How exciting! Shanghai Pudong Airport Terminal 2 just opened today – exactly today, and I am lucky to happen to travel to day, on March 26, 2008. So I had the opportunity to experience the brand new terminal on its first day. Here is my report.
Overview
There are two airports in Shanghai: Hong Qiao Airport (the older one), and the Pudong Airport (the newer one). I am talking about the Pudong Airport.
Geographically speaking, Pudong Airport is at the south bank of the entrance of Yangtze river into the East China Sea. Pudong Airport is the major airport in Shanghai. It is at the east sea coast of Shanghai – 30 km from city center, or 40 km from Hongqiao Airport.
There are one terminal building in Pudong Airport and two runways. Now, the second terminal – almost the same shape of the first one was built and put into operation today. With the two airport and 3 runways, it has 224 plane parking lot, 70 boarding bridges, and 2.4 million square meters of plane parking area. Now it has the capacity of 60 million annual passengers with 60 airlines covering 90 International cities, and 70 domestic cities.
The second terminal is much larger than the first one. Here is a table:
| Item | Terminal 1 | Terminal 2 |
| Floors | 3 | 3 |
| Building Area | 280K sq. meters | 480K sq. meters |
| Boarding bridges | 28 | 42 |
| Airlines Counter | 204 | 352 |
| Stores and Restaurants area | 10K sq. meters | 20K sq. meters |
* Data source: brochure of Pudong Airport Terminal 2
My Journey of the Pudong Airport Terminal 2
My journey started from the Maglev train station. The train station, and the track are the perfect line dividing the airport into two part – on east is the T2, and on the west is T1. These two are pretty mirroring each other, with connecting walking path.
I started with the red building, and immediately after you leave the Maglev and use the elevator to get to the second floor of the Maglev train station, you have an important decision to make: going to T1 or T2, since they are on opposite side of you. They have a table to help you figure out which terminal you should use.
Caution: This map is only valid for a very short period of time (one month), and when you are checking this back, it may already be out of date. Check with latest information, since when the chart was drawn, the airlines are in the transition period.
Central Path to T2
I decided to use T2. turning left (or right depending on which wing you are in the Maglev station), you see the central path:
To my pleasant surprise, the Central Path, is full of sunshine. It is wider than the T1 since it combined the two path into one wider path, and have windows on the ceiling. Look! It is very bright!
The ceiling with curtain made it a perfect combination. Look up!
At the middle point of the Central Path to the T2, there is an exit for the Airport Shuttle Bus. The bus still start from the T1, as I described in this article: Bus Schedule of Shanghai Pudong Airport. This bus station, on the east side of the Maglev train provide service to T2, as the first stop of all airport shuttle bus, before they leave the airport.
Meeting Point
The other very important improvement of T2 is, it has a big meeting place. The big orange square put people who want to meet each other in the square – pretty lovely design.
Looking back, it is at the end of the Central Path.
Sunshine Terminal
If you ask me to give a name to the new terminal of Pudong Airport, I won’t hesitate to give the name of Sunshine Terminal!
Its walking paths have many ceiling window like this:
and the sunshine pours down, and made some artistic shadows. I have another article specially written for the sunshine and shadow of Pudong Airport T2.
Equipments
They have nice equipments, like these – a fancy telephone booth. The only problem is, I don’t know how to make a phone call with the booth after play with it for some time.
On the screen, they have some Olympics message today (March 26, 2008)
From the a little bit dirty window, you will see that you are pretty close to the huge T2 – you are in the middle way in the central path.
Parking Lots
The parking lots of T2 is also improved from T1. As you can see from the photo above, the parking lots start to have identification colors, like this:
Entering the T2
Finally, I completed my 3 minutes walk in the Central Path, and start to finally enter the T2 main building. Before entering the building, you are provided with a chance to go down to the first floor (arrival level)
This is pretty handy for passengers who don’t want to wait for the slow lift, like in T1.
T2 Main Building
Here is the hall of T2:
Brand-new display board:
and some artificial plants along the way:
The automatic check-in counter should be put into operation soon:
They also have decent restaurant like this:
and my favorite Ajinsen Ramen:
Roof of T2
As in the Central Path, the roof of T2 is also the highlight of my tour in T2. Look at the leaf on the roof and the sunshine!
It lit up the whole building, and I would expect the new terminal will consume less power than the T1.
