Guia de cidade
Shanghai (Pudong) PVG: What to Do on a Layover
The Bund in 4 hours: 1920s facades, Pudong skyline, xiaolongbao on the way.
Getting from the airport
PVG to city center: 45 minutes by metro (Maglev + Line 2). Fare is $8. Trains run every 15 minutes. Service runs 06:45 to 21:30. Skip the taxi unless your connection is under 5 hours.
What to do in Shanghai (Pudong)
The stops worth making: The Bund, Yu Garden, Xintiandi, Shanghai Museum. Rated above 4.4: The Bund (4.7), Yu Garden (4.5), Oriental Pearl TV Tower (4.6), Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street (4.6), Shanghai Tower (4.6). You do not need the full tourist circuit. Pick two and commit.
Visa and entry
Shanghai (Pudong) is visa-free for US passports. No application, no fee. The border process at PVG is standard. Budget 30 minutes.
How long do you need
The minimum useful layover is 6 hours. That gives you 45 minutes in each direction plus about 180 minutes on the ground. Up to 24 hours is a proper overnight.
PVG airport
PVG has 12 lounges. For short connections under 4 hours, the terminal is the destination: food options, showers, and enough space to reset before the next leg.