My wife and I are arriving in PVG at 16:15 on a Friday. We are departing PVG at 17:25 on the following Monday. We are staying at a hotel which is directly adjacent to the Langao stop on Line 7.

For our departure from Shanghai, I have already decided that we will take the subway from the hotel back to the airport, starting out on Line 7, then connecting to Line 2. We will plan to leave the hotel at least three hours before our flight.

I've read several comments on the China board that the subway can be very crowded from 17:00 to 19:00 on Fridays, which is the timeframe we would be leaving the airport. I'd like to also take the subway from airport to our hotel, but not if the trains will be packed. I would assume that anyone in the know would strongly suggest I suck it up and pay for a taxi to our hotel (which is several miles NW of the Bund area)?

Thanks for any replies.

Friday afternoon rush hour in any major city? Trying to take subway with transfers to your hotel with luggage?

I don't think it is a good idea.

The "rush hour" aspect doesn't really matter (Line 2 is packed all of the time, and Line 7 is crowded from 3p on), but I agree that the OP is setting himself up for a less than pleasant experience. Yet again, I advise the #2 bus (since the OP mentioned Line 7, JA Temple can't be far away).

Million miles BIS, I'd pay 15 bucks and take a taxi.

Actually, 1.6 million miles BIS, but that doesn't make me any richer.

Figured a taxi from PVG to my hotel will run close to $40, but I'll go ahead and spring for that on arrival. May still consider a metro return to the airport, however, since I should be able to avoid the Monday "rush hour". I can better assess the risk after taking the metro a few times the days we will be there.

Thank you all for your quick replies.

Try out the bus! If you're at T2, you will need to walk 400 meters to grab it, but it is faster than the subway, and only costs Y22/person. I've done this drill 500 times.

Not sure on the amount of luggage you have, if it is a lot and u still want to take the metro then take a taxi to a line 2 station so no transfers needed (should be less than 20y). If you fly at 17.25 you should get going at 1400 latest and that is a lower congestion time.

Both us will each have a 21" roll a board, plus an over-the-shoulder bag. We're not checking anything, as we will be in business. Flying in/back out to BKK on Thai.

With a transfer, is 1+15 enough time to plan for hotel to airport? Are transfers on the PVG metro a challenge, more so than in other cities?

Just to clarify the last bit of line 2 needs a transfer to another line 2 train but that is a very easy 10M transfer no steps. If you are suddenly running late you can transfer at Yalong road to the maglev (40y/pp)

As you have no luggage to check most of this discussion is moot you can easily do metro (though would still taxi to an L2 station)

is 1.15 hour to airport enough, sorry don't really remember if it is, it is not a fast metro and PVG does not have OLCI (at least the airlines I use)

I would leave 3 hrs before

Play Chinese style: One of you gets first in the queue when waiting for the line 7 train from/to Longyang Rd. and literally runs to grab vacant seats like many locals (not born but living in Shanghai) do.

Then the other person enters with luggage and you both are able to get a seat. If you hesitate and/or are slow, standing room only. Survival of the fittest, as always in the Middle Kingdom.

No, transfers are easy. It's just a long way from PVG on the number 2 subway. I typically take the maglev and connect to number 2 at Longyuan. If you want to go all the way in the subway you will have 2 changes as the number 2 has 2 legs that split at East Pudong. It's easy, you just cross the platform to get on the other train, but that's where you run in to the rush hour issue. It's not a problem from the airport as you're at the terminus and will get a seat, but it will be crowded form East Pudong, and possibly difficult to get on with your luggage. The Chinese subways are very nice, clean, frequent. I've never taken the bus, as recommended by moondog, but I understand it's faster.

Yes, I can't get that 8.2 RMB/USD out of my head. No more 18USD taxi fare from PVG to the city and low meter drop.

I agree with Moondog, bus is best value. Straight shot and inexpensive.
But the maglev is worth a ride, too.

I take line 2 and line 7 every day so hopefully this will be a useful response but first I would ask you to reconsider your hotel location if at all possible. Unless there is a specific reason to stay near Langao Road, there is not much going on or worth seeing in Putuo district.

For your arrival time, if you really want to do all subway, I'd take line 2 from the airport and transfer to Line 7 at Longyang Road station. If you're aggressive you should be able to get seats for both portions of the journey but you need to really be aggressive to grab the seats both at Pudong and Longyang Road. Once you're seated on Line 7 just sit back and enjoy the 45-50 minute ride to Langao Road. This option is much better than the transfer at Jing'an Temple station which at that hour will be packed.

For your departure, if you are leaving Langao Road around 2pm you should be OK with the transfer to line 2 at Jing'an temple station which makes the journey shorter by about 10-15 minutes. Once you get off Line 7 and walk to the Line 2 station, go all the way to the front end of the platform and you may be able to get a seat or two.

The line 2 bus doesn't make sense for your Putuo hotel and since you seem to want to take the subway I'd recommend following the above routing. If you're willing to spring 40 RMB for the maglev you can shave 30 minutes off your trip time and just take line 7 from Longyang Road where the maglev lets you off.

OP, are you staying at Renaissance Putuo? If you are on points, you might want to consider the Renaissance Zhongshan Park - same Cat 2 hotel. Another one to consider is Courtyard Puxi.

I booked that hotel too, but then found a cheaper rate at Shanghai Marriott City Centre, and after asking my friend and in the Chinese forum - everyone advised against staying in Putuo district.