What is it?
The Shanghai Suburban Railway officially opens on December 27, 2024. The operation covers about 59 kilometers, passing through three districts: Minhang, Xuhui, and Pudong. The line includes seven stations: Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2 (Line 2 & 10, Zhongchun Road (Line 9), Jinghong Road (Line 15), South Sanlin, East Kangqiao, Shanghai International Resort, and Pudong Terminal 1 & 2 (Line 2).
Where does it leave at the airports?
The Shanghai Suburban Railway departs from Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2. You can reach this station by taking Metro Line 2 or Line 10. If you're coming from Hongqiao Railway Station, follow the station's signs, and it takes about 10 to 15 minutes on foot to reach the suburban railway's departure point at Terminal 2. Upon arriving at Pudong Airport, clear signage will guide you to either Terminal 1 or Terminal 2. Overall, the journey is smooth and straightforward, with no difficulties in navigation.
Operation Hours
The Shanghai Suburban Railway operates from 6am to 10:39pm, with a train every 15 minutes. The first trains depart from both Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2 Station and Pudong Terminal 1 & 2 Station at 6am, while the last trains depart at 10pm.
How to buy tickets
The full journey costs 26rmb. In addition to purchasing single-trip tickets at the station, you can use various payment methods, including the Shanghai NFC Mobile Transit Card, Shanghai Public Transport QR Code, physical transit cards, etc. Similar to the metro, ticket vending machines are available at all stations, providing a convenient way to purchase tickets.
First-hand experience
We experienced a round trip from Hongqiao to Pudong on a Friday morning around 10am, which was off-peak hours, so seats were readily available throughout the journey. Generally, if you board at Hongqiao or Pudong, finding a seat is not an issue unless it's during peak hours. However, boarding from intermediate stations might make it harder to secure a seat. According to online posts, the train can sometimes get quite crowded, they might need to improve scheduling to accommodate passengers better. The train has facilities like charging outlets and luggage racks, and the seats are more spacious than those on the metro.
Is it useful for anything else? For example, does it help reduce travel times from Pudong Airport to other parts of downtown?
The trains, designed to run at 160 km/h, offer fast connections between Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport and Pudong International Airport in under 40 minutes, significantly cutting travel time between the two.
That said, this line might not be ideal for everyone. For instance, I live near Zhongshan Park, so I would take Line 2 to Hongqiao and transfer to the Maglev at Longyang Road to reach Pudong—it's a better option for me. However, the line is still very useful in certain scenarios, such as:
- If you're arriving in Shanghai by train and need to catch a flight at Pudong, this line offers a much faster route to Pudong.
- Similarly, if you live near Hongqiao, such as in Minhang or Songjiang, this railway line can be a big time-saver.
In other cases, it might not be as convenient unless you live close to one of the intermediate stations or your destination is nearby. This way, you can avoid unnecessary detours.
Will it be easier for people heading to Disney Resort?
Since the line stops at Shanghai International Resort, some people might wonder if it makes it easier for tourists heading to Disney Resort. The reality is, you'll need to transfer to a bus and walk about 1 km after getting off, so it may not be the most convenient option right now. However, there are rumors that a shuttle bus will connect the railway station to Disney Resort in the future.
Conclusion
This line is most useful for people traveling between Hongqiao and Pudong airports at an affordable price. Hopefully, in the future, they will introduce direct trains with no stops in between, making the journey even faster.