Shanghai Pudong Airport

If you transit through Shanghai Pudong Airport is less than 24 hours and you don’t plan on leaving the airport, you won’t need a visa.

Otherwise, if you wish to exit the airport to explore the city during your layover, you might be eligible to enter the country under the 144-hour visa-free transit policy. However, this depends on your nationality.

The airport provides several sleeping and rest areas within the terminal buildings, which include paid nap pods, relaxation zones with reclining chairs, and there is even a Shanghai Pudong Airport hotel in the terminal.

There are 162 boarding bridges connected to the terminal and satellite buildings, with the capacity to accommodate a further 100 remote boarding gates.

Arriving passengers should allow at least 1 hour to clear Customs, Passport Control and collect their luggage. For departures, we recommend following your airline’s guidelines on when to arrive at the airport, but you should allow at least 2-3 hours to complete all check-in procedures.

Shanghai Pudong International Airport with the code PVG is the most convenient option for international travelers and for anyone visiting Disneyland. However, Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA) is closer to the city center, and more convenient if you are flying domestically.

As part of the 2025 upgrade to the airport’s facilities, a handful of free showers were implemented in the T1 and T2 departure lounges for transiting passengers to use. Just be sure to bring a towel and your own amenities.

Prices for the sleep pods start at €4.20 (CNY 35) for 30 minutes, reaching up to €35.70 (CNY 299) for an 8-hour stay.

Luggage storage counters are available in each terminal, in both the arrivals and departures areas. Items can be stored for as little as 1 hour to up to 2 months, with prices starting at €1.80 (CNY 15).

Given that the layout and amenities on offer at both terminals are almost identical, the main difference is that T1 primarily serves China Eastern Airlines and its subsidiary, Shanghai Airlines, while T2 mainly handles Air China and other Star Alliance member airlines.

Yes, free WiFi is available at Shanghai Airport. Visitors can connect either through WeChat, with an SMS code, or by obtaining a username and password from one of the WiFi kiosks stationed around each terminal.

As the busiest airport in China and one of the busiest in the world, the Shanghai Pudong Airport wait times are usually pretty reasonable. So long as you follow your airline’s guidelines on when to arrive at the airport, you should have no trouble catching your flight.

When looking at Shanghai Pudong International Airport photos, you will note a large number of duty-free stores, luxury boutiques, and restaurants available, several of which operate 24/7 to provide the best experience for passengers.

In 2024, Shanghai Pudong Airport welcomed more than 76 million passengers annually, making it one of the busiest airports not just in China, but globally.

Interactive touch-screen kiosks have been placed in each terminal, where you can view a Shanghai Pudong Airport map and your live location to help you navigate to your gate, or whichever shop or food outlet you’d like to check out.

There is a complimentary Shanghai Pudong Airport WiFi network available to passengers and visitors of Terminals 1 and 2. The easiest way to connect for foreigners, is to scan your passport at one of the self-service WiFi kiosks to obtain a username and access code.