arrival — but a red-eye landing after 22:15 will need a taxi instead. The carriages are built for airport travelers, with proper luggage racks and charging points rather than the packed, standing-room feel of the metro.

Practically, once you clear arrivals at Pudong, follow the signs for the Airport Link Line (it shares the ground-transport levels with Metro Line 2 and the Maglev, so read the platform signage carefully to board the right one). At Hongqiao you arrive directly at Terminal 2. If your onward flight leaves from Hongqiao Terminal 1, budget a little extra to move between the two Hongqiao terminals. For everything else about arriving at Pudong itself, see our [Shanghai Pudong airport guide](/guides/pvg-airport-city-transfer).

## How Much Time Should You Allow for a PVG–Hongqiao Transfer?

**Allow a half-day, not the 40-minute ride time — realistically three to five hours between flights for a self-transfer, and more if either flight is international.** The train is fast, but the train is only one piece of the journey. A cross-airport connection also means clearing immigration, waiting for and collecting checked bags, riding to the other airport, then re-checking in and passing security and (for international departures) immigration again. Each step has its own queue.

Here's the honest breakdown of where the time goes. On arrival at Pudong you clear immigration and wait for baggage — that alone can run an hour on a busy international arrival. The Airport Link Line ride is about 40 minutes, plus the walk to and from platforms and any wait for the next train. At Hongqiao you then need the airline's check-in cutoff (typically 45–60 minutes before a domestic departure, longer for international) plus security. Stack those up and a "quick" transfer comfortably fills three to five hours before you've added any margin for a delayed inbound flight. If you're moving heavy or multiple bags, add more — dragging luggage through two airports and a train is slow, tiring work.

## Is a Same-Day Connection Between Shanghai's Airports Safe?

**A same-day connection is safe only if you build in a generous buffer and, ideally, book it as a single through-ticket. On two separate tickets it's genuinely risky — there's no protected connection, so if your first flight is late, the airlines owe you nothing.** This is the trap that catches first-time visitors, and it's the one no booking site flags for you.

When two flights are on separate tickets, you are your own connection. You collect your own bags at Pudong, cross the width of Shanghai to Hongqiao, and re-check in from scratch — there's no rebooking if you misconnect and no baggage transfer between the airlines. A "Shanghai to Shanghai" itinerary on a search engine does not mean the same airport; PVG and SHA are two different places on opposite sides of the city, and travelers who assume otherwise are the ones who miss a flight. If you can, book the whole journey as one ticket so the airline protects the connection; if you can't, leave a very wide margin, or split the trip with an overnight stay in the city and transfer the next day at leisure. When the timing is tight, we simply advise clients not to attempt it same-day — a night in Shanghai is cheaper than a walk-up replacement fare.

## PVG ↔ Hongqiao Transfer Options Compared

**For almost everyone, the Airport Link Line wins on speed and simplicity; Metro Line 2 is the budget fallback; a taxi is the door-to-door choice when you have bags, a group, or a flight outside the train's hours.** This table lays out the trade-off, including the minimum-connection reality for each.

| Mode | Time (airport to airport) | Cost (RMB) | Best for | Minimum-connection advice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Airport Link Line** | ~40 min (up to 160 km/h) | ~¥26 end to end (¥4 base + ~¥0.45/km) | Nearly everyone — fastest, purpose-built for airport travelers | Fast ride, but still allow a half-day once bags, check-in and security are counted |
| **Metro Line 2** | ~90+ min, many stops | ~¥8–10 | Budget travelers with hours to spare and light bags | Too slow and crowded for a tight connection — only with a wide buffer |
| **Taxi / ride-hail** | ~60–90 min (traffic-dependent) | ~¥180–250+ (indicative, confirm) | Groups, heavy luggage, late-night arrivals outside train hours | Door to door, but traffic can double the time at peak — leave generous margin |
| **Private transfer** | ~60–90 min (traffic-dependent) | Arranged in advance | Families, first-timers, anyone wanting it handled | Driver tracks your flight; still plan the connection conservatively |

