Guide: A Ride on the Shanghai Maglev
Taking the Maglev train is a unique way to travel from Shanghai Pudong Airport into the city, especially for rail transport enthusiasts.
In this short guide, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about this unique train.
About the Shanghai Maglev train
The Shanghai Maglev Train (SMT) connects the city’s main international airport, Pudong, with Longyang Road interchange station on the outskirts of the city centre.
A maglev train is levitated by magnets rather than running on wheels, which allows it to accelerate faster and travel at higher speeds.
Before May 2021, the Shanghai Maglev had a cruising speed of 431 kilometres per hour (268 mph), making it the fastest commercial train service in operation at the time.
However, due to ageing infrastructure and high operating costs, the Shanghai Maglev’s top speed was reduced to a slower operational speed of 300 kilometres per hour (186 mph).
That’s still lightning fast, although slower than it was originally designed to travel.
As the only high-speed Maglev train in the world that you can ride, the Shanghai Maglev remains a must-do experience for any rail enthusiast, even though it is actually slower than the metro for travelling from Pudong Airport to the city centre, given that you still need to change trains at the terminus at Longyang Road.
The Shanghai Pudong Maglev train arrives at the station. ©AndyBTravels
On board the Maglev train
The Shanghai Maglev train has two different travel classes.
Standard Class features three-abreast seating, while VIP Class offers a more spacious 2+2 seating configuration.
You can easily buy tickets for the Shanghai Maglev at the station from the staffed ticket office or ticket machines, with both debit and credit cards accepted, as well as Chinese payment systems such as Alipay and WeChat Pay.
In the video below, you can see what it is like to travel on the Shanghai Maglev train.
Practical tips
Given that the metro is cheaper and faster for travelling from Pudong Airport to the city centre, the Shanghai Maglev is typically not crowded.
As the Maglev journey is also very short, at just a few minutes, I personally do not think it is worth paying extra for VIP Class, as there are almost always plenty of empty seats and space in Standard Class.
Before you arrive in China, make sure you have a working eSIM on your phone, as well as WeChat Pay or Alipay set up, as you will need these to make payments in the cashless society of modern-day China.
By using my sign-up link, you can currently get a 10% discount on Airalo eSIMs.
For booking Chinese train tickets, it is easiest to use the reliable ticketing site Trip.com.
In my guide on DiscoverByRail, you can read more about Chinese train travel.
VIP seating on the Maglev train. ©AndyBTravels
Standard Class on the Maglev train. ©AndyBTravels
Conclusion
Although the Maglev is not the best way to travel from Shanghai Pudong Airport to the city centre, it is certainly the most fun and unusual option.
As the world’s only operational high-speed maglev train, it offers a unique experience and is well worth taking the extra time for on your journey from Pudong Airport into the city.
