Airport
Shanghai Hong Qiao International Airport
IATA Code: SHALocation: The airport is situated eight miles (13km) southwest of central Shanghai.
Time: Local time is GMT +8.
Contacts: Tel: +86 (0)21 6268 8899.
Transfer to the city: Taxis are available outside the airport. Public buses serve the airport linking to People's Square (#925A) and the main railway stations (#941). Departures are every 15 minutes from 6am to around 11pm. The fare is approximately RMB4. The bigger hotels offer shuttle bus services to and from the airport.
Taxis: Taxis are available outside the airport but finding the right one can be confusing without assistance. Taxi drivers usually do not speak English so it is best to indicate your destination on a map, or have it written down in Chinese. The meter should be turned on and the charge should not exceed RMB3 per kilometre.
Car rental: Car rental is available. Tel: +86 (0)21 5114 2112 for more information.
Facilities: There are ATMs and currency exchange facilities, a post office, and duty-free shops. There is a shopping mall just outside the entrance to the airport. There are also a variety of food outlets, bars, an information counter and business centre. Smoking is banned throughout the airport.
Parking:
Departure tax: ¥90 (international flights), ¥50 (domestic).
Website: www.shairport.com/en/index.jsp
Pudong International Airport
IATA Code: PVGLocation: The airport is situated 19 miles (30km) from central Shanghai.
Time: Local time is GMT +8.
Contacts: Tel: +86 (0)21 6834 1000.
Transfer to the city: The airport is linked to Shanghai's metro with a new magnetic levitation train, the Maglev; the journey takes only eight minutes and costs ¥50. Taxis are available and usually the most convenient way to the city, but they are more expensive. Journeys take an hour to most downtown areas. Public buses are also available, but are only advised for hardened travellers. Many hotels meet their guests at the airport.
Taxis: Metered taxis are available outside the airport terminal. Do not expect drivers to speak English. Use a map to indicate your destination. Rates are RM3.2 per kilometre; a surcharge is added for journeys between 11pm and 5am.
Car rental: There is a self-drive car hire service available during business hours, and Avis and Hertz have desks in Arrivals.
Facilities: Facilities at the airport include banks, ATMs and currency exchange, a post office, luggage storage, Business Centre and an Internet cafe. There are also several restaurants and shops, including duty free. Smoking is banned throughout the airport.
Parking:
Departure tax: ¥90 (international flights), ¥50 (domestic).
Website: www.shairport.com
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Shanghai
Shanghai, home to almost 12-million people, is China's largest city and is situated in the centre of the coastline where the Yangtze River flows through its delta into the East China Sea. The name of the city means 'on the sea', and most of the city (including Chongming Island) is only a few metres above sea level, criss-crossed by a maze of natural waterways of the Taihu drainage basin.
Shanghai is China's industrial and commercial capital. It is a busy seaport, and a science and technology centre, and has a vibrant business community. Visitors come to Shanghai not for its scenic beauty or history (the city is too young to have cultivated a classical heritage), but those who arrive on business can find plenty of off-duty entertainment and relaxation. Just walking the busy streets and soaking up the vibrant atmosphere is worthwhile, and there are some temples and gardens to visit along with an excellent museum.
This great cosmopolitan metropolis has a colourful colonial background which had the edge rubbed off of it during half a century of Communist rule. It was the first Chinese coastal port to be opened to Western trade in 1843, resulting in an influx of British, French and American diplomats and business interests, each of which established their own independent enclaves. In the 1920s and 30s Shanghai was regarded as a glamorous, decadent and fashionable place to visit. It all ended with World War II and the coming to power of the Communist party, but since the early 1990s a dramatic re-building programme has been underway which is aimed at putting Shanghai back on the map as a major international finance and trade centre. The World Financial Centre, completed in 2008, is one of the tallest buildings of them all and the world's tallest hotel.
