Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport

Located in the western outskirts of Shanghai just about 8.1 miles (13 kilometers) from the city’s downtown area, Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport is a very crucial aviation hub of China. As the country’s 7th busiest airport and the world’s 45th busiest airport, Hongqiao International Airport mainly serves both domestic and regional flights, as well a number of international
flights.

Even though Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport is nearer to downtown Shanghai than Shanghai Pudong International Airport, it’s still not considered the city’s main international airport. It is in fact, located 37 miles (60 kilometers) from Pudong International Airport, which is the city’s main airport. It’s known to serve at least 82 scheduled passenger destinations while handling more than 40 million passengers annually, and is a hub for Shanghai Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Juneyao Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, China United Airlines, Tianjin Airlines, as well as other 22 airlines.

A Brief History

Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport was built more than 90 years ago as the first civilian airport in the city. The airport once became infamous in 1937 in what became known as the Battle of Shanghai between Japan and China. But after a series of
renovations, Hongqiao International Airport became an important aviation hub and was Shanghai’s main airport in the lead up to the completion of Pudong International Airport in 1999.

Transport between Terminals

Having two main terminals with runways between the two terminal buildings, you could end up wasting a lot of precious time if you decide to walk from one terminal to another or if you find yourself at the wrong terminal. It is therefore recommendable to use the
free shuttle buses that run between the terminals. They pass through each terminal after every few minutes and can take up to fifteen minutes between terminal 1 and terminal 2 during normal hours and five minutes during peak hours.

Transport between Hongqiao Airport and City Center

On top of the numerous shuttle buses that commute from the airport to the city center both during the day and at night, there are taxis that take approximately half an hour and cost about CNY60. There are also two metro trains that connect the airport to the city center and further to Pudong Airport.

Facilities

Apart from transportation, there are facilities such as shopping and dining, clinics, business center, smoking areas, lounges and pram for babies, which are offered for free.

As an international airport, Shanghai Hongqiao Airport is well organized and offers the best travel amenities. Do make sure you enjoy your travels.

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