Originally Posted by Silvercity

Also Pundong is a long drive (40min) or longer with traffic to and from the airport.

Originally Posted by StuckInYYZ

You're looking at Option B. That said, you won't be able to re-check in your bags immediately. I think the AC counters open 3 hours before the flight. I am not sure if there is a holding area you might be able to use, but I used one of the transit hotels last time I passed through and crashed due to a bad flight (no sleep for 24 hours and the air had me coughing like crazy).

That said, personally, I didn't like PVG. Never mind the air quality, it was such a downer airport to transit in compared to other airports I have been in. (Sorry Jack) Most of the stuff was closed (both ways through it) and the people didn't seem to care. HKG has energy and even PEK had some cheerful staff.

Originally Posted by Wpgjetse

I have never had to pick up my bags transferring from a *A to AC. AC ticket counter does open 3 hours before flight and closes 1 hour before departure.

Originally Posted by Wpgjetse

I have never had to pick up my bags transferring from a *A to AC. AC ticket counter does open 3 hours before flight and closes 1 hour before departure.

Originally Posted by Wpgjetse

No drive, No traffic. Take the maglev train. Very fast.

Originally Posted by StuckInYYZ

You weren't forced to exit airside and pick up your luggage? Maybe I missed something, but I've been forced to get my luggage every time I've had to go through. AC and others have never let me check my luggage all the way to the destination if I go through PVG.

Originally Posted by zwkchong

Have you transferred from BR before? Were you given your boarding pass at the previous airport?

Originally Posted by Jumper Jack

Maglev to Line 2 Subway is not as simple as it makes out to be.(With luggage, its going to be a chore)
Maglev's biggest flaw is it ends at longyang, as oppose to being more closer to the city.
I would just recommend taking Taxi out of PVG right away, line can be long but they move very fast.

There are also car services you can book online that's about the same price(DIDI is the name, which I think offers the best package, they wait for you at the exit, car got water and wifi, pretty sweet when you don't have a sim card yet)

I probably taken the car to PVG 20-30 times now, never a traffic jam. Hongqiao is a different story.

In your case.
5 Hours? I am almost 100% certain you won't make it if you want to eat somewhere good, which is located in Lujiazui/zhengda plaza

Good restaurants in Shanghai would have long lineups.

Originally Posted by Wpgjetse

I want to be on your flights to Shanghai. I must have done this flight over 150 times. I find Shanghai traffic bad 99% of the time between 5 to 8 pm. 5 hours is tons of time to have a great late lunch.

Originally Posted by Jumper Jack

Well
I did live in shanghai(about 10 mins drive to Financial District in Pudong) for about 13 years before coming here.Traffic jam only starts happening near Century Avenue and if you had got out at the right exit you should be fine to escape the choke points. (Not bragging at all about years, but I feel like I generally "gets" the traffic in Shanghai and knows what routes to take in order to avoid the jams after all that time)

Even as i go back to Shanghai for summer internships/family visits for the past years via AC flights(Which I assume are the ones you take )I have yet to experience a traffic jam that's relative to what's happening on 401.

Maybe we can share a cab next time, taxi drivers love to take you on those long jams to rack up the charges if they think you are not from around here.(Happened to me once but I quickly realized what he was trying to do and said in chinese "hey, why don't you get off at this exit, it's quicker")

Shanghai Traffic towards PVG is not bad as long as you strategically plan out how you get there(SHA on the other hand I would agree with you, I only missed my flight once so far in my life and it happened due to complete chokehold traffic on the elevated roads)

Perhaps your hotels(And I am just guessing here) are located in Puxi near people's square which would explain how you see the traffic bad 99% of time.

As for five hours for a good lunch in Pu Dong, If you put in 30 mins for the custom, and 2 hours back to the airport(redundancy)... I am not so sure about what good options are out there that's less than 30 mins away. I would just go with relaxing at the Air China lounge as oppose to the hustle.

Originally Posted by Jumper Jack

Maglev to Line 2 Subway is not as simple as it makes out to be.(With luggage, its going to be a chore)
Maglev's biggest flaw is it ends at longyang, as oppose to being more closer to the city.
I would just recommend taking Taxi out of PVG right away, line can be long but they move very fast.

There are also car services you can book online that's about the same price(DIDI is the name, which I think offers the best package, they wait for you at the exit, car got water and wifi, pretty sweet when you don't have a sim card yet)

I probably taken the car to PVG 20-30 times now, never a traffic jam. Hongqiao is a different story.

In your case.
5 Hours? I am almost 100% certain you won't make it if you want to eat somewhere good, which is located in Lujiazui/zhengda plaza

Good restaurants in Shanghai would have long lineups.

Originally Posted by StuckInYYZ

Didi Dache (think Chinese UberX)was great for me when me and the wife were in China last. No free water or anything, but we managed to bypass so many traps using it... sure it cost a little more (surge pricing), but much better as we didn't know the city well.

Only downside is I believe you have to have a wechat account with funds... which unfortunately I didn't have (wife did).

But to re-iterate, if I had 8 hours and was fully aware of everything, then I would probably venture into the city. But if you factor in 2 hours of transit (1 hour each way) and another hour for check-in/security and at least 30 mins to get out of the airport, that's not going to leave you a lot of time to explore or have lunch (unless you can call ahead and reserve).