# Shanghai Maglev Train > The Shanghai Maglev is a magnetic-levitation train linking Pudong Airport with Longyang Road metro station: 30 km in about 8 minutes. A single costs ¥50, or ¥40 with a same-day boarding pass. It runs daily from about 06:45 to 21:40, every 15–20 minutes. Regular runs now top out around 300 km/h. Web page: https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/shanghai-maglev - City: [Shanghai](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai), China - YesGo score: 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 30 min - Entry: ¥50, ¥40 with a same-day flight - Opening hours: Daily: from Longyang Road 06:45–21:40, from the airport 07:02–21:40 (unofficial) - With kids: Fine with kids - Single: ¥50, valid on the day of purchase - Discounted single: ¥40 with a same-day air ticket or boarding pass, or a Shanghai Public Transportation Card - Return: ¥80, return leg within 7 days - VIP car: ¥100 single, ¥160 return - Children: Under 1.3 m ride free with an adult - First and last train: Longyang Road 06:45 and 21:40; airport 07:02 and 21:40 (some sources say 21:42) - Frequency: Every 15–20 minutes - Tap at the gates: Contactless Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, UnionPay or an e-CNY wallet - Speed: Around 300 km/h on regular runs; 431 km/h until 2020–21 - Stations: Longyang Road (Metro Lines 2, 7, 16, 18) and Pudong International Airport (Terminals 1 & 2) - Time needed: 8 minutes on board, about 30 minutes with security and transfers - Coordinates: 31.20340, 121.55780 - Facts checked: 03.11.2026 ## Key facts - **≈ 8 min** — ride between Longyang Road and Pudong Airport (source: Shanghai Municipal Government (english.shanghai.gov.cn); English and Chinese Wikipedia) - **¥50** — standard single; ¥40 with a same-day flight (source: Pudong district government; English Wikipedia; wanderinchina.com) - **≈ 300 km/h** — cruising speed on regular runs today, down from 431 km/h (source: English and Chinese Wikipedia; wanderinchina.com) - **29.86 km** — line length — usually rounded to 30 km (source: English and Chinese Wikipedia; Pudong district government (≈ 30 km)) - **431 km/h** — fastest speed the line has run with passengers (source: Pudong district government; English and Russian Wikipedia) - **501 km/h** — test-run record without passengers, November 2003 (source: English Wikipedia; Pudong district government (≈ 500 km/h)) - **2004** — start of regular service — the world's first commercial high-speed maglev line (source: Pudong district government; Shanghai Municipal Government; Russian Wikipedia) - **Transrapid** — German technology; trains built by Siemens and ThyssenKrupp (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; wanderinchina.com) - **2 stations** — Longyang Road and Pudong Airport, nothing in between (source: English and Chinese Wikipedia) - **≈ ¥10 billion** — construction cost (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) > **It doesn't go downtown** The Maglev only runs between Pudong Airport and **Longyang Road**, on the edge of Pudong. For the Bund or People's Square you still need Metro Line 2 — six or seven more stops. It doesn't serve Hongqiao Airport. The last train leaves around **21:40**, so if you land late, plan on the metro or a taxi. ## Is the Shanghai Maglev worth it? Worth it once, as a ride — yes. As a time-saver, it depends on where you're staying. The train itself takes about 8 minutes, but you still change to the metro at Longyang Road, so to central Shanghai you save less time than the speed suggests. It makes sense if your hotel is on Metro Lines 2, 7, 16 or 18, you're travelling light, and you land before 21:00. A group of three or more with big suitcases is usually better off in a taxi or a pre-booked transfer: one door-to-door ride, no stairs, no change of train. YesGo's take: don't make a special trip out to Longyang Road just for the Maglev — a round trip with transfers eats about an hour. Ride it on the way in from Pudong or on the way out, and you get the world's first commercial high-speed maglev for the price of a coffee. ## Shanghai Maglev ticket price and how to pay A standard single is **¥50**. Show a same-day air ticket or boarding pass, or use a Shanghai Public Transportation Card, and it drops to **¥40**. A return is ¥80 with the return leg valid for 7 days; the VIP car is ¥100 single or ¥160 return. Children under 1.3 m ride free with an adult. These fares match across several sources but the operator doesn't publish them where we could read them, so they're marked unofficial. Buy at the ticket office or a machine. Since June 2025 the Maglev gates also take contactless Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB and UnionPay cards, plus e-CNY wallets, according to the Shanghai Municipal Government — make sure small contactless payments without a PIN are enabled on your card or phone. **Paying in China:** foreign cards now work at the Maglev gates, but much of daily life runs on Alipay and WeChat Pay — link your card before the trip. Keep some