Review: Shanghai Maglev Train

The Shanghai Maglev train whisks passengers between the Pudong International Airport (PVG) and Longyang Road station in the outskirts of Central Pudong.

A journey that would take at least 30 minutes by car (without traffic) takes only 7 minutes when travelling at up to 431km/hr, making the Maglev a fast and efficient service for getting between the airport and Pudong.

On a recent trip I decided to try out the Maglev in VIP class.

Fares for standard class start at 50 yuan (AU$9.62 at writing) for a single ticket or 80 yuan ($15.38) if returning within 7 days.

VIP class which provides a separate boarding zone and more comfortable seating that’s separate from the main cabins is double the standard fare.

Tickets can be purchased with cash or major credit cards – I used an American Express card with no problems.

As I boarded at Pudong International Airport I was pleased to see a spacious and comfortable cabin. While not pictured, there was plenty of storage for luggage near the doors, and of course overhead luggage storage visible.

Within a few minutes of departure the Maglev hit the top speed for the journey, 431km/hr.

For the return trip from Longyang Road, a VIP boarding zone is the place to wait for the Maglev.

Where I was also able to see the Maglev approaching.

Overall I was very pleased with the service. It was a comfortable way to travel, and the VIP cabin only had two other passengers in each direction.

The Maglev terminated at the Longyang Road station which services lines 2, 7, and 16 on the Shanghai Metro. In my case, my destination was near Century Road and the Metro had me at the Dongchang Road station in about 10 minutes for the fare of 3 yuan each way (about AU$0.58).

I’d definitely use this service again when next visiting Shanghai!