The Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG/ZSPD) is situated 30km southeast of the downtown of Shanghai which means a 15 minutes ride by maglev train and a 40 minutes ride by metro (Metroline: Line 2 East Extension). The airport was opened on the 1st of October 1999 as the second international Airport in Shanghai and named after the part of the city, where the airport was built.

Pudong International Airport got almost all international routes from Hongquiao (SHA) without and most of the flights within Asia, but 75% of the domestic routes were kept at Hongquiao – that’s why you won’t find many domestic flights at PVG. Pudong Airport is a hub for the following chinese Airines: China Eastern (MU), Shanghai Airlines (FM), Spring Airlines (9C) and Juneyao Airlines (HO). Apart from this, PVG is served by a few European, American, Arabian and many Asian Cariers.

About 66 million passengers travel through PVG every year, so the Airport is Chinas 3rd most busiest airport and the 9th on the world! Apart from the passengers airplanes PVG is an important airport for cargo aircraft, too. There are lot freighters flying to/from Pudong, not just from Asia – from all over the world. Regular cargo airlines visiting PVG/ZSPD are: Air Bridge Cargo (ABW), Asiana Cargo (OZ), Atlas Air Cargo (5Y), Air Hong Kong (LD), Cargolux (CV), China Cargo Airlines (CK), China Southern Airlines Cargo (CZ), Emirates Sky Cargo (EK), Ethiopian Cargo (ET), Eva Air Cargo (BR), FedEx (FDX), Lufthansa Cargo (GEC), Polar Air Cargo (PO), Qatar Cargo (QR), Saudia Cargo (SV), SF Express Airlines (O3), Singapore Airlines Cargo (SQC) and UPS (5X). All in all Pudong Airport is the 3rd biggest airport for cargo (worldwide) with around 3.000.000 tons freight per year.

General tips for China      
Some websites and app don’t work in China (like Whattsap or Facebook/Messanger ecc.) so you might need a list of useful apps:

• WeChat: every Chinese person has this app, it also has a good translation function that helps really a lot because the language is the main barrier. You can translate from Chinese writings and they can translate your English into Chinese characters. This is a must have.
• Didi: the Chinese “Uber”
• Mobike: If you need to rent a bike (not totally needed in Sanya)
• Baidu Maps: This is the “Google Maps” that works, instead of the Google one

We recommend to buy a prepaid card at the airport during transit as the chance to talk to an english speaking seller is much bigger there.

Written by Severin Hackenberger, Felix Yao (Spot 7) and Bas Velders. Last Update: September 2021

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Airport Information
Runways
16R/34L	3800 m (12.467 ft) Concrete
16L/34R	3800 m (12.467 ft) Concrete
17L/35R	4000 m (13.123 ft) Concrete
17R/35L	3400 m (11.155 ft) Concrete
15/33	3400 m (11.155 ft) Concrete
Terminals
Terminal 1	Terminal on west side of railway system (looking north). Used for flights within Asia mostly.
Terminal 2	Terminal on east side of railway system (looking north). Used for a lot of international flights, a few domestic flights, too.
Spotting Information
Ladder	Not needed and even not recommended; the use of a ladder next to the airport fence will attract the authorities.
Car/Public Transport	Car not needed for our spots, they can easily be reached by public Transport.
Restrooms	In the terminal buildings and hotels.
Drinks/Food	There are a lot of restaurants and shops inside the terminals.
Hotels	There are just a few hotels nearby the Airport, but inside the City you’ll find a lot! You can take a look at Plane Spotting Hotels for some examples.
Season	The traffic isn’t varies at PVG, but the best time of travel is between May and September (mostly sunny and warm).
Runway Usage
General Info	Due to the monsoon climate of Shanghai, north wind dominates in winter, meaning that the possibility of 35R, 34L operation is much higher during this time of year than it is in summer. While in summer, when we have south wind, then it’s more likely to spot 17R, 16L arrivals at this spot.
16L/34R	16 Usage: Mostly used for departures. 34 Usage: Mostly used for arrivals.
16R/34L	16 Usage: Mostly used for arrivals. 34 Usage: Mostly used for departures.
17R/35L	17 Usage: Mostly used for departures. 35 Usage: Mostly used for arrivals.
17L/35R	17 Usage: Mostly used for arrivals. 35 Usage: Mostly used for departures.
15/33	New runway built at eastern end of airport area (November 2017). No exact alignment known yet, but north-south direction, too.

