Overview
The Shanghai Metro (上海地铁; Shànghǎi Dìtiě) is the rapid transit system serving Shanghai, with urban and suburban services reaching 14 of the city's 16 municipal districts as well as the neighbouring township of Huaqiao in Kunshan, Jiangsu Province. It forms the vast majority of the wider, multi-operator Shanghai rail transit network. It is the world's second longest metro system by route length and the second largest by station count, and it ranks first in the world by annual ridership, routinely carrying over 10 million passengers on an average workday and accounting for roughly 73% of public transport trips in the city.
Riding it end to end as a visitor is straightforward. Plan your route by line and station, enter the paid area by tapping a card, phone QR code or single-journey ticket at the gate, ride to your destination, then tap out or insert your ticket to exit. Fares are distance-based, so you pay for the journey you actually make. Most ticket types allow a free out-of-station transfer within 30 minutes if you exit and re-enter another gate, which is useful when a trip is easier to complete on foot between two nearby stations.
The network
The network is multi-modal: a dense metro core, a growing suburban rail layer, trams and light rail, an extensive bus system, cross-river ferries and the Maglev airport train.
- Shanghai Metro (上海地铁; Shànghǎi Dìtiě) — the subway backbone, with numbered lines (Lines 1–18 plus the Pujiang line) and a circular line (Line 4, which became a loop in 2007). Line 1 opened in 1993 and was the city's first; Line 2 is the main east–west line through downtown and links both airports; Line 10 serves both Hongqiao terminals; Line 17 connects Hongqiao Railway Station with Zhujiajiao; Line 11 was extended into Kunshan in Jiangsu, making Shanghai the first rapid transit system in China to provide cross-provincial service.
- Suburban railway / Airport Link Line — a commuter rail layer with distance-based fares and its own pricing rules; the Airport Link Line connects Pudong Airport to Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2 and Hongqiao Railway Station in about 40 minutes, though it passes well south of the city centre.
- Maglev (磁悬浮) — the world's first commercial high-speed maglev, running from Pudong International Airport to Longyang Road station. It once ran at 430 km/h but has been capped at 300 km/h, covering its roughly 30 km route in about 8 minutes. At Longyang Road you can connect to metro lines 2, 7, 16 and 18.
- Trams and light rail — the metro master plan has historically included urban light-rail lines alongside the express and metro lines, complementing the heavy-rail core.
- Buses — divided into downtown and suburban routes, with regular and special (express-style) categories. They fill the gaps the metro does not reach and are useful for short hops.
- Ferries — cross the Huangpu River linking the east and west banks, notably the Bund and Lujiazui. Piers near the Bund include East Jinling Road, East Fuxing Road and Gongping Road; East Jinling Road is the most convenient for tourists.
Tickets & fares
Metro fares are distance-based. Downtown lines start at ¥3 for journeys up to 6 km, then add about ¥1 for each additional 10 km; typical downtown trips cost no more than ¥6. Suburban railway lines such as the Airport Link Line are priced by distance and the line's designed maximum speed, starting at ¥4. All prices below are approximate and change, so check current fares before you travel.
- Single Journey Ticket — one-way only, bought by selecting your start and end stations. It comes as either a plastic chip card (tap in, insert at the exit gate for automatic retrieval) or a paper ticket with a QR code (scan at the gates, not retrieved). Valid only on the day of purchase; an out-of-station transfer requires a new ticket, and there are no discounts.
- One-day Travel Pass — about ¥18; sold at ticket counters in any metro station; unlimited rides for 24 hours from first use on all downtown lines and some suburban lines. It is not returned after use.
- Three-day Travel Pass — about ¥45; sold at station counters; valid 72 hours from first swipe on all lines except the Maglev and some suburban lines; you keep it after expiry.
- Maglev & Metro Pass — a Maglev single trip (economy) plus a metro one-day pass for about ¥55, or a Maglev round trip plus a metro one-day pass for about ¥85. The metro portion is unlimited for 24 hours from first use. Sold at Pudong International Airport and Longyang Road Maglev stations and at major metro stations including Hongqiao Airport T2, Hongqiao Railway Station, Shanghai South Railway Station, Shanghai Railway Station, People's Square and Jing'an Temple. Activated passes are non-refundable.
- Shanghai Public Transportation Card — usable on the metro, city buses, ferryboats and taxis. Sold at metro stations, some bus stations, designated SPD Banks and some FamilyMart stores. A typical new-user cost is about ¥100 (roughly ¥20 deposit plus ¥80 balance), rechargeable at the same outlets. It gives ¥1 off transfers between bus and subway within 2 hours in urban areas, and 10% off subsequent fares in a month once your metro spending exceeds about ¥70. Refunds require returning the card at designated locations, and balances over ¥10 need a manual service counter and incur a 5% service charge on the excess.
- China T-Union Transportation Card — an upgrade of the Shanghai Public Transportation Card, marked with a "China T-Union" logo; usable in Shanghai and 300+ other Chinese cities, bought, topped up and returned as above.
- WeChat / Alipay metro QR code — scan to ride, and also valid on city buses. The Shanghai Metro DADUHUI app is an alternative that links to Mastercard or Diners Club. Using any two of bus, metro or Chongming Passenger Steamship within 2 hours via QR code gives ¥1 off the second transaction, unlimited times.
- Tap to ride — eligible contactless cards (UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB) and eligible e-CNY hard wallets can be tapped at the gates. International bank cards (Visa, Mastercard) are also accepted for ticket purchase.
- Souvenir Ticket — valid one year, sold at several designated subway stations; a single ride on certain lines that you keep as a memento. No discounts.
