Enter and exit PVG during 4 hour layover to take Maglev?
Nov 28, 2017, 11:23 am
#1
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Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: if it's Thursday, this must be Belgium
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Enter and exit PVG during 4 hour layover to take Maglev?
Hi all --
I have a really short layover SFO-PVG-SFO for a mileage run coming up, and and ground time is 6:35pm arrive, 12:15am depart. If I'm a US citizen, have a visa for China, and no carryon baggage (or a really small backpack), is this feasible for me to exit quickly, take a roundtrip on the Maglev train, and come back with time to sit in the Air China lounge?
For a $12 ticket, the Maglev is probably the only thing I would enjoy going to see, and otherwise I'd be doing not much of anything in the airport anyway.
But the question is, is immigration, customs, security (x2) reasonable to do in 4 hours?
Thanks!
I have a really short layover SFO-PVG-SFO for a mileage run coming up, and and ground time is 6:35pm arrive, 12:15am depart. If I'm a US citizen, have a visa for China, and no carryon baggage (or a really small backpack), is this feasible for me to exit quickly, take a roundtrip on the Maglev train, and come back with time to sit in the Air China lounge?
For a $12 ticket, the Maglev is probably the only thing I would enjoy going to see, and otherwise I'd be doing not much of anything in the airport anyway.
But the question is, is immigration, customs, security (x2) reasonable to do in 4 hours?
Thanks!
Nov 29, 2017, 8:22 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: AC MM E50 , Former SPG, now Marriott LT Plat
Posts: 6,261
Security x 3 ( twice for maglev, once for PVG departure).
Yes, based on your 6:30 arrival, 12:15 departure it should be safe and doable.
If it was actually 4 hours between arrival and departure, I would caution against.
Yes, based on your 6:30 arrival, 12:15 departure it should be safe and doable.
If it was actually 4 hours between arrival and departure, I would caution against.
Nov 29, 2017, 10:04 am
#3
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Just be careful to check the schedule for the last Maglev runs of the evening. IIRC the last one leaves the airport around 9 pm, but check to make sure. It might be wise to carry enough cash for a taxi back to the airport in a worst case scenario, such as a long security line to re-enter the Maglev Pudong station.
Nov 29, 2017, 11:35 am
#4
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Location: if it's Thursday, this must be Belgium
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Oh, dumb me, my layover is actually 6 hours, I can't do math. Thanks for the suggestion to check the last train time! I looked at the schedule, and 21:40 is the last train so I can probably safely make it back.
The unfortunate thing is that the max train speed depends on time of day! In a strange way too -- for ~1-2 hour periods during the day the max speed is 430km/hr instead of 300 km/hr. 300 is still pretty fast, but I wonder why this is so... And I guess I won't get to experience 430km/hr because of my flight times anyway.
http://www.smtdc.com/en/jszl1_2.html
The unfortunate thing is that the max train speed depends on time of day! In a strange way too -- for ~1-2 hour periods during the day the max speed is 430km/hr instead of 300 km/hr. 300 is still pretty fast, but I wonder why this is so... And I guess I won't get to experience 430km/hr because of my flight times anyway.
http://www.smtdc.com/en/jszl1_2.html
Last edited by TA; Nov 29, 2017 at 11:45 am
Nov 30, 2017, 7:35 am
#5
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: HRB
Programs: OZ Diamond
Posts: 130
Oh, dumb me, my layover is actually 6 hours, I can't do math. Thanks for the suggestion to check the last train time! I looked at the schedule, and 21:40 is the last train so I can probably safely make it back.
The unfortunate thing is that the max train speed depends on time of day! In a strange way too -- for ~1-2 hour periods during the day the max speed is 430km/hr instead of 300 km/hr. 300 is still pretty fast, but I wonder why this is so... And I guess I won't get to experience 430km/hr because of my flight times anyway.
http://www.smtdc.com/en/jszl1_2.html
The unfortunate thing is that the max train speed depends on time of day! In a strange way too -- for ~1-2 hour periods during the day the max speed is 430km/hr instead of 300 km/hr. 300 is still pretty fast, but I wonder why this is so... And I guess I won't get to experience 430km/hr because of my flight times anyway.
http://www.smtdc.com/en/jszl1_2.html
Dec 1, 2017, 4:13 pm
#6
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Hi all --
I have a really short layover SFO-PVG-SFO for a mileage run coming up, and and ground time is 6:35pm arrive, 12:15am depart. If I'm a US citizen, have a visa for China, and no carryon baggage (or a really small backpack), is this feasible for me to exit quickly, take a roundtrip on the Maglev train, and come back with time to sit in the Air China lounge?
For a $12 ticket, the Maglev is probably the only thing I would enjoy going to see, and otherwise I'd be doing not much of anything in the airport anyway.
But the question is, is immigration, customs, security (x2) reasonable to do in 4 hours?
Thanks!
I have a really short layover SFO-PVG-SFO for a mileage run coming up, and and ground time is 6:35pm arrive, 12:15am depart. If I'm a US citizen, have a visa for China, and no carryon baggage (or a really small backpack), is this feasible for me to exit quickly, take a roundtrip on the Maglev train, and come back with time to sit in the Air China lounge?
