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I got this fare to Paris for June next year at nearly half what the non-Chinese airlines are charging but I know what I'm in for.

Wondering whether anyone knows the procedure at PVG. Arriving from MEL at Terminal 1 and departing for Paris at Terminal 1 on China Eastern. Do we just find the gate of the flight to Paris or do we have to go through all the rigmarole of passport control, immigration, security, showing boarding passes and passports ad nauseum? That's what happened last December when going through Beijing.

On return from Paris we arrive at Terminal 2 and depart from Terminal 1. I presume that is going to be more complicated than the outward leg.

Anyone done this or a similar trip lately and know how it all works.

Then there are facilities and 'things to do' during a 4 hour layover. Anything interesting to look at, or decent food places and bars to drink in?


Many thanks.

moondog

On the outbound, you might be able to avail of an airside transit, but there isn't much concrete data about this (in the past, you absolutely had to go outside).

On the inbound, 4 hours isn't really enough time to go into the city (apart from a quick Maglev experience), and there are no great restaurants near the airport. Foot massage, perhaps?

Guy Betsy

I think PVG is the only airport that requires you to clear immigration and customs, and then recheck in for your flight even if your aircrafts are parked right next to each other.

FLLDL

PVG is a huge, clean, modern airport but is pretty sterile and decidedly lacking in amenities compared to other airports of similar size. Restaurants and shops are mediocre and uninteresting. Again not a bad place vs other airports in the developing world, just very dull vs HKG, SIN, ICN etc etc.

Goldorak

Well...all US & Canada int'l airports come to my mind

BallardFlyer

I've seen talk of an airside transit option in PVG since March 2012. I haven't read many concrete positive reports on it. Has anyone else?

jiejie

Um, I think the context was understood as "in China." Certainly the two other primary international connection airports (PEK and CAN) autoroute transit baggage so transit passengers don't have to deal with via Customs and recheck.

From various reports in the last 6 months, seems this either isn't yet in place or is operated only sporadically so that few people have been able to avail themselves.

PaxCGN

There is an airside transit in operation in T1 (at least there was beginning of September 2012 from China Eastern international - Japan - to China Eastern international - Singapore).
Follow the passengers to exit, but go to the transit desk (in my case China Eastern) directly before health and passport control. They will complete some internal forms (whatever these were for) and open a small bypass through one (I mean: one scanner with a lack of trays - passengers who passed through have to pass the used trays back to the following passengers) small and crowded security control to departure level. Not much there to do then (unless you are lucky enough to have access to one of the slowly improving airline lounges).
On your return trip Terminal2 is the better place to spend time in (but mostlikely that only applies to the departure level).
As far as I can research on the net you will have to enter China (fill TRANSIT into landing form), pick up you baggage (it seems you are on different airlines and different reservations if you've got to change terminals anyway), clear customs, use the walkway passed MAGLEV train to T1 and check-in again. It says on the internet that transit with existing reservation within 24hrs is Visa-free - if you stay in the terminal! So better check in advance if this applies to terminal change also, since I do not know, if a transit-visa can be obtained on spot unlike other China-Visas.

ismann

For many nationalities, a 48-hour visa-free transit is allowed in Shanghai and does not require that you stay at the airport. More information here.

moondog

It is impossible to go from T2 to T1 without leaving "the terminal". And, you don't need a transit (G) visa to pull this off unless you hail from a country that isn't elligible for TWOV (surely less than 1/1000th of the FT community).

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Back again to clarify. I am travellig on China Eastern from MEL to Paris (CDG) via PVG. Anyone know what the latest is with regards transit through PVG?

moondog

Refer back to post #7.

twoaisleplane

Thanks for this report. Do you know if these transfer desks can be used if you are travelling on separate tickets (i.e., need to check in for the second flight originating from PVG)? Or is this setup for passengers who are connecting on the same PNR and/or already have boarding passes for their connecting flights?

Thanks.

SirJman

Just flew into PVG last week, MU-MU transfer and both ways, the "International Transfer" desks and security check was closed, and had to pass through immigration. The officer will pass your PP off to another officer and he quickly stamps you in with a transit stamp. You then need to go back upstairs and clear security and exit immigration again before re-entering the terminal.

Both ways, immigration was quick (<5 minutes), but I had a 20+ minute wait for exit-immigration and the security check when entering the terminal.

One way, I had a 6 hour stop, so I went into the city for lunch. The maglev will cut some time, but even around the Longyang Road station where it terminates you still need to take the metro to better parts of the city to get real food.

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This sounds like a nightmare.