Uber Shanghai (nice cars and not very expensive)
Mar 15, 2016, 1:57 am
#166
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Location: Shanghai
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Mar 19, 2016, 2:34 am
#169
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I'm currently in an uber on my way back from hongqiao t2, and want to warn all that using uber for pick ups after the last flight of the day departs is an incredibly bad idea because the departures road is under maintance at night and they aren't allowed on the lower level. After 20 minutes of phone calls with the driver, we finally managed to meet each other at the train station.
Moral to the story; if you arrive after the subway closes, either wait it out in the taxi queue or take the night bus (which is actually an amazingly fast way into town, BTW).
Eta: it is surely possible to get picked up by a private car at night, bit my driver certainly couldn't crack the case. Furthermore, the construction will surely end at some point. But, even then, let it be known that sha t2 (as well as the train station) is a tricky place for pickups due to the north and south entrances.
Moral to the story; if you arrive after the subway closes, either wait it out in the taxi queue or take the night bus (which is actually an amazingly fast way into town, BTW).
Eta: it is surely possible to get picked up by a private car at night, bit my driver certainly couldn't crack the case. Furthermore, the construction will surely end at some point. But, even then, let it be known that sha t2 (as well as the train station) is a tricky place for pickups due to the north and south entrances.
Joe simply told me to go to the Boyue Hotel (entrance is right next to departures door #3), and all would be easy.
It actually wasn't that easy, but I did manage to plant myself in a car within 10 minutes + save Y60 (v. taxi) in the process.
Since I only have a single data point to work with, I am unable to offer fool proof instructions, but here's a preliminary guide:
1. Go to the Boyue Hotel entrance on the departures level (impossible to miss)
2. Request your Uber from there
3. Ask the guy standing next to the door to advise the driver of your pick-up location
-it is on the arrivals level in the opposite direction of the taxi mayhem (service road)
-your driver will not be able to find this location in the absence of clear instructions
4. Ask the same guy (or one of his colleagues) to help you meet the car when it arrives
-tip him at least Y20 (but, no more than Y50...let's not create a cottage industry)
Apr 8, 2016, 1:41 am
#171
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: New England
Programs: UA 1K / HH Diamond
Posts: 239
In light of current "crack downs" at the airports and the train station, i.e. No empty cars to the departure levels, how dose everyone get uber pick up there? Cheers.
Last edited by HowieG; Apr 8, 2016 at 2:14 am
Apr 21, 2016, 6:07 pm
#172
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: BIL
Programs: Delta FO
Posts: 786
I was able to get an Uber car at the maglev station in Pudong with no problem a few days ago. The road between the stations is blocked off, so you need to walk to the intersection to meet your car. It worked for me.
I tried to get an Uber at the Astor House Hotel right next to the garden bridge on the Bund to return to the maglev station, but I couldn't get the Uber app to work. It just would not load maps properly, so I had no way of inputting my destination. I'm guessing it was a GCFW/maps issue, but who knows. I tried for 45 minutes using both cell data and the hotel's wifi but nothing worked for me.
BTW: Watch out for the taxi scams at the maglev station! The newest scam: a guy watches you use the Uber app on your phone. Maybe asks a few questions. He walks away. 10 minutes later, a guy comes over and says: Uber car is ready, follow me.
I tried to get an Uber at the Astor House Hotel right next to the garden bridge on the Bund to return to the maglev station, but I couldn't get the Uber app to work. It just would not load maps properly, so I had no way of inputting my destination. I'm guessing it was a GCFW/maps issue, but who knows. I tried for 45 minutes using both cell data and the hotel's wifi but nothing worked for me.
BTW: Watch out for the taxi scams at the maglev station! The newest scam: a guy watches you use the Uber app on your phone. Maybe asks a few questions. He walks away. 10 minutes later, a guy comes over and says: Uber car is ready, follow me.
Apr 21, 2016, 9:03 pm
#173
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: YVR
Programs: AC*SE MM, Marriott Titanium, National Executive
Posts: 1,586
I tried to get an Uber at the Astor House Hotel right next to the garden bridge on the Bund to return to the maglev station, but I couldn't get the Uber app to work. It just would not load maps properly, so I had no way of inputting my destination. I'm guessing it was a GCFW/maps issue, but who knows. I tried for 45 minutes using both cell data and the hotel's wifi but nothing worked for me.
I used Express VPN with great results.
Apr 25, 2016, 10:06 am
#174
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On iPhones, you don't need to be on VPN.
On Android phones, you shouldn't need to be on VPN, but this seems to solve most map issues.
"Destination" honestly matters not.
On Android phones, you shouldn't need to be on VPN, but this seems to solve most map issues.
"Destination" honestly matters not.
Last edited by moondog; Apr 25, 2016 at 5:17 pm
Apr 25, 2016, 12:53 pm
#175
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: YVR
Programs: AC*SE MM, Marriott Titanium, National Executive
Posts: 1,586
Apr 26, 2016, 9:41 am
#176
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Apr 26, 2016, 10:31 am
#177
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: BIL
Programs: Delta FO
Posts: 786
It sure mattered for me! My driver had absolutely no idea where I wanted to go, even when I showed him a detailed route on Google maps to the maglev station, which is only 10 KMs or so away from the Bund. I ended up telling him to just start driving, and used hand signals to guide him to the station 
Apr 26, 2016, 11:07 am
#178
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It sure mattered for me! My driver had absolutely no idea where I wanted to go, even when I showed him a detailed route on Google maps to the maglev station, which is only 10 KMs or so away from the Bund. I ended up telling him to just start driving, and used hand signals to guide him to the station
Jun 5, 2016, 1:51 pm
#179
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: YVR
Programs: AC*SE MM, Marriott Titanium, National Executive
Posts: 1,586
Has there been any changes to using uber for pickup at PVG? last time I went to departure level and called the driver after requesting to tell him the door number.
I see some people have issues at Hongqiao lately, just what to make sure I am prepared.
Landing in PVG Monday evening..
I see some people have issues at Hongqiao lately, just what to make sure I am prepared.
Landing in PVG Monday evening..