Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA)
The Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport is the main airport serving domestic flights in and out of Shanghai, China. It also has international flights but these are limited in number.
The Hongqiao International Airport is located near Hongqiao town in the Changning District. It is 13 kilometers to the west of downtown Shanghai; its location puts it closer to the city center than the Pudong Airport. It is also about 60 kilometers away from the Pudong International Airport.
Hongqiao International Airport is the main hub for Shanghai Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Juneyao Airlines, and Spring Airlines. It currently hosts 22 airlines with flights to 82 destinations. In 2010, despite its domestic-only status, the airport was named the 4th busiest airport in China and the 41st in the world.
The airport is now more than 80 years old, and it is considered the first civilian airport in the city.
Facts about Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport
Chinese name: 上海虹桥国际机场
Address: 1 Konggang Road, Hong Qiao Lu 2550, Hong Qiao Airport, Shanghai
Airport Code: SHA
Website: www.shairport.com
Telephone no.: 021-62688899
Information inquiry no.: 021-52604620
Tourist information no.: 021-64390630
Terminal
The Hongqiao International Airport is made up of two terminals. Terminal 1 is divided into two, Zone A and Zone B. Together, the two zones take up a total of 82,000 square meters. Terminal 2 was only recently added and was opened in 2010. The expansion also included a runway extension and the addition of a large runway that can accommodate the largest aircraft including the A380.
Terminal 1 is currently serving 7 airlines, namely
- Spring Airlines
- All Nippon Airways
- Japan Airlines
- Asiana Airline
- Korean Air
- Shanghai Airlines (flights to Japan and Korea only)
- China Eastern Airlines
Terminal 2 is currently being used by 11 airlines, namely
- China Eastern Airlines
- Shanghai Airlines
- Air China
- China Southern Airlines
- Xiamen Airlines
- Shenzhen Airlines
- Shandong Airlines
- Hainan Airlines
- Tianjin Airlines
- Sichuan Airlines
- Juneyao Airlines
Transportation to/from the City
Travelers going to and from Hongqiao International Airport can choose from different transport modes for their convenience.
Hongqiao Airport Shuttle Bus
If you wish to take the airport shuttle buses, you can take the following routes depending on the terminal you are going to or coming from:
Terminal 1
- Line 925 to People’s Square
- Line 941 to Shanghai Railway Station – Leaves regularly from 6:00 to 23:00
- Line 938 to Pudong Yangjiadu – Leaves every 10 minutes from 6:00 to 21:30
- Line 807 to Shanghai West Railway Station – Leaves every 10 minutes from 6:00 to 21:00
- Line 806 to Zhong Shan Nan Yi – Leaves every 10 minutes from 6:00 to 21:30
- Airport bus line 1 to Shan Xi Lu – Leaves every 15-25 minutes from 6:00 to 23:00
Terminal 2
- Shiniu Line 4 – Leaves regularly from 6:00 to 23:00
- Shiniu Line 9 – Leaves regularly from 6:00 to 23:00
- Airport Bus Line 1 – Leaves every 15 to 25 minutes from 6:00 to 23:00
- Line 941 (daytime)
- Line 316 (night line) to Shanghai Railway Station
- Line 320 (night line) to East Yan’an Road
- Line 925A to Renmin Square
Taxi
You may take a taxi between the Hongqiao International Airport and People’s Square (city center). Taxis are readily available outside the arrival area of the airport. The trip going to the city center takes approximately half an hour and will cost CNY60. If the People’s Square is far from your destination, you can also take a cab to Xujiahui, another busy commercial district in the Xuhui District. The taxi fare will cost about CNY 40 to 50 and will take up to 20 minutes.
You can also take a taxi between the Shanghai Railway Station and the Hongqiao International Airport. The distance between these two locations is 16 kilometers, while the taxi fare will range between 50 to 70 yuan depending on traffic conditions.
Taxi pick-up points at Hongqiao International Airport include:
- Arrival Hall exit in Terminal 1
- South side of Gate 4 in Terminal 2
You may want to consider taking other forms of transportation during peak hours, as it may be challenging to get a taxi at these times.
Subway
The Hongqiao International Airport is connected to the Shanghai city center by two subway lines, line 2 and line 10. These two lines stop at:
- Hongqiao Railway Station
- Yuyuan Garden
- Jing’an Temple
- People’s Square
- Nanjing East Road
- Lujiazui
- Longyang Road
- Pudong International Airport
Passengers can alight at these locations to get to Hongqiao Airport, or they can take the subway to these locations and move on to their end destinations. Those who want to go to Pudong Airport from Hongqiao Airport and take the subway line 2, however, should get off at the Guanglan Road subway station and transfer to a 4-car train to get to Pudong.
Take note, however, that the Hongqiao Airport is not accessible via the Maglev Train. Although the train was supposed to be extended to Hongqiao to connect the two main airports in Shanghai, the extension was postponed.
Inter-City Transportation
Those going to Hongqiao International Airport from other cities can easily get there since the airport is located right next to the Hongqiao Railway Station, the major train hub that serves the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway, the Shanghai-Nanjing High-Speed Railway, and the Shanghai-Hangzhou High-Speed Railway.
You can also take long-distance buses to the following destinations:
| Destination | Duration | Cost (in CNY) |
|---|---|---|
| Suzhou | 90 minutes | 50 |
| Hangzhou | 120 minutes | 85 |
| Changshu | 120 minutes | 65 |
| Wuxi | 120 minutes | 75 |
| Zhangjiagang | 120 minutes | 80 |
| Jiangyin | 150 minutes | 80 |
| Kunshan | 60 minutes | 55 |
| Nanjing | 240 minutes | 100 |
To take the long-distance buses, go to Terminal 1.
Inter-Terminal Transportation
If you wish to transfer between the two airport terminals, you can take either a free shuttle bus or a public bus. The free shuttle buses leave every 5 to 15 minutes between 6:30 and 23:00. The buses are located at north of Exit No. 1 at the Arrival Level in Terminal 1 or the first floor of the Transportation Center in Terminal 2. The shuttle bus trip between the two terminals takes about 15 minutes.
If you want to take the public bus from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2, you can take bus line 941. The ticket fare is just CNY 2. You can alight at the Arrivals B in Terminal 1.