As a rough guide to what you will actually pay: Pudong Airport T1/T2 to East Nanjing Road (near the Bund) is about ¥7, Hongqiao Railway Station to East Nanjing Road about ¥5, and Yuyuan Garden to East Nanjing Road about ¥3. For buses, regular downtown routes cost ¥2, downtown special routes start at ¥2 and rise in ¥1 increments, and regular and special suburban routes start at ¥1 and rise in ¥1 increments. Cross-river ferries cost ¥2 for pedestrians, ¥2.8 with a bicycle or e-bike, ¥3 with a moped and ¥4 with a motorcycle. Shared bicycles from Hellobike, Meituan and Qingju are rented through their mobile apps.
From the airport
Shanghai has two main airports: Pudong International Airport (浦东机场, PVG), the main international gateway about 40 km southeast of the city, and Hongqiao Airport (虹桥机场, SHA), the older, much closer airport west of downtown that mainly handles domestic flights plus city-shuttle services to Tokyo-Haneda, Seoul-Gimpo, Hong Kong, Macau and Taipei-Songshan. Transferring between the two takes about 40 minutes on the Airport Link Line, about an hour by taxi, or roughly two hours by metro if you are not in a hurry.
- From Pudong (PVG) by metro — the airport sits on metro Line 2, the main east–west line through downtown. Note that service to and from Pudong Airport has limited hours.
- From Pudong (PVG) by Maglev — the most interesting way in. Single tickets are ¥60, discounted to ¥50 with an airline ticket for that day or with a Shanghai Public Transportation Card; return tickets (return within a week) are ¥100. It terminates at Longyang Road, which is still some distance from the centre but connects to metro lines 2, 7, 16 and 18, and has a Maglev train museum.
- From Pudong (PVG) by bus — six airport bus lines connect the airport to downtown, and there are also buses to nearby cities such as Suzhou and Hangzhou. With heavy luggage, a taxi is usually more convenient; expect roughly ¥200–500.
- From Hongqiao (SHA) by metro — T2 is served directly by Line 2, which connects to People's Square and onward to Pudong Airport; trains operate from 05:35 to 22:50. Line 10 serves both T1 and T2 and also goes to central Shanghai on a different route. If you need to move between terminals in a hurry, Line 10 costs about ¥3 and beats the half-hourly shuttle bus, which can take up to 45 minutes including waiting.
- From Hongqiao (SHA) by night bus — the old Hongqiao Airport Special Line has been replaced by a night bus (虹桥机场T2夜宵巴士) running to Jing'an Temple, People's Square and Lujiazui every 10–30 minutes from 22:30 (when the metro closes) until 45 minutes after the last inbound arrival. It costs ¥10 to Jing'an Temple or People's Square and ¥16 to Lujiazui, leaves from Door 1 of the Arrivals level of Terminal 2, and tickets are bought on board shortly before departure.
- From Hongqiao (SHA) by public bus — No. 806 runs to Lupu Bridge between 06:00 and 21:30 every 5–15 minutes, stopping at Xujiahui, for ¥5; No. 807 runs to Zhenguang New Village in Putuo District between 06:00 and 22:30, stopping at the Shanghai Zoo, for ¥2; and No. 1207 runs only between the airport and Shanghai Zoo for ¥2. Bus No. 941 links the airport with Shanghai Railway Station. Buses serve T1, so take the free shuttle or Line 10 to connect if you are at T2; boarding and alighting at T2 are split, with arrivals getting off at the Departures level and boarders using the bus hub on 1/F of the airport/metro station complex.
- Between the airports — the Airport Link Line does the trip in about 40 minutes, a taxi takes about an hour, and there are also direct shuttle buses. A traveller with a few hours to spare and light luggage could get off at Nanjing Road East and walk a few blocks to the Bund for a quick look at the city.
Free tourist maps of central Shanghai, with major sights labelled in English, are available in racks as you enter either airport — worth grabbing, since free maps are hard to find elsewhere except at some hotels. Both airports also have direct bus service to major nearby cities such as Hangzhou, Suzhou and Nanjing, though the fast trains may be preferable, especially from Hongqiao, where Hongqiao Railway Station is one metro stop or about a kilometre's indoor, level walk away.
Etiquette & customs
Shanghai's metro is busy and orderly, and a few local habits will make your journeys smoother.
- Queuing — queue at the marked boarding points along the platform and let passengers off before you board. On the bus, board at the front and be ready to tap or scan.
- Escalators — stand on the right and leave the left side clear for people walking past.
- Priority and quiet seating — priority seats near the doors are reserved for the elderly, pregnant passengers, parents with small children and passengers with disabilities; offer them up. Keep phone calls and music quiet, and use headphones.
- Eating and drinking — eating and drinking are not permitted on the metro; finish your snack before you go through the gates.
- Rush hour — expect trains to be packed on weekday mornings and evenings. Move right down the carriage, keep your bag in front of you, and let people exit before you push in. If you are travelling with large luggage, avoid the peak if you can.
- Security — bags are screened at station entrances, so allow a little extra time and have your bag ready for the scanner.
Official links
Survival terms
- 地铁 (dìtiě) — subway / metro
- 车票 (chēpiào) — ticket
- 线路 (xiànlù) — line
- 入口 (rùkǒu) — entrance
- 出口 (chūkǒu) — exit
- 换乘 (huànchéng) — transfer
- 单程票 (dānchéng piào) — single fare / single journey ticket
- 一日票 (yīrì piào) — day pass
Load a transit app or set up a WeChat or Alipay QR code before you land, so you can tap straight through the gates instead of queuing at a ticket machine with your luggage.