For a $12 ticket, the Maglev is probably the only thing I would enjoy going to see, and otherwise I'd be doing not much of anything in the airport anyway.
But the question is, is immigration, customs, security (x2) reasonable to do in 4 hours?
Thanks!
Show your ticket/boarding pass as you may be eligible for discounted Maglev ticket (works for one-ways, but they may have a cheaper round-trip tourist option).
Dec 1, 2017, 10:57 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: YVR
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Security when I was at PVG was a bit rough. Inbound customs took me a good solid 45 minutes, but that was mid day, and I was seated in the 2nd to last row of a fairly full AC 787. Leaving again sort of mid day, I found myself taking quite a while to get through security. First there was passport control (or was that second?) then there's the regular security. That regular security line seemed rather long and quite slow moving.
As others have said, you probably could do this, but I'm not sure it's worth it, unless you're just a train junkie or something, the maglev is cool, but not THAT cool
As others have said, you probably could do this, but I'm not sure it's worth it, unless you're just a train junkie or something, the maglev is cool, but not THAT cool
Dec 1, 2017, 11:22 pm
#8
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agree... but 6 hours sitting at PVG isn't exactly exciting either If the inbound is on time or early I'd certainly exit the airport to stretch my legs. Some people really dislike PVG. I don't mind it (T2 at least). The Air China lounge isn't too bad, and they have a place offering massage now (don't know how good/bad it is).
If the inbound is on time or early I'd certainly exit the airport to stretch my legs. Some people really dislike PVG. I don't mind it (T2 at least). The Air China lounge isn't too bad, and they have a place offering massage now (don't know how good/bad it is).
Dec 2, 2017, 3:46 am
#10
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agree... but 6 hours sitting at PVG isn't exactly exciting either If the inbound is on time or early I'd certainly exit the airport to stretch my legs. Some people really dislike PVG. I don't mind it (T2 at least). The Air China lounge isn't too bad, and they have a place offering massage now (don't know how good/bad it is).
If the inbound is on time or early I'd certainly exit the airport to stretch my legs. Some people really dislike PVG. I don't mind it (T2 at least). The Air China lounge isn't too bad, and they have a place offering massage now (don't know how good/bad it is).
Dec 2, 2017, 4:11 am
#11
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Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 16,871
Disagree. I think is pretty damn cool. Although I think you lose some of the coolness at night but with six hours I would absolutely do it if you have never been on it.
Not so sure about the noise answer because I remember it as pretty quiet.
Not so sure about the noise answer because I remember it as pretty quiet.
Dec 2, 2017, 4:20 am
#12
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At the entrance to the bridge thingy taking you to the lounge there's a like a service desk. They ask you if you want a massage. not sure where the actual 'spa' is, but must be somewhere close by. Didn't stop to sk the prices. Likely high by Chinese standards, probably ok by Western. But don't know the quality.
Dec 2, 2017, 6:06 am
#13
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: HRB
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The maglev is kinda cool and worth doing once, but I'd say that it's not very practical transportation. The main problem is that it terminates at Longyang Rd, which doesn't have much for visitors to do or see. The subway line 2, while much slower, is also much more useful and much cheaper too.
Still, with 6 hours to kill, I think the OP should take a ride on the maglev. Slight shame that it isn't at full speed then, but still it's pretty cool. Just take the next maglev back and then kick back at the reasonably good CA lounge.
Agree. The CA lounge at PVG is much better than their PEK lounge. I wish that CA would just renovate/build a new lounge at PEK based on the PVG lounge.
Still, with 6 hours to kill, I think the OP should take a ride on the maglev. Slight shame that it isn't at full speed then, but still it's pretty cool. Just take the next maglev back and then kick back at the reasonably good CA lounge.
I didn't know about the massage place, I was actually quite impressed by the CA lounge though. Especially since it wasn't their hub. I'm headed to PEK in Jan and actually not looking forward to that lounge, from the reviews I've seen it doesn't look as good. 6 hours for me is nothing though, I'll just sit there, drink, surf the net, if I have any little things I'm working on I'll do that. I do recall them having massage chairs, maybe use one of those for a lil bit. The food I recall was of decent variety there too so that's certainly better than like a UA club.
Dec 3, 2017, 6:21 pm
#14
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Posting from the Air China lounge PVG. The quick Maglev ride went well (fast and entertaining, if a little fraying at the edges and getting out of date), and I also went to Nanjing Lu and looked at the Bund for an hour, which was very nice at night. And super crowded. Very good visit overall.
However, UA screwed me as our 12:15am flight went mechanical after 4 hours waiting, and then 2 hrs trying to deal with the chaos of no procedure to handle 200 pax in the airport going the opposite direction of immigration, customs, etc. It will be a bleary-eyed Monday morning for this mileage runner....
Thanks all!
However, UA screwed me as our 12:15am flight went mechanical after 4 hours waiting, and then 2 hrs trying to deal with the chaos of no procedure to handle 200 pax in the airport going the opposite direction of immigration, customs, etc. It will be a bleary-eyed Monday morning for this mileage runner....
Thanks all!