Shanghai Pudong Airport to City 2026: Pick-up, Didi Taxi & More
Your Shanghai adventure begins the moment you land! Explore the top 4 ways to get from Pudong Airport to the city center, comparing costs and convenience for a hassle-free start.
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Your Shanghai adventure begins the moment you land! Explore the top 4 ways to get from Pudong Airport to the city center, comparing costs and convenience for a hassle-free start.
How to Get from Shanghai Pudong Airport to the City Center,
Comparing Private Transfers and Didi Taxi
Text/Photos ©Haibubu
The first step of your Shanghai adventure begins with
getting from the airport to the city.
Today, I'll compare 4 ways to get from Shanghai Pudong Airport
to the city center and even share my review of private transfer services!
📌First, there are broadly four ways to get from Shanghai Pudong Airport
to the city center. I've summarized them in the table below.
They include the Subway, Maglev + Subway, Didi Taxi,
and Private Transfer Services. Let's compare them in detail!
Subway | Maglev + Subway | Didi Taxi | Private Transfer | |
Price | 7 CNY (approx. ~$1) | 54 CNY (approx. ~$8) | approx. ~$21-28 | 5-seater (Sedan) - ~$41 Up to 4 people, 2x 24-inch suitcases 5-seater (SUV) - ~$48 Up to 4 people, 3x 24-inch suitcases 7-seater (Van) - ~$55 Up to 6 people, 4x 24-inch suitcases |
Recommended For | 1 or 2 people | 1 or 2 people | 2-3 people | 3+ people |
📍 First, there's the option of taking the Subway alone or combining the Maglev with the Subway.
If you only take the subway, you can travel directly to Nanjing East Road (Line 2) without transfers, but it will take the longest time.
If you take the Subway + Maglev, you'll need one transfer, but you can reach the city center in about an hour.
As the most affordable option, I'd recommend this for solo travelers or duos.
However, it involves a fair bit of walking, so I wouldn't recommend it if you have heavy or a lot of luggage.
📍 Next up is taking a Didi Taxi.
From Pudong Airport to Nanjing East Road in the city, the cost can vary depending on traffic, but you can expect it to be around ~$21-28.
If traffic is clear, you'll reach the city center in about 45 minutes.
Considering the number of suitcases that can fit in the trunk, I'd recommend Didi Taxi for 2-3 travelers.
Considering that 2-3 people can travel comfortably, you'll likely find the price range quite reasonable!
However, a heads-up: if you're unlucky, you might encounter a Didi Taxi with a cigarette smell inside, so please keep that in mind..!
📍 Finally, there's the option of using a private airport transfer service.
This is a mode of transport I highly recommend for family travelers with parents or children, or for groups traveling together.
When traveling to Shanghai as a family, there are many things to consider, starting with luggage.
In such situations, trying to hail a Didi Taxi in an unfamiliar country like China can be quite challenging.
In such cases, if you book a pick-up and drop-off service in advance,
you can meet your driver right at the arrival gate and simply enjoy a comfortable ride.
It will make your trip much more relaxed.
Plus, with DiDi Taxi, there's always the concern of
not being able to find a large enough vehicle.
But with a pick-up service, you can book according to the number of people,
so everyone can travel together in one go!
I also used the airport pick-up and drop-off service for my family trip this time
and was very satisfied.
You can check out the pick-up service I used right below!
>> Check Shanghai Airport Pick-up Service Here <<
Now, let me continue by sharing my review of the airport pick-up and drop-off service.
I recently went on a family trip to Shanghai with my parents.
Since there were four of us traveling, including my parents,
I thought it might be difficult to catch a taxi, so I
booked the pick-up and drop-off service in advance from Korea.
In hindsight, I truly believe it was one of the best decisions!
First, our driver was waiting for our family right at the arrival gate entrance,
so as soon as we exited, we were guided directly to the parking lot.
It was a bit hectic right after landing, looking after my parents,
but having the driver navigate everything for us made it
incredibly comfortable and reassuring..!
We went to the parking lot and got into the pre-booked vehicle.
I was genuinely surprised by how clean and spacious the car was!
We could easily fit four suitcases for four people with plenty of room,
which really solidified my feeling that booking this service was the right choice.
The car interior was also incredibly clean and spacious.
Any worries I had about cigarette smells, which I'd sometimes encountered with DiDi taxis,
were completely unfounded – it was truly pleasant and fresh.
What's more, the seats were so plush and wide,
I felt truly pampered, which was absolutely wonderful.
What was particularly great was that each seat had a monitor to adjust things like
the airflow and recline, making it super easy to get comfortable.
My parents were also incredibly satisfied, saying the seats were the most comfortable in the world!
It took about 45 minutes from Pudong Airport to the city center,
and I was able to relax completely and rest throughout the entire journey.
The seats were so incredibly plush that throughout the ride, I already knew I had to book this service again for my return trip!
Because I had booked in advance, I was able to travel safely directly to the front of our hotel
without needing to communicate with the driver.
Even if you don't speak Chinese, there's absolutely no need to worry, which made it incredibly convenient!
So, the ways to get from Shanghai Pudong Airport to the city center
can broadly be categorized into 3-4 options.
I'd recommend the Subway, or Subway + Maglev for 1-2 travelers;
Didi Taxi for 2-3 travelers;
and airport pickup/drop-off for groups of 3 or more.
Especially for family trips with parents or children,
or group tours, pre-booking your pickup and drop-off before you even leave home
will make your journey so much more comfortable!
So, I hope you choose the most convenient method for your travel situation
and have a smooth journey!
Taking the subway alone is the cheapest option. You can travel directly to Nanjing East Road (Line 2) without transfers, and the price is 7 Yuan (approx. ~$1).
If there is no traffic congestion, it takes about 45 minutes to get from Pudong Airport to Nanjing East Road (city center) by Didi Taxi. You can expect the cost to be around ~$21 to ~$28.
For family travelers of 3 or more, we recommend using an airport pickup and drop-off service. If you book in advance, you can meet your driver at the arrival gate and travel comfortably, choosing a vehicle that suits your group size.
The pickup and drop-off service offers: 5-seater (Sedan) for ~$41, accommodating up to 4 people and 2 x 24-inch suitcases; 5-seater (SUV) for ~$48, accommodating up to 4 people and 3 x 24-inch suitcases; 7-seater (Van) for ~$55, accommodating up to 6 people and 4 x 24-inch suitcases.
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