yuan cash as a backup; the ticket office takes it. The ¥40 flight discount is given at the counter against your boarding pass; tapping a card at the gate will most likely charge the full fare. ## Timetable: first and last Maglev The Maglev runs every day. The first train leaves Longyang Road at **06:45** and the airport at **07:02**. The last one leaves both ends at about **21:40**; some sources give 21:42 from the airport. Trains run every 15 minutes in the daytime and every 20 minutes in the evening. We couldn't open the operator's own timetable — its website failed a security check. The Pudong district government, Wikipedia and current travel guides agree on these times, but an older city guide gave 21:30 as the last train, so treat them as unofficial. Unofficially, a couple of extra late departures from the airport sometimes run; don't count on them. Landing after 21:00? Go straight for Metro Line 2 from the airport or a taxi — the metro keeps running after the Maglev stops. ## How fast does the Shanghai Maglev go now? On regular runs, **around 300 km/h**, covering the line in about 8 minutes 10 seconds, according to English and Chinese Wikipedia and current guides. Until the early 2020s some departures ran at **431 km/h**, which cut the trip to 7 minutes 20 seconds. When exactly the speed came down depends on the source: English Wikipedia and guides say May 2021, Chinese Wikipedia says May 2020. Chinese Wikipedia also claims a handful of runs have been back at 430 km/h since 2024, but we found nothing from the operator to confirm it — plan on 300. The line's record is 501 km/h, set on a test run without passengers in November 2003. The 600 km/h Chinese maglevs in the news are prototypes on test tracks; none of them carries passengers. ## How to get to the Maglev 1. From the Bund at Nanjing Road, walk west along pedestrian East Nanjing Road to **East Nanjing Road** station — about 10 minutes. 2. Take Metro Line 2 east towards Pudong International Airport for six stops: Lujiazui, Dongchang Road, Century Avenue, Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, Century Park, **Longyang Road**. 3. Leave the metro and follow the "Maglev" / 磁浮 signs — the Maglev has its own station, security check and gates. Lines 7, 16 and 18 also stop at Longyang Road. 4. Buy a ticket at the counter or machine, or tap a contactless card at the gate. Bags go through an X-ray scanner. 5. At Pudong Airport the Maglev station sits between Terminals 1 and 2 on the second-floor level: follow the "Maglev" signs, 5–10 minutes' walk from arrivals. 6. From Hongqiao Airport or Hongqiao Railway Station, Line 2 runs direct to Longyang Road; change to the Maglev there for Pudong. ## Maglev vs metro vs taxi from Pudong Airport | | Maglev + Line 2 | Line 2 all the way | Taxi or DiDi | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Changes | One, at Longyang Road | None | None | | To East Nanjing Road | Maglev, then 6 metro stops | 17 metro stops | — | | Fare | ¥40–50 plus metro | Metro fare only, ¥3–14 by distance | Metered — depends on district and traffic | | Late at night | Last train ≈ 21:40 | Runs later than the Maglev | 24 hours | | With big luggage | Change with bags | No change, but a long ride | Door to door | Take the Maglev if your hotel is on Lines 2, 7, 16 or 18 and you're travelling light. With heavy bags, a group of three or more, or a late landing, a taxi or transfer is easier. On a tight budget with time to spare, Line 2 all the way. ## What is the Shanghai Maglev? It's the world's first commercial high-speed magnetic-levitation line, running since 2004. The technology is German — Transrapid, with trains built by Siemens and ThyssenKrupp and the concrete guideway by Chinese firms. There are no wheels in motion: magnets lift the car about a centimetre off the guideway, and a linear motor built into the track pulls it along and brakes it. The result is a smooth, quiet surge rather than the rumble of a normal train. It reaches top speed in about two minutes, banks noticeably on the curves, and the car wraps around the guideway beam, so it can't derail in the usual sense. ## What to look out for on the ride - **The speed display** in each car — the numbers climb fast; sit where you can film it. - **The lean on curves** — the car banks noticeably into the bends. - **The view** — fields, canals and new Pudong districts from the elevated guideway; both sides are much the same. - **The nose of the train** — at Longyang Road you can photograph the cab at the platform. - **A stop on the way into town** — two stops along Line 2 from Longyang Road is [Shanghai Museum East](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/shanghai-museum), by Shanghai Science and Technology Museum station. ## Before you ride - [ ] I'll make the last train — before 21:40 - [ ] Same-day boarding pass to hand for the ¥40 fare - [ ] A way to pay: contactless foreign card, Alipay / WeChat Pay or yuan cash - [ ] Hotel on Line 2, 7, 16 or 18 — otherwise count the changes - [ ] Kids under 1.3 m ride free - [ ] 30–40 minutes spare for security and the change before a flight ## From the airport into town in half a day Maglev to Longyang Road, Shanghai Museum East on Line 2, the towers of Lujiazui and the Bund in the evening. Add them to your route and YesGo will sort the timing and walks. 