PVG: Has Maglev Started Operation?

Posted on October 2, 2003 by Jian Shuo Wang

Dear Mr. Wang:

I came across you website and found it quite helpful. Thank you for all the information.

You mentioned that the Maglev train to airport will be operating in October 2003.

1. Do you have any updated information as to if it is already in service, if not when exactly.

2. Where does the service run between? both ways, or only one way from the airport.

3. If I stayed in a downtown hotel, like the Peace hotel, Is it a good idea to ride the train and transfer to a taxi after the train? or I’d be better off just getting a taxi from the airport.

Thank you.

Robin

Robin,

Thanks for the questions. Maybe infected by the recent accident in the construction of the maglev, the operation date has been postponed. There is no settled operation date yet. So the date Oct, 2003 is no longer accurate.

Below are the photos of the Maglev I took before. I personally love the photos very much.

http://home.wangjianshuo.com/archives/20030809_pudong_airport_maglev_in_depth.htm

For the second question, the designed service is, of cause, both way – from the airport to Longyang Rd. and return. But currently, it opens for tourists only and not formal operation.

According to Sina.com, two trains were put into operation in the National Holiday. One has 5 carts and the other has 6 carts. The capacity is 10,000 people per day.

However, don’t expect to take a ride if you come to Shanghai Pudong Airport. It opens for tourists only. That is, it will start from the Longyang Rd. Station, rush to Pudong Airport and return immediately without opening the door. People will get onboard the train and leave the train at the same place – Longyang Road Station.

So the answer for the third question is no. The plan is just impossible since you cannot get on board the Maglev at Pudong Airport Station. You need to wait until the Maglev start formal operation.

Note: This entry is created on Oct 7, 2003, not on the date displayed.

Pudong Airport Maglev in Depth

Posted on August 9, 2003 by Jian Shuo Wang

230

Believe me. This article is the most in depth one on the topic of Maglev of Shanghai Pudong Airport. I have talked about Maglev before in these two articles: Maglev Operates in Shanghai and Ticket for Maglev Tour. Here are the Maglev pictures I always planned to take.

Below: Before I see the real Maglev train on the rail, the large advertisement of Maglev on the way out of PVG (Pudong Airport) has attracted my attention. SIEMENS is famous in China but the name of ThyssenKrupp was heard only when Maglev is mentioned. I believe most passengers will see this Maglev advertisement when they just get into a cab or his car and drive out of PVG.

Maglev Advertisement © Jian Shuo Wang

Maglev Leaving Station

I walked across a long way from the Departure Hall of PVG to the rail road of the Maglev line. Below is the entrance of the station for the Maglev trains. The two guard asked me to stay away from the rail road politely. They said there will be no train today. Obviously, they were lying just to keep me away from the Maglev rail.

shanghai-maglev-station.gate.jpg

Gate of the Maglev Station. © Jian Shuo Wang

Just before I turned and started to go away, a Maglev train started from the station and headed to downtown Shanghai. I quickly pointed the camera and took the picture below (My first Maglev picture). The head of the train just got out of the station.

shanghai-maglev-head.out.of.station.jpg

Maglev Train with Head Just Out of Station. © Jian Shuo Wang

Below is a series of pictures showing the Maglev train moving away.

shanghai-maglev-head.out.of.station.2.jpg

Maglev head out of Station. Photo 2. © Jian Shuo Wang

shanghai-maglev-left.station.jpg

shanghai-maglev-left.station.middle.jpg

The startup speed of Maglev is not very fast, but it just disappeared before I can see the train clearly.

shanghai-maglev-left.station.far.away.jpg

Maglev left station – far away from where I stayed. © Jian Shuo Wang

shanghai-maglev-left.station.almost.cannot.see.jpg

Maglev almost out of sight. © Jian Shuo Wang

Maglev On Railway

Later, I found the train would pass the station and reach the other side of the station, stay there for about 2 minutes and then move back into the station, take the passenger and go for the downtown direction. So I have plenty of time to take more pictures for this most advanced train in the world. You can see the Maglev train is parking near the tower of the airport.

shanghai-maglev.tower.jpg

Maglev and the control tower of the Pudong Airport. © Jian Shuo Wang

The same picture with horizontal view.

shanghai-maglev.tower-horizontal.jpg

Maglev and the control tower of the Pudong Airport – horizontal version © Jian Shuo Wang

The above two Maglev pictures were quoted in some books and TV commercials (in Japan).

