China - Sleeping in airport - PEK or PVG?

I am searching for a cheap multi-leg ticket to Asia and found one itinerary that is pretty nice overall but requires a overnight at either PVG (T1 with China Eastern) or PEK (3C transfer to 3E with Air China).

I'd rather not stay in an airport hotel. I am wondering if they let people sleep overnight inside the terminals; and if so, which one is preferable? Thanks!

Semi-public sleeping in China is not a problem.

IKEA (http://www.hereisbeijing.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/sleeping-at-ikea.jpg)

I would say PVG T1 would be best, older and big brother less likely to be hanging around.

What's your budget? You can easily get a hotel room with free shuttle service at PVG around $50 all-in.

What's your budget? You can easily get a hotel room with free shuttle service at PVG around $50 all-in.

Shuttle?
There's a hotel in between, T1 and T2 walk to it.
Its not free, but it's cheap.

T1 is a ghost town at night. Doubt anyone would notice
a traveler taking a rest there.

I'm not a particular proponent of either, but PEK Terminal 3E has an airside transit hotel near gate E10. You buy blocks of hours, and a full night's rest is not particularly cheap.

If you want to try your luck in PEK or PVG terminal, see if www.sleepinginairports.net has any insights or specific suggestions for you.

Shuttle?
There's a hotel in between, T1 and T2 walk to it.
Its not free, but it's cheap.

T1 is a ghost town at night. Doubt anyone would notice
a traveler taking a rest there.

OP may be on a budget. Other hotels within a few kms from PVG are often cheaper with comparable rooms as the hotel between T1 and T2.

If you have to sleep in airports (especially those mentioned), you should not be travelling overseas. I'm not the least bit snobby, but I feel compelled to state that this plan is very silly.

What's your budget? You can easily get a hotel room with free shuttle service at PVG around $50 all-in.

I am hoping free :)

Shuttle?
There's a hotel in between, T1 and T2 walk to it.
Its not free, but it's cheap.

T1 is a ghost town at night. Doubt anyone would notice
a traveler taking a rest there.

hmm... that's interesting, although I don't want to get mugged either.

I'm not a particular proponent of either, but PEK Terminal 3E has an airside transit hotel near gate E10. You buy blocks of hours, and a full night's rest is not particularly cheap.

If you want to try your luck in PEK or PVG terminal, see if www.sleepinginairports.net has any insights or specific suggestions for you.

thanks for the links!

At the nearby Chuansha metro stop there are all of the Chinese budget chains, a night market, maidanglao, etc.

I like the Hanting Express since they have a free shuttle to PVG which is actually a sedan. 24$ for a random date I checked.

I would say PVG T1 would be best, older and big brother less likely to be hanging around.

Don't know about PVG, but PEK has international (T3E) departures throughout the night, so you're not likely to be noticed much if you're hanging around somewhere in that terminal. I took a midnight flight out once, and other than activity near the gate (and others with upcoming flights) it was extremely quiet. No guarantees, but I doubt you'd be hassled.

That said, even if on a budget, I would use the airfare savings to find yourself a decent hotel. Or if you can schedule the flight with a longer layover, see Beijing for the day on the 24-hour transit visa (free), get a night at a hotel somewhere or catch up on sleep on the plane, and then fly out.

This sounds like OP should check the transit without visa rules too. It can be an expensive nuisance to obtain a Chinese visa, although not as bad as Russia nor as expensive as Brazil.

Still getting a 150 RMB rate for an airport area hotel at PVG with free shuttle included.

As for sleeping at Chinese airports, I'm fully with moondog. Don't do it.

If you have to sleep in airports (especially those mentioned), you should not be travelling overseas. I'm not the least bit snobby, but I feel compelled to state that this plan is very silly.

Still getting a 150 RMB rate for an airport area hotel at PVG with free shuttle included.

As for sleeping at Chinese airports, I'm fully with moondog. Don't do it.

Persons who have not had ever had to spend the night either involuntarily or voluntarily at an airport terminal, camped out somewhere, have led charmed lives and should not consider themselves REAL travelers. :p :p Being a refugee for a night isn't necessarily pleasant or comfortable, but generally it's not the end of the world. The tips at sleepinginairports has saved my bacon on a few occasions, though I haven't had to invoke in the last 4-5 years.

While I'm not advocating for or against, neither PEK or PVG should be problematic from a safety standpoint. Comfort is another issue. Only this OP knows what his situation/budget is. If "overnight" is only 5-6 hours, then yeah, it doesn't make a lot of sense to leave the airport and spring for a hotel, though maybe either the airside E terminal or the frontside transit hotel would work. If more like 8-10 hours, then definitely go somewhere off-premises and have a decent rest. Doesn't have to be a 5*.

Semi-public sleeping in China is not a problem.

IKEA (http://www.hereisbeijing.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/sleeping-at-ikea.jpg)

I would say PVG T1 would be best, older and big brother less likely to be hanging around.

Pretty much my China IKEA experience.

Don't know about PVG, but PEK has international (T3E) departures throughout the night, so you're not likely to be noticed much if you're hanging around somewhere in that terminal. I took a midnight flight out once, and other than activity near the gate (and others with upcoming flights) it was extremely quiet. No guarantees, but I doubt you'd be hassled.

FWIW, I had a delayed departure (to 11p) and saw a couple of people sleeping on some out-of-the-way seats near the Air China Biz lounge. The benches were semi-hidden behind some signs, along the railing for the downstairs area. Folks looked as comfortable as one could be in the scenario.

You can see from my video I made of PVG that it is very large, with plenty of open spaces for sleeping, even during the day. At nighttime, I imagine it is even quieter.

In the first 5 seconds of my video, you can even see the nearby transit hotel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wen76-imFjI

I have never been to PEK.

Worked for this guy.

SLEEPING IN A SECRET CORNER OF THE BEIJING AIRPORT (http://www.wrjphoto.com/blog/sleeping-in-beijing-airport/)