Shanghai: airports, metro, 240-hour transit and tax refund

Before you go

Timetables and rules change, so check the official pages before you go.

Shanghai has two airports, Pudong (PVG) and Hongqiao (SHA). The Shanghai Metro takes eligible overseas contactless cards at the gates, so you can ride without a Chinese app.

• Shanghai Public Service Hotline: 12345 (English-language support available).
• Shanghai Tourist Information & Service Centers are at Pudong Airport T1 and T2 arrivals, Hongqiao Airport T2 arrivals and Hongqiao Railway Station.
• Official tourism site: meet-in-shanghai.net.

From the airport

Pudong (PVG)

• Metro Line 2 serves Pudong Airport Terminals 1 and 2 from one station, Pudong Airport Terminal 1&2. The ride to People's Square takes about one hour.
• The Maglev runs between Pudong Airport and Longyang Road, where you can change to Metro Line 2.
• Maglev hours, per Shanghai Airport Authority: Pudong Airport to Longyang Road 07:02–21:42; Longyang Road to Pudong Airport 06:45–21:40. Hours are subject to change, so check before you travel.
• Official taxi ranks: Terminal 1, outside Arrival Gate 12 (from Gates 4 or 8, walk south to Gate 12); Terminal 2, outside Arrival Gate 25. May change.
• A free shuttle bus links Terminals 1 and 2, 24 hours a day, every 10 to 15 minutes.
• The Maglev line was the first place Shanghai trialled tapping a contactless bank card at the gates, before the service expanded to the whole metro network on 28 June 2025.

Hongqiao (SHA)

• Hongqiao Terminal 1 is served by Metro Line 10. Terminal 2 is served by Metro Lines 2 and 10.
• Official taxi pick-up points: outside Gate 1 on the Terminal 1 arrivals floor, and outside Gate 4 on the Terminal 2 arrivals floor. May change.
• Hongqiao Railway Station is next to Terminal 2: about a 10-minute walk, or one stop on Metro Line 2.

Between the two airports

• The Airport Link Line connects Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2 and Pudong Airport Terminal 1&2 in about 40 minutes. Its seven stations are Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2, Zhongchun Road, Jinghong Road, South Sanlin, East Kangqiao, Shanghai International Resort and Pudong Airport T1 & T2.
• Airport Link Line hours (from 1 April 2026): first train from Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2 at 5:45; last train from Pudong Airport Terminal 1&2 at 22:15; every 15 minutes. Hours are subject to change.
• At Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2 you can change to Metro Lines 2, 10 and 17 (exit-and-re-enter transfer). At Pudong Airport Terminal 1&2 you can change to Metro Line 2 and the Maglev.

Getting around: metro and foreign cards

Shanghai Metro fares depend on distance. Buy a single-journey ticket from a ticket machine, tap a card, or scan a QR code at the gate.

Tapping an overseas card

• You can tap eligible contactless UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard, American Express and JCB cards at the gates. May change.
• Before you use it, make sure the card has enough balance or credit and has password-free payment for small transactions turned on.
• Cards with Type-B chips or without the ODA function are excluded.

Other ways to pay

• Service centres at all metro stations have card terminals for buying tickets with overseas Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, Diners Club and JCB cards. May change.
• If you use Alipay or WeChat, you can scan in and out with the Shanghai Metro service inside either app, or with the Metro Daduhui app.
• Mastercard or Diners Club holders can use the "International Cards" option in Metro Daduhui's WeChat Pay channel.
• The Shanghai Public Transportation Card is also accepted.
• The SH MaaS (Suishenxing) app gives one QR code for metro, buses and ferries. Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Diners Club and JCB cards can be linked to it. May change.

More on metro and bus payment across China: Metro and bus.

240-hour visa-free transit

Shanghai is one of the areas covered by China's 240-hour visa-free transit policy. Whether it applies to you is set by the official rules and decided by the border inspection, so read the official page before you book.