From the picture below, you can clearly see the head of the train and the “Shanghai Transrapid” mark on the Maglev train.

shanghai-maglev-head.shanghai.transrapid.jpg

Maglev with Shanghai transrapid on the train. © Jian Shuo Wang

This is the cart for the train. It seems the seat in it is very comfortable. I didn’t get into the cart yet since the ticket price for the tour (before it officially operate) is just too high. (Update: The price was cut twice and now it is 40 RMB for single trip if you hold the ticket of the flight of the same day. Aug-2007)

Infrastructure

The over head bridge connecting Pudong Airport and the Maglev station.

shanghai-maglev-bridge.connecting.station.and.pvg.jpg

Below: This is the end the Maglev’s railway. The huge installation and testing cart was parked on the right railway.

shanghai-maglev-end.of.rail.jpg

Below: More details about the huge machine.

shanghai-maglev-installation.machine.jpg

Looking from the other side of the railway. A big german guy was working on the electronic equipment near the train, but I forgot to take a picture for him.

shanghai-maglev-on.other.side.jpg

The lovely tree before the Maglev station.

shanghai-maglev-tree.near.station.jpg

Fantanstic Train

I hope the Maglev train will operate as scheduled despite of the recent technical difficulties.

Note: Please give credit to this site if you want to use any of the picture. Yes. I grant anyone the permission to use the pictures on this page as long as 1) It is for non-commercial use. 2) Links back.

Updated Aug 18, 2003

According to this letter from the CEO of American Maglev,

The German train is a testament to great technological innovation, but it is indeed very expensive. Based on the experience in Shanghai, the cost of the German Maglev technology would be much closer to $60 million a kilometre than the $2 million suggested previously.

Wow. Is it true? The cost of Maglev seems to be a national secret right now and I cannot find any information on it.

Updated Oct 10, 2003

According to the Morning Post, the MagLev will begin trial business operation from tomorrow (Oct 11, 2003).

Although the sightseeing tour of Maglev has been operating for about half year, tomorrow is the first time the Maglev drop passengers at Pudong Airport – which means passengers will be able to use the Maglev for transportation propose only, not just for tour.

More Information

How MagLev Works from howstuffworks.com
Make a MagLev Train (via howstuffworks.com)
More articles at this site is listed under Related Entries section below

Updated April 21, 2004

Maglev started daily operation already. It operates from 8：30 to 17：30 at interval of 20 minutes. The ticket price for single trip is 50 RMB and 80 RMB for round trip.

Also on this Site

Maglev at Shanghai Pudong Airport – 29-Oct-2003

Maglev Operates in Shanghai – 14-Jan-2003

Pudong Airport Maglev in Depth – 9-Aug-2003

PVG: Closer Look at MagLev – 5-Nov-2003

PVG: Has Maglev Started Operation? – 2-Oct-2003

PVG: Location of Maglev Station – 21-Oct-2003

PVG: Maglev Started Carry Passengers – 10-Oct-2003

Tickets for Maglev Tour – 19-Jan-2003

Experiencing Maglev Shanghai – 21-Apr-2004

Update Inside Maglev

Inside Pudong Airport Maglev Train

Tickets for Maglev Tour

Posted on January 19, 2003 by Jian Shuo Wang

I am watching TV and just head of the news of the Maglev Train Tour.

Before the Maglev trains are put into production at the end of this year, they offer tour for the train at price of 150 RMB and 300 RMB. However, the tickets are still hard to buy. According to the news, they issue 2000 tickets every day, but the tickets were completely sold out before the Spring Festival on Feb 1, 2003. Individuals cannot book the tickets for the future, since the booking services only apply to large accounts with 20+ tickets a time.

Meanwhile, it is even harder to buy train tickets here in Shanghai. I am not sure if people outside China understand this, people will try to return home no matter where they are in the Spring Festival, just like Christmas in the western countries. The train tickets are very hard to buy since there are too many people want to buy the limited number of tickets. According to the OTV news, the lines for buying tickets has been winding from the ticket counter, to outside the ticketing building, and extended to about 10 blocks away. Most of them came to buy the tickets before 12:00 AM yesterday and has standed in the line for 10 hours during the night — poor people!

It is also interesting to see people in Shanghai begin to tour to Hai Nan and other areas of China during the Spring Festival. Air tickets to Hai Nan have been sold out for Feb 1 to Feb 8.

Fortunately, I have booked my air tickets back to Luoyang one week ago. :-)

Updated Maglev Ticket is Set to Be 75 RMB Oct 21, 2003

Starting from Oct 11, 2003, the Maglev will pickup passengers at Pudong Airport on every Saturday and Sunday. Then it drops them off at Longyang Road Station. The price is 75 RMB. This is not the final price yet, since it will continue to drop after formal business operation.