The sunshine leaf is also decorated outside the main building:
and I have to say, the leaf is BEAUTIFUL!
Summary
After my tour of T2, I feel very excited. T2 is far beyond my high expectation. It IS a modern airport. I challenged the usability of Pudong airport, and gave negative comments on staff of Pudong Airport, but the opening T2 completely changed my mind. Both the design, the hardware, and service of the new building is a completely new stage of the airports in China.
Congratulations to the completion of the T2 of Pudong Airport. It is a great archivement, and I am so happy to have such a modern, bright, comfortable airport in my city!
Wow! It looks spectacular, and very user-friendly, even for English-only travelers. How exciting to have been among the very first people to experience this beautiful facility :-) Safe travels, Jian Shuo!
I’m very impressed. It looks much better than T1 which had no facilities (restaurants) and overcrowded, etc. Thanks for the photos!
Quite beautiful!!
awesome! Thx for your detailed introduction.
All the photos are very beautiful. I hope I could experience the new airport as soon as possible.
Wow! Also better than I’ve expected! These are the airlines operating from Pudong Terminals 1 and 2 eventually:
Terminal 1
Aeroméxico, airberlin, Air France, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines , Chongqing Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hainan Airlines, Japan Airlines, Jet Airways, KLM, Korean Air,Shenzhen Airlines, Sichuan Airlines.
Terminal 2
From March 26: Aerosvit Airlines, Air India, Alitalia, British Airways, Cebu Pacific, Garuda Indonesia, Malaysia Airlines, Nepal Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Shanghai Airlines, Transaero, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic Airways.
From April 29: Aeroflot, Air Canada, Air China, Air Macau, Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific, China Southern, Dragonair, Emirates Airline, Finnair, Lufthansa, Royal Brunei Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, Thai Airways International, United Airlines.
WHEN CAN WE HAVE THAT KIND OF AIRPORT HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES..OUR VERY OWN NAIA 3, WAS NOT OPENED YET BUT IT’S NOW DYING……IF THEY ONLY RESPECT THE EFFORT BESTOWED BY SKIDMORE OWINGS AND MYRILL JUST TO MAKE THE STRUCTURE BEAUTIFUL…BUT IN THIS COUNTRY THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS BEAUTIFUL STRUCTURE COZ THE ARCHITECTURE BOTH AS AN INDUSTRY AND BY PROFFESSION DOES NOT EXIST….LIKE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES THEY ALLOWED CIVIL ENGINEERS WORKS ON ARCHITECTURAL BUT AT LEAST THEY PRODUCE BEAUTIFUL BUILDINGS COZ BEHIND THAT ARE THE FILIPINO ARCHITECTS CREATIVITY AND IMAGINATION BEING EXPLOITED BY THE STINKY ARABS…AND OUR STUPID PHILIIPINE GOVERNMENT ARE MORE CONCERN OF FILLING THEIR POCKETS WITH MONEY AND KEEPING THEIR STUPID PRIDE…….HOW I WISH ALL OUR POLITICIAN WILL DIE TOMORROW SO THAT WE CAN HAVE BEAUTIFUL BUILDINGS LIKE THE PUDONG AIRPORT…..
We will be arriving from Canada the first week of May, so expect we will arrive at this fabulous new terminal! Can you suggest a meeting spot for us to use — something else for us to find — and something easy to describe to the person meeting us? Our family cannot pick us up so they are sending someone to get us – someone who doesn’t speak English — and we don’t speak Chinese, so this may be a challenge! And are the pay p;hones easy to use? I did see a comment somewhere that suggested they were difficult? Many thanks if anyone can help!
hi, i will be arriving at pudong intl airport through Cebu Pacific (hail cheap tickets!) but will be landing at midnight a week from now. what i wanted to ask is if there are any buses (even not the airport bus) that will be in service at those hours and how much it will set me back for. i will be staying at a place near people’s park.
now, i saw a previous entry about buses from pudong but those were half a decade old already so, im still hoping you might have more updated info?
thanks, and hope you can help me!
@adrian, the airport bus is available until the last flight arrives, so you still can take the airport bus. The taxi is also 24 hours – you cannot imagine how many taxis are waiting at the airport all day long. It may take you less than 200 RMB (or 30 USD) considering you will take taxi after 11 PM, when the fee increases.
you’re amazing!
thanks for sharing this information…
Fantastic views of T2 and very informative, will be going to Pudong on stopover to NZ does anyone know if there is somewhere to shower and freshen up in our 5 hour stopover or do we have to check in to a hotel?
