Our answer
Level 2 out, B1 in 上海虹桥站
Departures and ticket windows upstairs; arrivals, metro, taxis and the airport walkway underground
The short answer
Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station (上海虹桥站) is Shanghai’s main high-speed rail station, in the west of the city next to Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2. Departures and ticket windows are on level 2; arrivals, Metro Lines 2, 10 and 17, taxis and the walkway to the airport are on B1. Foreign visitors book and board with their passport.
| Chinese name | 上海虹桥站 (Shànghǎi Hóngqiáo Zhàn); on tickets: 上海虹桥 |
|---|---|
| Departures | Level 2: departure hall, waiting area, ticket windows |
| Arrivals | B1: exits, metro, taxis, buses and the underground walkway to the airport |
| Metro | Hongqiao Railway Station, Lines 2, 10 and 17 |
| Hongqiao Airport | Terminal 2 next door, about 10 min on foot underground; Terminal 1 by Line 10 |
| Ticket | Your passport: book on 12306 (English) or at a ticket window, then scan or show it at the gate |
Station layout: which floor is which
The station is built in layers. Remember one rule: you leave from upstairs and arrive underground.[1][2]
| Level | What is there |
|---|---|
| Level 3 | Two mezzanines with convenience stores and fast food |
| Level 2 | Departure hall, waiting area, ticket windows and ticket gates to the platforms |
| Level 1 | Platforms and tracks (you reach them from the departure hall) |
| B1 | Arrivals and exits, the metro concourse, the taxi stand, buses, the coach station and the underground walkway to Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2 |
| B2 | Metro platforms for Lines 2, 10 and 17 |
Coming from the metro or the airport to catch a train, take the escalators up from B1 to the level 2 departure hall.
Tickets and gates with a foreign passport
China’s trains run on real-name tickets, and for a foreign visitor the passport is the ticket.[3][4]
- 1
Book on 12306 or at a window
Download the 12306 app (or use 12306.cn), switch it to English, register and verify your passport: you can type your name, nationality and passport number or upload a photo of the passport. Or buy at a ticket window on level 2 with your passport; that is all you need there.
- 2
No paper ticket
Tickets are electronic. You do not need to print anything to get in or board. Paper reimbursement vouchers are generally no longer issued for trips after 1 October 2025; a trip information slip can still be printed.
- 3
Through the gate
Go up to the departure hall, pass security, find your train on the boards and wait by its gate. Scan your passport at an automatic gate, or show it at the staffed gate if the machine does not read it.
- 4
One passport, one ticket per train
A passport can hold only one ticket for the same train on the same day. To buy for someone else at a window, bring their passport or a copy.
Metro: Lines 2, 10 and 17
Hongqiao Railway Station metro station is directly under the railway station. The concourse is on B1 and the platforms are on B2; Lines 2 and 17 share the middle platform, so changing between them is a walk across.[2][5][6]
| Line | Where it goes |
|---|---|
| Line 2 | East: Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2, then the city centre (People’s Square, East Nanjing Road, Lujiazui) and on to Pudong Airport. West: one stop to National Exhibition and Convention Center |
| Line 10 | Hongqiao Airport Terminals 2 and 1, then the centre (Xintiandi, Yu Garden, East Nanjing Road) |
| Line 17 | West: one stop to National Exhibition and Convention Center, then on into Qingpu District |
Metro exits are lettered by zone: A to D lead to the railway departure side, E and F are nearest the coach station. Tap a Visa, Mastercard or UnionPay card at the gate. Plan your route with our Shanghai metro route finder.
To Hongqiao Airport and the NECC on foot
Walked by our editor, who lives next to the Hongqiao hub. Everything is linked underground on B1, so you never need to go outside.
- 1
To Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2
Follow the signs for the airport (虹桥机场 T2) along the underground walkway from B1: about 10 minutes. Or ride Line 2 or 10 one stop to Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2.
