Today, I want to help a visit to Shanghai to find out his/her hotel – Ramada Plaza at 700 Jiujiang Road.

It is obviously impossible for me to answer all the questions related to a hotel, and it is boring for my reader, but the motivation behind every entry like this (I mean post answers for a very specific question) is, I believe details in trip planning helps more than just overall introduction. MAYBE in the details, you can find some good information about this city. Let me try this one:

Your website and blog will be a big help for my trip to Shanghai next week. However, I need to ask you if it is possible to take Maglev train from PVG to Longyang Road, then Metro Line 2 and stop at Henan Road Station? From the station can I take a cab to my hotel, Ramada Plaza Hotel in 700 Jiujiang Road? How much is the total fare? Hope you can enlighten me. Thank you so much.

Bingo! Your planned trip was wonderful one. Let me walk you through the trip.

Take Maglev from PVG to Long Yang Road Station?

Exactly. This is my recommendation. Maglev is not just a train to get to you, it is also a good experience that you won’t want to miss in Shanghai.

Then Metro #2 to Henan Road Station

Yes. The transition at the Long Yang Road Station is very easy, just 20 meters away, and the two builds are so close that you won’t get wet even when it rains.

One thing to pay attention. The Middle Henan Road has been renamed to East Nanjing Road. Don’t miss it. If you do miss this station, you can also exit at the People’s Square Station. Both station can get you to Ramada – it is just in the middle.

Taxi to Ramada

Well. I may not suggest so. It is not far from the station, and if you have a map and you don’t have too big luaggage, you can just go by walk. It should be within 5 minutes.

The other major reason is, it is even more confusing to get a taxi than walking in that area. The Nanjing Road is the pedstrain road, and there are no cars on it. You have to walk to nearby Road. Jiujiang Road (where the hotel is) is a single direction road, that your way is the opposite direction. If you take a taxi, the driver has to you to the other single direction road heading west, and then get back to Jiujiang Road – at least twice the distance than walking.

Ask your hotel to get more details…

My previous experience in Australia taught me that the most important question people arrive at an airport in a completely new country is: “How can I get to my hotel, as fast as I can?” (src). This serie of articles serves a simple propose – to help you to get to your hotel as quick as possible, and as easy as possible. To find out how to go from Pudong Airport to another hotel, scroll to the end of this page.

Where is the Hotel

Portman Ritz Carlton Hotel is always the best hotel in my own rating system. Please note the “Best” here does mean the single top 1 hotel. Its service, location, room are simply the best.

It is located at the heart of the city. To give you some idea of the city, let me explain the location this way.

Shanghai is a very large city in space. It has an inner ring elevated road, and an outer ring. Pudong Airport is outside Outer Ring, and Ritz Carlton Hotel is almost exactly in the center of the inner ring.

There are many ways to go from Pudong Airport to the Ritz Carlton Hotel.

By Airport Bus

You are lucky to stay in this (expensive) hotel. There is one airport shuttle bus route directly connecting the airport and the hotel.

Airport Shuttle #2, from Pudong Airport to Shanghai Exhibition Center (which is right across the Nanjing Road of the hotel).

You can buy ticket at the ticket counter (no reservation needed) when you walk out of the International Arrival Hall. The price is 19 RMB (7.8 RMB = 1 USD).

It operates from 7:20 AM till the last flight arrival at Pudong Airport.

By Taxi

Highly recommended. If to get to your hotel is the first and most important thing, and you don’t want to experience the city too early, taxi is the choice.

I have to explain to people (especially from U.S.) that taxi in Shanghai is not as expensive as in the States (I am not saying it is NOT expensive. It is just not AS expensive). My estimation for the trip between airport and the hotel is 140 RMB or less than 20 USD, and it costs about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Maglev? I know you will like it

If you are not tired, and you have time, and you want to experience the city right after leaving your plane, why not take the Maglev, the fastest train in the world.

There is the location of Maglev Station (and how you get there), and in 8 minutes, you will be at the Long Yang Road Station.

After than, you can either continue your trip with a taxi (there are always many of them waiting there), or take Metro Line #2. The Maglev and Metro stations are the same building (to be more exact, two adjacent buildings).

Take Metro Line #2 to the Jing An Temple 静安寺 station. It takes about 30 minutes. You have to walk for a while (5 minutes?) to get to the Hotel. If you still have a sense of direction then, go east!

Call the Hotel!

The hotel has pickup service, and they have a counter at the airport. If you are used to hotel picking up, try it. (personally, I don’t like this option).

So….. enjoy your trip. In the future, I will give more directions to other hotels.

To travel in a different country is different than traveling in the same country, especially different from travelling to very familiar cities. This trip made me understand what is the most important stuff for people just arrived to a new city – “How can I get to my hotel, as fast as I can?”

I started to understand why many travellers asked me the question: “I will go to Shanghai on xxxx, and I will stay in xxxxxx hotel. Would you please tell me how I can get to xxxxxxx hotel from Pudong Airport?”

In an airport full of charaters you don’t understand, with people that you are not so easy to communicate, and with the jetlag, hungry/thirsty/tired, maybe the only thing that people care is, where is my hotel? My reserved hote!

Hotel is so sweet. For example, when we set our foots onto the land of Sydney, without checking anything else, we rushed to the IBIS hotel, and even slept for two hours.

So a guide to tell people how to get from Pudong Airport to their hotel must be very useful. Nothing more, nothing less, just a page with direction to get to THE hotel.

Airport ======> Hotel!

P.S. ibis is a very nice hotel. We stayed in

• Hotel Ibis World Square, Sydney
• Hotel Ibis Sydney Airport, Sydney
• Hotel Ibis Melbourne
• Hotel Ibis Brisbane