@Hazel, you may try Motel 168 – a motel in the same building as the airport. I am not sure whether they offer hourly room, but even the whole night rate is just 200-300 RMB, and not a big number for business travelers.
Refer to your article: Shanghai Pudong Airport Terminal 2 (T2) under title
“My Journey of the Pudong Airport Terminal 2”
My journey started from the Maglev train station. The train station, and the track are the perfect line dividing the airport into two part –
on east is the T2, and on the west is T1.
These two are pretty mirroring each other, with connecting walking path.
I think there is an error in your diagram and description.
If you refer to the Aerial view, on east should be T1 and west is T2. Please check.
Would appreciate if you could send your findling by email.
Thank you.
Thanks Jiang, your description was terrific and very useful for two people arriving at different terminals and having to meet at the airport.
Leaving Shanghai Tuesday…so sad. This trip I took a 2 hour long distance bus to Cixi from Shanghai. Came back on bus to Shanghai and rode the bullet train to Suzhou. Was not too sure before, but now after my experience no problem traveling in China. Before I used just planes and airports, this has really given me so many more options when I return to China.
Happy travels and have a grand day.
Charn
Dear Jianx, Pudong T2 looks very beautiful, hope to experience it. On my way to Narita I will transit at Pudong T2, how long will it take for me from T2 to T1 with all the transit process and can I just walk from T2 to T1 or should I take a shuttle?
Although they provide shuttle, you can walk from one terminal to another via a long path – it takes few minutes.
Although they provide shuttle, you can walk from one terminal to another via a long path – it takes few minutes.
I’d like to know if I travel from T1 to T2 by using shuttle. Do I have to pay for shuttle fee? I also, would like to know where can I find the telephone number of Thai Airways office at Pudon airport. I went google.net and found a few number but all invalid. Any kind of help would be greatly appreciate it.
Regards,
Pan
The shuttle should be free. Thai airways? I also only have the numbers on Google, which you may have tried.
Hello Jian Shuo Wang,
Thank you so much indeed for your kindness. I will tell my Thai friend the shuttle bus from T1 to T2 is free, or they could also walk to T2 for finding Shanghai air connecting flight to Osaka on April 4th’10.
Regards,
Pan
I have never read such blatant advertising blurb in my life! How come nobody noticed this was written by an employee of the Airports Authority in Shanghai!!!
Arriving on international flight in Terminal One and need to connect to domestic flight in Terminal 2
Will 1.5 hours between flights be enough to transfer baggage, security, etc?
Where can I find a map of inside of terminal 2 ?
I’m flying from ORD to Pudong and would like a layout of floor plan. Thanks!
Dear Sir.
I shall be comming in from Beijing & joining Air India flight to Mumbai. Can some one help me with the information.
P.K Bose
There are two groups in our party, one arriving at Terminal 1 and the second at Terminal 2. Do I understand correctly that the “Meeting Place” is in the middle of a central path that connects the two terminals? Is there one central, or two separate baggage claim areas for the two terminals? Is the “Meeting Place” near the baggage claim carousels?
Thank you! I am traveling alone from the US and connect in Pudong before going on to VN. I was a little nervous because my flight lands in terminal one and then leaves from terminal 2. Now, I am not so afraid of being able to find my next flight!
We are arriving on Vietnam airlines from Hanoi and making a connecting flight with United Airlines to Chicago in terminal 2 in April. I want to know how close together or where are these gates? I can’t find any information. Our connecting time is very short so we are getting stressed out about this. We don’t want to miss our flight home. We need this information within a couple days as we are leaving on March 23rd. Thank you for your help.
Unfortunately I cannot find a method to start a new post. Would like to know if it is possible to by a Shanghai Transportation Card at Shanghai Pudong International Terminal?
Thanks..
Hi everyone. I am arriving in pudong on Cebu Pacific around midnight and then flying on to Jinzhou 9 hours later. Is there anywhere in the airport to get some sleep and maybe have a shower? I dont mind paying a reasonable amount (I can put it on expenses!)Any help would be greatly appreciated as this is my first trip to China. Thanks
There is a Motel 168 just at the airport. It is between T1 and T2. You will find it easily. It should not be too expensive.