1. [Shanghai Maglev](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/shanghai-maglev) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · ¥50, ¥40 with a same-day flight 2. [Shanghai Museum](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/shanghai-museum) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · ¥148 show; Museum East free 3. [Lujiazui](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/lujiazui) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free 4. [Shanghai Tower](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/shanghai-tower) — YesGo score 58/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · ¥180; students and 60+ ¥120 5. [The Bund](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/the-bund) — YesGo score 59/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free ## Not to be confused with The Shanghai Maglev isn't China's bullet-train network: high-speed rail leaves from Hongqiao and the city's other railway stations, while the Maglev only shuttles to Pudong Airport. Nor is it the 600 km/h prototype in the headlines, or Japan's Chuo Shinkansen, which is still under construction. ## Tips - Show your boarding pass at the ticket counter — ¥40 instead of ¥50. - Flying out within a week? A ¥80 return beats two singles. - Film the speed display about a minute and a half after departure — that's where it peaks. - Staying near People's Square or the Bund? The Maglev plus Line 2 saves you less than you'd think over Line 2 alone; a taxi only loses in heavy traffic. - Heading to the airport? Build in a margin — the last train is around 21:40 and airport security queues can be long. - Set up Alipay with your own card before you fly; it covers taxis, food and metro QR codes as well. ## Questions ### Is the Shanghai Maglev worth it? Yes, once — on your way to or from Pudong, if your hotel is on Lines 2, 7, 16 or 18. Not worth a special trip if you're short on time, and a taxi is easier with heavy luggage or a group. ### How much is the Shanghai Maglev? ¥50 single, ¥40 with a same-day air ticket or a Shanghai transport card, ¥80 return within 7 days, ¥100 in the VIP car. Fares are unofficial — the operator's site wouldn't open for us. ### What time is the last Maglev? About 21:40 from both Longyang Road and the airport (some sources say 21:42 from the airport). The first trains are 06:45 from Longyang Road and 07:02 from the airport. ### How fast does the Maglev go now? Around 300 km/h on regular runs. It used to run at 431 km/h, and its test record is 501 km/h. ### Can I pay with a foreign credit card? Yes. Since June 2025 the gates take contactless Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB and UnionPay cards. The ¥40 flight discount is given at the counter, not at the gate. ### Does the Maglev go to the city centre? No. It ends at Longyang Road in Pudong; change to Line 2 for Lujiazui, the Bund (East Nanjing Road) or People's Square. ### Does the Maglev go to Hongqiao Airport? No. Hongqiao is linked to Longyang Road by Metro Line 2, then you change to the Maglev for Pudong. ### Where is the Maglev station at Pudong Airport? Between Terminals 1 and 2 on the second-floor level — follow the "Maglev" signs, about 5–10 minutes' walk from arrivals. ### Do kids ride free? Children under 1.3 m ride free with an adult (unofficial); taller children pay the full fare. ### Is there room for luggage? Yes — racks for large suitcases at the ends of each car and overhead racks for backpacks. ## How we checked The operator's website wouldn't open (its certificate doesn't match the domain) and we didn't work around it. Card payment at the gates is from the Shanghai Municipal Government. Fares of ¥50/40/80/100 agree across the Pudong district government page (2017), Wikipedia and current guides, so they're marked unofficial. Last train: Pudong government and guides say 21:40, Wikipedia 21:42 from the airport, an older city guide 21:30 — we show 21:40. Speed: English Wikipedia and guides say 300 km/h since May 2021; Chinese Wikipedia says May 2020 and mentions occasional 430 km/h runs since 2024, unconfirmed by the operator — we say around 300. EN core built from English-language search results and suggestions. ## Sources - Shanghai Municipal Government (english.shanghai.gov.cn), 14 June 2025 — bank cards and e-CNY at the Maglev gates - Pudong district government (english.pudong.gov.cn) — Maglev page: length, fares, hours, speed by time of day - English, Russian and Chinese Wikipedia: Shanghai maglev train, Line 2 (Shanghai Metro); Wikidata Q769591 - wanderinchina.com, citiesinsider.com — timetable, fares, children, airport station, luggage - SCMP, CNEVPost, Railway Journal — Chinese 600 km/h test maglevs --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.