For anyone interested in trying the Shanghai Maglev, I did a quick same-day return trip yesterday (3 August) during a layover at PVG, as I had a few hours to spare.

A few things to note:

• The train reached a top speed of 300 km/h, not the advertised 431 km/h.
• Longyang Road Station is semi-open air and has no air conditioning, so it was incredibly hot in the summer heat.
• While the Maglev itself was a smooth and comfortable ride, the walk to the train is quite long and can be tiring. You’ll also need to transfer at Longyang Road to either the metro or a taxi to get into the city.

All in all, worth the experience if you’re curious or just have time to kill - but not necessarily the most efficient option door-to-door.