Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) Arrivals

Live landing times, terminal guidance and the full route from the gate to downtown Shanghai.

Shanghai Pudong is one of Asia’s principal gateways, handling the majority of the city’s international traffic across Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, with satellite concourses linked to the main buildings by an automated people mover. Shanghai’s second airport, Hongqiao (SHA), sits on the other side of the city and handles mostly domestic and regional services — so the first thing to confirm is which airport, and then which terminal, a flight actually uses.

Use the live arrivals board above with your flight number to confirm the terminal, the landing time and the status. A flight showing as landed is not a passenger at the exit — the people mover ride, immigration and baggage all sit in between.

Tracking an Arrival on the Board Above

The live board above carries the details that decide when you need to be at the terminal:

Landing Times

Scheduled and estimated touch-down times, refreshed as the flight progresses.

Terminal

Whether the flight arrives at T1 or T2, which decides the arrivals hall and the pick-up area.

Baggage Carousel

The belt assigned to each flight, shown on the board and on the monitors in the hall.

Flight Status

On time, delayed, diverted or landed — worth checking before setting off for the airport.

What Happens After You Land

International arrivals at PVG move through a defined sequence before reaching the public hall:

From the Gate to the Exit International arrivals
  • 01Satellite Transfer

    If your aircraft parks at one of the satellite concourses, an automated people mover takes you to the main terminal building. It is quick, but it is a stage in its own right and surprises first-time visitors.

  • 02Health and Entry Declarations

    Any declaration required on arrival is completed before or at the border checkpoints, often electronically in advance. Requirements change from time to time, so confirm what applies to your flight before travelling.

  • 03Immigration

    Border inspection processes arriving passengers, with separate channels for residents and foreign visitors, and fingerprint collection for most foreign nationals. This is the longest single stage during the morning and evening long-haul waves.

  • 04Baggage and Customs

    Collect your luggage from the assigned carousel, then pass through customs channels before continuing into the arrivals hall, where transport areas and meeting points begin.

Services in the Arrivals Area

Banking & Currency Exchange

ATMs and exchange counters operate in the arrivals areas of both terminals. Mobile payment apps dominate daily spending in Shanghai, so arriving visitors usually set one up or carry some cash for the first day.

SIM Cards & Connectivity

Local prepaid SIM cards are sold at counters in the arrivals areas, with a passport required for registration. Free airport Wi-Fi is available while you sort connectivity.

Information Desks

Staffed information counters assist with wayfinding, transport questions and transfers between the two terminals.

Luggage Services

Trolleys are available throughout the baggage halls, with airline desks handling delayed or damaged luggage reports before you leave the airport.

Getting from Pudong into Shanghai

Pudong sits around 30 km east of the city center, so the journey in is a real leg of the trip:

From the Arrivals Hall Onwards ~30 km to downtown
  • Maglev Train

    The high-speed maglev runs between the airport and Longyang Road, covering the distance in minutes. It is the fastest option, though you continue by metro or taxi from there, and it does not operate late at night.

  • Metro

    The metro connects Pudong directly with the city and with Hongqiao Airport. It is the most economical route, but services stop before midnight, which matters on late arrivals.

  • Taxis

    Official taxi ranks operate outside the arrivals halls and run at any hour. Use the marked queues rather than accepting offers inside the terminal.

  • Airport Buses

    Coach lines serve districts across Shanghai and neighbouring cities, with ticket counters in the arrivals area.

Tips for a Smooth Arrival at PVG

Worth Knowing Before You Land T1 & T2
  • 01Confirm the Terminal

    T1 and T2 have separate arrivals halls and pick-up areas. Check the terminal on the board above and pass it on to whoever is collecting you.

  • 02Allow Time After Landing

    The people mover from the satellite concourses, immigration and baggage all take real time. Anyone meeting you should watch the live status rather than the scheduled landing time.

  • 03Plan Around the Night Schedule

    The maglev and metro both stop running at night, leaving taxis and coaches as the options for a late landing. Decide this before you board rather than at the exit.

  • 04Sort Payments and Connectivity Early

    Mobile payment apps are used for almost everything in Shanghai. Setting one up before arrival, or carrying cash for the first day, saves friction on the way into the city.

  • 05Check Entry and Transit Rules

    Visa and visa-free transit arrangements depend on your nationality, your onward route and the length of your stay, and the rules change periodically. Confirm them with an official source before travelling.

Editor's Insight

At PVG the flight is the easy part. What fills the hour after it is the chain of stages between the aircraft and the curb — a people mover ride if you park at a satellite, immigration during a long-haul wave, then baggage and customs. Add a 30 km journey into the city with a maglev and metro that both stop at night, and the arrival is decided almost entirely by two things: the terminal, and the hour you land.

Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on your airline. Enter your flight number on the board above to confirm whether it is Terminal 1 or Terminal 2, and share that with anyone collecting you — each terminal has its own arrivals hall and pick-up area.

It varies with the hour and where the aircraft parks. A satellite stand adds the people mover ride, and immigration is slowest when several long-haul flights clear together. Allow a realistic margin between the landing time on the board above and the moment you appear in the arrivals hall.

The maglev covers the distance to Longyang Road in minutes, though you continue from there by metro or taxi. For a door-to-door journey with luggage, a taxi is often simpler, and it is the only option that runs at any hour.

Taxis from the official ranks, and in some cases late coach services. The maglev and metro both stop before the night is over, so a landing after their last departures leaves road transport as the practical choice — worth planning before you fly.

Treat it as a separate journey rather than a connection. Hongqiao is on the opposite side of Shanghai, reached by metro, coach or taxi, and you clear arrivals at Pudong and check in again from scratch. Leave a generous margin, especially with checked luggage.

In the public arrivals area of the terminal your flight lands at, beyond the customs exit. Agree the terminal in advance rather than over the phone after landing, and ask them to follow the live status instead of the scheduled time.

Visa-free transit arrangements exist for eligible nationalities and routes, and the dedicated channels are signposted at border inspection. Eligibility depends on your passport, your onward destination and the length of your stay, and the policies change periodically — confirm the current rules with an official source before travelling.