Arriving to Nanjing University of Arts from Shanghai Pudong

[CaroCard]

Hi everyone.

I was awarded with the CSC Scholarship and admitted into NUA. However, I arrive to Shanghai Pudong Airport, how can I get to Shanghai Railway Station from there? Also, is there an hourly hotel at Shanghai Pudong Airport?

 

Thanks guys

[NinjaTurtle]

Caro,

 

The first thing that comes to mind is that there is probably a direct bus from Shanghai Pudong Airport to Nanjing Train Station. This might be your best choice. Hopefully, other members here can help you find out if such a bus exists. You might also need help to find the exact place in Pudong Airport where the bus stop is. Then there is the problem of you buying a bus ticket -- I hope you can read the Chinese characters for Nanjing.

 

If there is direct bus service, you only have to get on the bus at Pudong Airport and get off at Nanjing Station, which is very convenient. (Then there is the problem of how you get from Nanjing Station to NUA, which is a whole different problem.) Otherwise you will have to take the subway from Pudong Airport to either Shanghai (Main) Train Station or to Shanghai Hongqiao Station. You will then need to catch a train from Shanghai (Main) Train Station or Hongqiao Station to Nanjing Station. If you go to Shanghai (Main) Train Station, you will need to change subways at People's Park Subway Station (which can be a nightmare with suitcases because People's Park Subway Station is often VERY crowded) (and I do NOT recommend going to Shanghai (Main) Train Station if you have suitcases, as you will have to drag them up and down a couple flights of stairs to get from Shanghai Subway Station to Shanghai Train Station. (By the way, taking the subway from Pudong Airport to Hongqiao Station takes ONE HOUR.)

 

There is a hotel right in the middle of the airport terminal building (which is rare for an airport) but it is not cheap if you do not have a reservation already.

 

I hope you have planned ahead and will be bringing enough Chinese cash with you to buy train tickets, bus tickets, or whatever.

[abcdefg]

26 minutes ago, NinjaTurtle said:

I hope you have planned ahead and will be bringing enough Chinese cash with you to buy train tickets, bus tickets, or whatever.

 

Just use an ATM in the airport. Let the bank which issued your card know in advance. 

[DavyJonesLocker]

Looking ahead for your time iin China I'd recommend downloading 百度地图 or 高德地图 for traveling about. They give all available travel options and exact maps.

 

Google maps (with VPN) is mostly OK and has the advantage of English. 

 

Edit: forgot to add didi (滴滴出行) is also very useful, especially if you have suitcases!

 

[CaroCard]

Quote

You will then need to catch a train from Shanghai (Main) Train Station or Hongqiao Station to Nanjing Station. If you go to Shanghai (Main) Train Station, you will need to change subways at People's Park Subway Station (which can be a nightmare with suitcases because People's Park Subway Station is often VERY crowded) (and I do NOT recommend going to Shanghai (Main) Train Station if you have suitcases, as you will have to drag them up and down a couple flights of stairs to get from Shanghai Subway Station to Shanghai Train Station. (By the way, taking the subway from Pudong Airport to Hongqiao Station takes ONE HOUR.)

 

Thanks for your kind response, I wasn't sure which is the metro station closer to the Shanghai Railway Station. People's Park Station seems to be the most crowded station on the world tho. I've read there are more trains going out to Nanjing from Hongqiao Railway, maybe it's better to take the long trip in metro, in case there's no bus from the airport.

 

I'm planning to take a taxi from the Nanjing Train Station to NUA since it's not that far away. And exchange some currency at the airport, though  I guess they don't have the best rates. 

[roddy]

8 hours ago, NinjaTurtle said:

The first thing that comes to mind is that there is probably a direct bus from Shanghai Pudong Airport to Nanjing Train Station.

I've had a look and can't see one - advice seems to be to take Line 2 to Hongqiao, then a train. 

 

Nanjing University of the Arts is an interesting one, what are you studying?

[mungouk]

China Travel Guide is a well-established and very helpful website for travel:

https://www.travelchinaguide.com/china-trains/high-speed/shanghai-nanjing.htm

 

 

[mungouk]

7 hours ago, DavyJonesLocker said:

Google maps (with VPN) is mostly OK

 

Except when it shows your location as being massively shifted from where you really are. 

 

Reports seem to be divided on whether this results from using a Chinese or foreign SIM in your phone.

 

In the meantime, if you're an Apple user then the Maps app is correct on both mobile and computers.  Otherwise Baidu, but you need to read Chinese.