• The National Immigration Administration lists three eligible ports in Shanghai: "Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport", "Shanghai Pudong International Airport" and "Shanghai Port (Passenger)". May change.
• The Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection says the Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal "falls under 'Shanghai Port (Passenger)'" for this policy, and that "all eligibility determinations are subject to on-site assessment".

Source: english.shanghai.gov.cn

• NIA: travellers "may enter visa-free through any of the designated 65 open exit-entry ports in 24 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government and stay in the permitted areas for no more than 10 days". May change.
• For Shanghai's ports the NIA table lists the permitted stay area as "Shanghai Municipality", and adds: "Visa-free transit travelers can make cross-province visits in the permitted areas in the 24 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) for no more than 240 hours."
• NIA: "Currently, China is implementing this policy for nationals of 57 countries". See the full list on the NIA page. May change.

Check the National Immigration Administration's page for the current countries, ports, areas and conditions: NIA: Visa-Free Transit Policies.

Paying and tax refund

Paying

• At participating merchants in Shanghai, you can pay with cards issued outside the Chinese mainland on POS terminals that show your card's network logo (UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Diners Club or Discover). If no logo is shown, ask the cashier. May change.
• Some taxis with compatible POS terminals also accept cards issued outside the Chinese mainland.
• You can link an eligible overseas card to Alipay or Weixin Pay without a mainland bank account. For fees and limits, see Fees and check the payment page before you confirm.
• Overseas cards can withdraw RMB from Shanghai ATMs that show the card's network logo. See Cards and cash.

Tax refund when you leave

• Overseas visitors may claim a VAT refund on eligible goods bought at designated tax refund stores when leaving the Chinese mainland through a designated departure port.
• The official conditions include spending at least 200 yuan at the same tax refund store on the same day, leaving China within 90 days of purchase and within 183 days of your most recent entry, and carrying the unused goods with you or in checked baggage. Checked 5 Oct 2026; may change.
• Shanghai's official guide says: "The applicable refund rate is either 11% or 8%. The actual refund therefore generally equals 9% or 6% of the eligible invoice amount." The amount you get back depends on fees and your purchase.
• At the store, show a valid ID and ask for the sales invoice and the departure tax refund application form.
• Some designated Shanghai stores offer "refund-upon-purchase": you sign a service agreement and give a credit card for pre-authorization, and receive the refund in RMB at the store. Shanghai's official guide says you must leave "via a Shanghai port within 28 days of the purchase date and within 183 days of your most recent entry". Since 1 September 2026, a national State Taxation Administration notice says refund-upon-purchase may also be completed at other departure ports where refund agencies recognise each other. Ask the store before you buy which ports apply to you. If you don't leave as agreed, the prepaid refund is taken back from your card. May change.
• Store lists and the Shanghai Departure Tax Refund E-map are published by the Shanghai Municipal Tax Service on the city's English site.
• At the departure port, follow Customs' instructions. After customs and departure formalities, go to the tax refund counter in the restricted departure area with your ID; keep your invoices.
• Refund-upon-purchase users: show the unused goods and form to Customs, then drop the stamped form in the dedicated mailbox in the departure lounge after Customs and security.
• At Pudong Airport Terminal 2, Shanghai Customs runs a self-service tax refund terminal in the departure area.
• Refunds are paid in RMB, by cash or bank transfer; Shanghai also offers Alipay as an option, subject to its rules.

Source: english.shanghai.gov.cn

Useful apps

Apps Shanghai's official English site describes for visitors (alphabetical):

• Alipay – payments; also has the Shanghai bus/metro QR code and a DiDi mini program.
• Amap (Gaode Map) – maps and routes, with multilingual visitor services.
• China Railway 12306 – the national train-ticket booking system.
• DiDi – taxis and ride-hailing.
• Metro Daduhui – QR-code rides on the Shanghai Metro.
• UnionPay's Nihao China app – payments, transit QR codes and translation for overseas visitors.
• SH MaaS (Suishenxing) – one QR code for metro, buses and ferries, plus day passes.
• WeChat / Weixin Pay – messaging and payments.