windowontheAside

Good morning/afternoon all.

I'm leaving PVG tomorrow at 11am.

I've just looked up the lounge info on here and it seems the options are pretty poor. I'm usually one to arrive in plenty of time and chill in the lounge but that seems a bit pointless if the lounge is poor when I have a very lovely hotel room here in Shanghai.

So - given that I'm assured traffic won't be an issue on Sunday mornings so I don't need to leave much contingency there, can any frequent traveller advise what navigating PVG is like? Would I be OK to turn up 60-75 mins before departure?

Peregrine415

BA uses CX lounge in PVG. It's an okay lounge to kill time and certainly better than hanging out in the gate area. There is fast track outbound passport control and security at PVG for passengers flying in biz class. Just show your boarding pass and you will be directed to it. If you're flying Y, prepare for long wait at outbound immigration, especially on weekends.

windowontheAside

Thankfully I am not flying Y this time Thanks for the heads up on fast track - I didn't know about that.

I thought from reading here BA used a different lounge, but that I should go to the CX lounge anyway as it's better?

BA6501

Don't they also use some kind of Star Alliance lounge?

sl1ppy

They used the Cathay/Dragon Air lounge when I passed through a couple of months ago. Decent enough lounge with a good fresh dumpling station (though it doesn't start serving until pretty close to the BA departure time) and a convoluted wifi setup.

corporate-wage-slave

I would not spend too long at Shanghai airport either, though it's moderately interesting seeing it operate. I allow 75 minutes at PVG, knowing that 60 minutes would also be very adequate (assuming CW). I don't do checked luggage. Passports is the random bit, security is fairly swift.

Swanhunter

They used to use the very mediocre Shanghai Airlines (VS still do). The CX/KA lounge is fun but hardly worth a long chill. Assume 45mins drive from Puxi (30 from Pudong) and get there 75mins before the flight.

If immigration is bad ( and I have never waited longer than 10min) they send ground staff out to comb the queues.

windowontheAside

Thanks all. I'm in Puxi (but only just) and the hotel is insisting that I leave a minimum of 3 hours before the flight. There was much sucking of teeth as I tried to negotiate them down to 2h30

I reckon 45 mins to Pudong airport, so leaving 2hr before the flight should be enough. But if the CX lounge is OK, then perhaps I'll split the difference and go for 2hr30 anyway.

Thanks all

Swanhunter

Depending on exactly where you could save megabucks and get Line 2 all the way to the airport. Takes about 50mins but costs RMB6!! All metal seats are a touch painful. My absolute prefered way of getting to PVG is the metro to Longyang Lu and then the Maglev. No traffic hassles, no scary taxi drivers and very reliable though having an office over a mtetro stations helps. Maglev station can be a bit steamy in summer though.

windowontheAside

Everywhere is steamy at the moment. Trust me to visit during the hottest summer for 100+ years!

Thanks for the suggestion but I've more bags than hands so prefer to avoid public transport this time around. Plus my client is expecting to pay for a taxi so no gain for me there. Good to know for my return though. I quite like sussing out the local transport systems - haven't had a chance to on this trip.

Mind you, you just reminded me that on my way in I had the WORST taxi driver I've experienced, and I thought I'd seen some bad ones. He drove straddled across the white line wherever possible which involved almost sideswiping more than 20 vehicles (I stopped counting after that!) who were just minding their own business in their lane.

I genuinely suspect he had a problem with his eyesight and probably found it easier to follow the white line..... eeek!

Steve_ZA

This gets my vote too. Pick a time when they are running at 430KM/H, just because http://www.smtdc.com/en/jszl1_2.asp

mec72

They use the CX lounge which is relatively close to the departure gate. Nothing to write home about, but a good place to kill some time. They start serving hot noodles/soup at 10:00 am so you can still eat something before the flight.

As regards getting to the airport, I agree re Maglev train - it's awesome! Longyang Rd is a bit far from the center, but still recommend it. Remember that trains before 9:00am run at 300 km/h which isn't different from the Eurostar (except for the rapid acceleration) and then at 431 km/h after 9:00am, so I actually waited for a later train to go faster. Still plenty of time to swing by the CX lounge and catch the BA flight.

windowontheAside

Hmmmm.... you guys are really tempting me....

pianoamit

WotAs - without a shadow of doubt, take the MagLev. It's a quick taxi from where you are to LongYang Station, and a cheap and cheerful (not to mention AMAZINGLY quick) ride to the airport. You don't want to get stuck in traffic in Shanghai, least of all when you're pressed for time.

CX lounge in PVG is nice, but not the most amazing you'll have seen... I'd say aim to get to PVG for 9.30-9.40, so you should leave the hotel in a taxi by 8.45ish at the latest.

moondog

50 minutes? Surely you jest!

As I've said repeatedly in the Shanghai Ground Transportation, the buses are way out in front of the pack when you take cost, convenience, and timeliness into account.