Originally Posted by
cardesigner2000
Thanks for all your advice^
Hoping Hongqiao customs doesn't take too long since there are so few international flights compared to PVG.
Sounds like I'll withdraw some cash from the ATMs on arrival and then take a taxi to the station if the lines are not too bad, with the metro as a backup. If I book my tickets in advance I could then simply pick them up at the station right? Would be willing to pay the agency fee if it saves the hassle of waiting in long lines and not being able to board the next train.
Yes to your question... you still need to wait in a line to do this, but it's usually not that bad. The thing is, if your flight is delayed, you could end up missing your train, and then you'd be back at square one. Meanwhile, mosburger's "meet an agent at the subway station" plan sounds far more bothersome to me than waiting in a line for 5 minutes (to will call or purchase). Furthermore, I wouldn't dream of buying RMB in Japan (horrible rates), and would only exchange at SHA in the extremely unlikely event that the ATMs were all out of money.