Read it this way. **Take the Airport Link Line** unless you have a specific reason not to — it's faster than the metro, cheaper and more predictable than a taxi, and built for people with suitcases. **Fall back to Metro Line 2** only if you're counting every yuan and have a long, relaxed layover; the 90-plus-minute ride with a full metro crowd is a slog with luggage. **Take a taxi or a private car** when you land after 22:15 or before 06:00, when you're traveling as a family with lots of bags, or when you simply want a door-to-door ride and will pay for the convenience — just remember the two airports are far apart, so the meter runs.

## What About Luggage on the Transfer?

**On a self-transfer you carry your own bags the entire way — there's no through-checking between separate tickets, so plan for hauling everything through two airports and a train.** The Airport Link Line trains have proper luggage racks, which helps, but you still lift bags on and off, through gates, and up to the next check-in desk yourself.

If you have a long layover and don't want to babysit suitcases, both airports have paid left-luggage services, so you can stow bags and explore the city between flights rather than dragging them around — see our [China airport luggage storage guide](/guides/china-airport-luggage-storage) for how that works and what it costs. And if part of your Shanghai plan involves the Maglev — the 430 km/h train between Pudong and the edge of the city — note it serves the city, not Hongqiao directly, so it's a sightseeing ride or a city-center connection rather than an airport-to-airport shortcut; our [Shanghai Maglev train guide](/guides/shanghai-maglev-pudong-city) explains where it actually takes you.

## Frequently Asked Questions

**What's the fastest way from Pudong to Hongqiao airport?**
The Airport Link Line, which opened in December 2024, connects the two airports in about 40 minutes at up to 160 km/h — roughly twice as fast as Metro Line 2. Trains run about every 15 minutes for a full-journey fare of around ¥26 (Shanghai Metro / airport, verified 2026-07).

**How long does the transfer take door to door?**
The train ride itself is about 40 minutes, but a realistic self-transfer takes three to five hours once you count clearing immigration, collecting bags, riding across the city, and re-checking in and clearing security at the second airport. Allow a half-day, especially for international flights.

**Can I connect between PVG and Hongqiao on the same day?**
Yes, but only with a generous buffer. On a single through-ticket the airline protects the connection; on separate tickets you carry all the risk, because a delayed first flight can cost you the second with no rebooking. When timing is tight, an overnight stay in Shanghai is far safer.

**How much does the Airport Link Line cost?**
Fares start at ¥4 and rise by about ¥0.45 per kilometer, with the full Pudong-to-Hongqiao run reported at around ¥26 (Shanghai Metro / airport, verified 2026-07). It's cheaper and more predictable than a cross-city taxi, and far faster than Metro Line 2.

**What if my flight lands late at night?**
The first Airport Link Line train from Pudong is 06:00 and the last is 22:15 (Shanghai Metro / airport, verified 2026-07). If you arrive after that window or need to travel before dawn, take a taxi or a pre-arranged private car — the two airports are on opposite sides of the city, so expect a long ride.

## Making the Call

Two decisions get you cleanly between Shanghai's airports. First, **take the Airport Link Line** — since late 2024 it has made the PVG–Hongqiao run a 40-minute train ride rather than a cross-city ordeal, and it beats both the slow metro and the pricey taxi for almost everyone. Keep the taxi in reserve for late-night arrivals, big families, or heavy luggage. Second, **give yourself real time** — the ride is fast, but a self-transfer still means bags, check-in, and security twice over, so plan a half-day and never gamble on a tight same-day connection booked as separate tickets.

Handled well, transferring between Shanghai's two airports is now one of the easier logistics puzzles in China. When you'd rather not think about it at all, LyrikTrip can arrange a private, English-speaking transfer between PVG and Hongqiao timed to your real arrival — flight tracked, bags handled, and enough buffer built in that a delay never becomes a missed flight. Tell us your flights, and we'll take it from there.