PVG Shanghai Pudong International Airport
Layover in Shanghai: what fits in your hours
Shanghai is the big winner of China’s visa-free transit rules: many passports can now leave Pudong airport for a layover, and with the 240-hour rule even stay several days. Getting to the Bund takes the Maglev train and a change to the Metro, about 40 minutes in all.
How much time you really get
We count 40 minutes each way on the Shanghai Maglev to Longyang Road (about 7 min), then Metro Line 2 to East Nanjing Road, plus 20% for waiting, 45 minutes from landing to the exit, and 120 minutes back at the airport before departure. Bags checked through.
PVG Time in Shanghai
| Layover | In the city | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 h | 35 min | Stay airside |
| 6 h | 1 h 35 min | Tight |
| 8 h | 3 h 35 min | Go |
| 10 h | 5 h 35 min | Go |
| 12 h | 7 h 35 min | Go |
| 16 h | 11 h 35 min | Go |
| 24 h | 19 h 35 min | Go |
Plan with your own flight times and passport
Can you leave the airport?
Leaving the airport means entering mainland China.
Of the 13 passports we cover, India, South Africa and Philippines need a visa; the others can go without one, some with the visa-free transit rules.
Rules for every passport, with official sources →
China’s 240-hour visa-free transit, explained →
Two hours: the Bund and Nanjing Road
Layover of 6 h 30 min or more
From East Nanjing Road station walk to the river and back along the pedestrian street.
- The Bund. The riverside row of colonial-era banks and hotels, facing the skyscrapers of Lujiazui across the Huangpu.
- East Nanjing Road. The pedestrian shopping street from the Bund towards People’s Square, ablaze with neon at night.
Four hours: Yu Garden and the old town
Layover of 8 h 30 min or more
Walk south along the Bund to the old town; Metro back from Yuyuan Garden station.
- The Bund. As in the two-hour plan.
- Yu Garden. A classical Ming-dynasty garden of ponds, rockeries and pavilions.
- City God Temple bazaar. The maze of traditional-style shops and snack stalls around the garden.
Seven hours: old town, Xintiandi and the skyline
Layover of 11 h 30 min or more
On foot from the Bund to Yu Garden, Metro to Xintiandi, Metro Line 2 to Lujiazui for the evening.
- Yu Garden. As in the four-hour plan.
- Xintiandi. Restored shikumen lane houses in the former French Concession, now cafés and restaurants.
- Lujiazui. The towers across the river: the Shanghai Tower’s observation deck, or the riverside walk looking back at the Bund.
Good to know
- The Maglev ends at Longyang Road: change there to Metro Line 2 for the city centre. The Maglev and the Metro stop running in the evening, so plan a taxi for a late return.
- Many Google services do not work in mainland China; an eSIM with roaming data or an offline map helps.
- Do not mix up Pudong (PVG) with Hongqiao (SHA), Shanghai’s second airport.
Opening hours and ticket prices change: check them on Shanghai Municipal tourism site (Meet in Shanghai) before you go.
Before you go
Going into Shanghai
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Leave your bags in Shanghai
Radical Storage
Book a luggage locker near the station or your sight, so you can walk the city light.
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Short tours in Shanghai
Klook
Skip-the-line tickets and short guided tours that fit a few hours.
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Fixed-price transfer from PVG
Kiwitaxi
A driver waiting at arrivals, useful when trains are not running or you travel in a group.
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Mobile data for the layover
Saily
An eSIM you install before you fly, for maps and your airline app in town.
Staying at PVG
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Lounge passes at PVG
Klook
Pay-per-visit lounge access where your card or ticket does not get you in.
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Missed your connection?
AirHelp
Check whether a delay or a missed connection entitles you to compensation.
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Questions
How long a layover do I need to leave Shanghai Pudong International Airport?
About 5 h 55 min or more for 90 minutes in Shanghai. That counts 40 minutes each way on the Shanghai Maglev to Longyang Road (about 7 min), then Metro Line 2 to East Nanjing Road plus a margin, 45 minutes to get through arrival, and 120 minutes back at the airport before departure.
What can I do on an 8-hour layover in Shanghai?
About 3 h 35 min in the city: enough for “Two hours: the Bund and Nanjing Road”.
Do I need a visa to leave the airport in Shanghai?
Leaving the airport means entering mainland China. Of the 13 passports we cover, India, South Africa and Philippines need a visa; the others can go without one, some with the visa-free transit rules. Check your own passport in the planner.