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| Home > City Guide - Shanghai - Getting There By Air | ||
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Getting There By Air Hongqiao Airport (SHA) Tel: (21) 6268 8899. Fax: (21) 6269 0027. Website: www.shanghaiairport.com (Chinese only). Shanghai’s Hongqiao Airport is Shanghai’s former principal airport, now supplemented by Pudong Airport, which will be the new hub for international traffic. Traffic from Hong Kong, however – in theory a ‘domestic’ destination – still travels through Honqiao. Official plans called for all of Hongqiao’s international traffic to be transferred to Pudong by October 2002. The airport is situated 18km (11 miles) southwest of central Shanghai, approximately a half-hour taxi ride away. Major airlines: Air China (tel: (21) 6269 2999; website: www.airchina.com.cn/english) is the national airline. Domestic airlines include China Eastern Airlines (tel: (21) 6468 1166), China Northern Airlines (tel: (21) 6601 7594), China Northwest Airlines (tel: (21) 6601 7589), China Southern Airlines (tel: (21) 6553 3623) and China Southwest Airlines (tel: (21) 6601 7579). Airport facilities: Facilities include bureaux de change, banks, ATMs, post office, luggage lockers, Angel Car Rental car hire, duty free and other shops, cafés, restaurants and tourist information. There are also hotel reservation services. However, the standard of the facilities show the airport’s age compared to Pudong Airport, especially when passengers are trapped inside it by the all-too-frequent flight delays. Business facilities: Hongqiao Airport has a business centre with fax and telex facilities and Internet access. The Shanghai International Airport Hotel (tel: (21) 6268 8888; website: www.siah.com) has 24-hour business facilities with meeting rooms, telephones, fax, photocopying and telex services. There are also VIP lounges available. Transport to the city: Four public bus routes run from Hongqiao to central Shanghai (see Public Transport section in Getting Around). There is also a blue and white airport shuttle bus that leaves from outside the domestic arrivals. Shanghai Airport Bus Co. and the Shanghai Dazhong Bus Corporation operate shuttle buses, which depart every 30 minutes 0600-2100 (journey time – 30 minutes). Luggage space is limited. The fare is RMB4-7, with tickets sold on the bus. Transfer buses to Pudong Airport leave from outside domestic arrivals every 30 minutes 0600-2100 (journey time – 60 minutes). The fare is RMB30. Further information is available from Airport Shuttle Bus Services (tel: (21) 6834 6912 or 6645). Metered taxis are available at the airport and are best taken from the main taxi stand outside the domestic arrivals hall, thus avoiding touts. The fare is approximately RMB65 to central Shanghai, including toll fees (journey time – 30 minutes). It is best for tourists either to have the destination written in Chinese or a map handy. Pudong Airport (PVG) Tel: (21) 6834 1000. Fax: (21) 6834 2735. Website: www.shanghaiairport.com (Chinese only). Pudong Airport is located 30km (19 miles) southeast of Shanghai, on the East China Sea coast. Officially opened on 1 October 1999, Pudong Airport is Shanghai’s new international hub and is targeted to achieve 20 million passengers every year during its first phase, eventually rising to a capacity of 80 million by 2005. The penalty for this modernity is that Pudong is far further from central Shanghai than Hongqiao Airport is – driving times average one hour. This distance is one reason why Pudong Airport is to get the prestige flagship infrastructure project of a magnetic levitation shuttle linking it to central Shanghai. This is targeted for completion in 2004. Major airlines: Air China (tel: (21) 6269 2999; website: www.airchina.com.cn/english) operates flights to and from Pudong. Most other domestic carriers also serve the airport, including China Eastern Airlines (tel: (21) 6468 1166), China Northern Airlines (tel: (21) 6601 7594), China Northwest Airlines (tel: (21) 6601 7589), China Southern Airlines (tel: (21) 6553 3623) and China Southwest Airlines (tel: (21) 6601 7579). Other major carriers include Air France, All Nippon Airways, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, KLM, Korean Air, Lufthansa, Malaysian Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Qantas, SAS, Singapore Airlines, Thai International, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic Airlines. Airport facilities: Facilities include banks, ATMs, bureaux de change, post offices, Angel Car Rental car hire, restaurants and tourist information. There are also hotel reservation services, left-luggage, souvenir stalls and other shops, cafés and public telephones. Business facilities: The Pudong Airport Hotel (tel: (21) 6834 5092), located on the airport site, offers 24-hour business facilities, including various meeting rooms, telephone, fax and photocopying facilities. Catering services are also available. There are VIP lounges and Internet bars located within the airport. Transport to the city: Shanghai Airport Bus Co. and the Shanghai Dazhong Bus Corporation shuttle buses depart every 30 minutes 0600-2100 (journey time – 60-90 minutes) from outside the arrivals hall, between doors 7 to 15. Buses take five routes into the city, with only route five going to Pudong itself. The other routes are to Gongzhufen in western Beijing and to Zhongguancun in the city’s northwest district. The fare is RMB15-20, with tickets sold inside the bus. Transfer buses to Hongqiao Airport cost RMB22 and leave every half an hour 0600-2100. Further information is available from Airport Shuttle Bus Services (tel: (21) 6834 6912 or 6645). Metered taxis also are available at the airport – the fare to central Shanghai is approximately RMB170 (journey time – 60-90 minutes). Approximate flight times to Shanghai: From London is 11 hours; from New York is 22 hours; from Los Angeles is 16 hours; from Toronto is 16 hours and from Sydney is 10 hours. Departure tax: A RMB90 (international flights) or RMB50 (domestic flights) ‘construction fee’ is payable in cash at both airports (only Chinese currency is accepted). There is no charge for children under 12 years old. |
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