- 2
To Hongqiao Airport Terminal 1
Terminal 1 is on the other side of the airport. Take Line 10 to Hongqiao Airport Terminal 1.
- 3
To the National Exhibition and Convention Center
Stay underground and follow the signs towards the Hongqiao Business District (虹桥商务区) and the National Exhibition and Convention Center (国家会展中心); you pass Duozhuayu (多抓鱼) and Zhi’er (只二) on the way. It takes about 15 minutes. Or take Line 2 or 17 one stop. More in our NECC guide.
Trains from Hongqiao
Hongqiao is the Shanghai end of the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway and is also served by the Shanghai–Hangzhou high-speed line, the Shanghai–Nanjing intercity line and the Nantong–Shanghai and Shanghai–Huzhou railways.
From 26 January 2026, the fastest train to Beijing South, the G25, takes 4 hours 18 minutes with one stop, at Nanjing South.
Shanghai has four main railway stations: Shanghai, Shanghai South, Shanghai West and Shanghai Hongqiao. They are far apart, so check that your ticket says 上海虹桥 (Shanghai Hongqiao).[1][8][3]
About the station and the Hongqiao hub
The station opened on 1 July 2010 on Shenhong Road in Minhang District. It forms one transport hub with Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2, the metro and the coach station, and the National Exhibition and Convention Center and the Hongqiao Business District are next to it. When people in Shanghai say “Hongqiao” (虹桥), they often mean this whole area.
For hotels that take foreign guests, see our hotel chains guide.[1][2]
Questions readers ask
Is Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station the same as Shanghai Railway Station?
No. They are different stations. Shanghai has four main stations: Shanghai, Shanghai South, Shanghai West and Shanghai Hongqiao. Check your ticket for 上海虹桥 (Shanghai Hongqiao).
Which floor is the departure hall at Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station?
Level 2. Arrivals, the metro, taxis and the walkway to the airport are on B1, so from the metro take the escalators up to level 2.
How do I get from Hongqiao Railway Station to Hongqiao Airport?
Walk about 10 minutes through the underground passage to Terminal 2, or ride Metro Line 2 or 10 one stop. For Terminal 1, take Line 10.
How do I get from Hongqiao Railway Station to Pudong Airport?
Walk to Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2 and take the Airport Link Line: about 40 minutes and ¥26. Metro Line 2 also runs all the way, but takes much longer. See our [Shanghai airport guide](/trip/shanghai-airport-to-city).
Can foreigners buy train tickets at Hongqiao with a passport?
Yes. Buy at a ticket window with your passport, or book on the 12306 app in English after verifying your passport. At the gate, scan your passport or show it to staff.
Which metro lines stop at Hongqiao Railway Station?
Lines 2, 10 and 17. Line 2 goes through the city centre, Line 10 serves both airport terminals and the centre, and Lines 2 and 17 go one stop west to the National Exhibition and Convention Center.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Shanghai Hongqiao railway station · accessed 3 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia: Hongqiao Railway Station metro station · accessed 3 Nov 2026
- Shanghai government: How to buy train tickets (updated 11 June 2026) · accessed 3 Nov 2026
- China Daily: Foreign passport holders can verify identity online on 12306 (December 2023) · accessed 3 Nov 2026
- Shanghai government: Transportation at Shanghai airports (updated 4 June 2026) · accessed 3 Nov 2026
- Shanghai government: Bank cards accepted at all metro gates (27 June 2025) · accessed 31 Oct 2026
- Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission: English indoor navigation at Hongqiao Railway Station (6 November 2025, in Chinese) · accessed 3 Nov 2026
- Jinling Evening News via 10jqka: G25 Beijing South–Shanghai Hongqiao cut to 4 h 18 min (15 January 2026, in Chinese) · accessed 3 Nov 2026
Update log. 3 November 2026 — reviewed. Next review due 3 February 2027. Suggest a correction
Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA): terminals and transport →