 

 

 

 

[DavyJonesLocker]

I used it when I first came here and found it OK (Beijing ). Chinese phone, Chinese SIM. 

However , things like bus numbers weren't always accurate or up to date. But I didn't use it long enough to be honest. 

 

I went to Amap on the recommendation of Chinese friends and realised it was much better. 

 

I think when an app is in Chinese it's an immediate massive turn off for beginners of Chinese  but I'd encourage them to  persevere. The pleco OCR is a huge help and you only really need to know very minimal Chinese to use some APPs (e.g Amap) . After a few attempts you learn what button to press even if don't understand the text underneath.

 

[mungouk]

47 minutes ago, DavyJonesLocker said:

I used it when I first came here and found it OK (Beijing ). Chinese phone, Chinese SIM. 

However , things like bus numbers weren't always accurate or up to date. But I didn't use it long enough to be honest. 

 

So maybe it used to be OK once, but now it's not?  (Rather than foreign vs local SIMs)

 

Things change so incredibly quickly here it's hard to know what to believe sometimes!

 

(I have a Chinese SIM from China Unicom, bought in May 2019 and now used on an unlocked iPhone I bought in Singapore, and the random location offset is there 24/7... which means I no longer bother using Google maps at all.  Instead I generally use Apple maps or sometimes Baidu, depending on whether I know the source or destination in Hanzi or not...)

 

 

 

 

[889]

I'd suggest leaving from Hongqiao Station, since you can stay on the same Metro line all the way, though there is a cross-platform change of carriage at one point.

 

Note that HSR trains go to two different Nanjing stations: make sure you're headed to the right one.

[NinjaTurtle]

Caro,

 

If you want to take the subway from Pudong Airport to Hongqiao Station, you only need to take one train, the green line number two, but there will be a change of trains at Guanglan Station, which is the eigth station from Pudong. If you are taking luggage, you need to prepare to quickly change trains at Guanglan . All you will do is switch from one train to another train on the same train platform. But be ready, be right in front of the door with your suitcases and move quickly, that way you MIGHT get a seat on the subway train from Guanglan Station to Hongqaio Station. And don't get run over by the 2,000 people who be getting on and off at People's Square!

 

https://www.travelchinaguide.com/images/map/shanghai/subway-map.jpg

 

(Pudong Station is way down in the southeast corner of the map, on the lime-green subway line number two.)

 

[889]

No need to get in too big a rush with your luggage at Guanglan Road: take your time a catch the next train; they're frequent.

[NinjaTurtle]

889, that is a good idea, Caro should just wait for the next train, that way being assured of getting a seat, sitting right next to his/her luggage.

[889]

Guanglan Road, not Longyang Road for the change. I've corrected my post.

[NinjaTurtle]

Me too...

[Dawei3]

8 hours ago, CaroCard said:

And exchange some currency at the airport, though  I guess they don't have the best rates. 

To emphasize the point about needing cash:  Last fall, I went to Beijing's main train station and used they'd accent a credit card for a bullet train to Shanghai.  They wouldn't.  I didn't have enough cash.  Fortunately, a friend wechat paid for me and I reimbursed her. 

 

I've never actually assessed it myself, but I've read many times that ATMs give better rates than the in-person currency places.  

 

 

[CaroCard]

12 hours ago, roddy said:

Nanjing University of the Arts is an interesting one, what are you studying?

I'll study Chinese language for a year, then a Master in Cultural Industry

 

According to the airport web, there are buses that ride from Pudong to the Shanghai Railway Station, that seems convenient and my first choice right now. I'll confirm it once I get there.

 

If there are no buses, I'm taking the metro to Hongqiao as you suggested, thanks for the info about the green line, I was a bit confused.

 

I'll check the apps, do you have any recommendations for VPN? Thanks guys, you are super helpful

 

 

 

 

 

[Flickserve]

Another supporter for Amaps here. 

[abcdefg]

16 hours ago, DavyJonesLocker said:

I went to Amap on the recommendation of Chinese friends and realised it was much better. 

 

Agree. Like you I was introduced to it by local Chinese friends as being much more accurate and up to date (compared with Baidu Maps.) Nobody here uses Google maps outside of maybe a few clueless tourists with VPN's on their phones. 

 

 

Quote

Dawei3 -- I've never actually assessed it myself, but I've read many times that ATMs give better rates than the in-person currency places.  

 

Agree. Well known fact.