Due to national security concerns, the use of geographic information in China is restricted and the layers in google maps don´t fit. The satellite images are correct but the street layers are displaced! 
Please click on the link at each location (WHERE) to get to the chinese website baidu where you find an exact map with satellite and street view images. If you use a smartphone please download the Baidu App.

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	Spot #1 – Terminaldriveway north – Apron
WHERE	This spot can be reached by taxi and metro/maglev easily. The spot is located on the driveway of Terminal 2. If you travel by train exit the terminal 2 at its highest floor and if you are outside walk into northern direction until you’ll come to the end of the terminal on your right and where the roof ends. If you travel by taxi ask the taxidriver to drive you to terminal 2. Once you arrived go to the highest floor and walk to the northern end again where the roof ends. Then it depends on the planes/view you want to have where to spot from! So you have to choose you favourite spot along the driveway, but take of not Disturbing the traffic on the road, otherwise you might have problems with the police.
WHAT	All planes which are parked on the north-western side of terminal 2 and of course planes which are taxiing from/to the parking positions (these ones are mostly used by Spring Airlines, Macau Air, Dragonair/Cathay Dragon, Sichuan Airlines and China Southern).
TIME	This depends on the angle you take pictures of planes of. But for most of the pictures light will be better in the afternoon than in the morning hours.
MISC.	No ladder needed. Everything can be found inside the terminals, like cafés or restrooms.
FOCAL LENGTH	18 – 300mm Air Macau A320 = 160mm / China Southern A321 = 155mm / Sichuan A320 = 200mm

	Spot #2 – Terminaldriveway south – Apron
WHERE	This spot can be reached by taxi and metro/maglev easily. The spot is located on the driveway of Terminal 2. If you travel by train exit the terminal 2 at its highest floor and if you are outside walk into southern direction until you’ll come to the end of the terminal on your left and where the roof ends. If you travel by taxi ask the taxidriver to drive you to terminal 2. Once you arrived go to the highest floor and walk to its southern end again and where the roof ends. Then it depends on the planes/view you want to have where to spot from! So you have to choose you favourite spot along the driveway, but take of not Disturbing the traffic on the road, otherwise you might have problems with the police.
WHAT	All planes which are parked on the south-western side of terminal 2 and of course planes which are taxiing from/to the parking positions (these ones are mostly used by Air China, Juneyao Airlines and Hainan Airlines).
TIME	This depends on the angle you take pictures of planes of. But for most of the pictures light will be better in the afternoon than in the morning hours.
MISC.	No ladder needed. Everything can be found inside the terminals, like cafés or restrooms.
FOCAL LENGTH	18 – 350mm British Airways B777 = 285mm / Air China A320 = 175mm / Air China A321 = 160mm

	Spot #3 – Haitian East 2nd Road – Arrivals runway 16R/L
WHERE	This spot is located inside an industrial zone, just next to the “Haitian East 2nd Road”. The easiest way to get there is to take the metro line 2 to “Haitiansan Road”-Station and then exit “Haitian East 3rd Road”. Cross the river and after 400m turn left into “Dongyuanhang Road”. After another 200m turn right into “Haitian East 2nd Road” and walk till the dead end of the road. LINK TO BAIDU MAPS
WHAT	You will see Arrivals on runway 16R/L only.
TIME	Light will be okay from noon till sunset.
MISC.	No shops and anything else nearby, so bring what you need with you! No ladder needed.
FOCAL LENGTH	200 – 400mm Emirates A380 = 295mm / Asiana B744 = 285mm / Qatar B777 = 270mm / China Eastern A319 = 360mm / China Spring A320 = 335mm / Shenzen A320 = 340mm

	Spot #4 – Inside T2 – All Activities on runway 16L/34R and 16R/34L + apron/gates terminal 2
WHERE	This spot isn’t a exact position inside the terminal, it’s the whole gate-area beyond the security check in terminal 2 so a boarding pass is needed! You can take pictures at the whole glass fronts, there are no obstacles! You can take pictures from everywhere in T2 and in normal case there is just one glass panel, which is being cleaned regularly.
WHAT	All activities on runways 16L/34L and 16L/34R and nearby taxiways. Apart from that all activities infront of terminal 2, both sides of the terminal (western/eastern gates and apron).
TIME	This depends on the angle you take pictures of planes of. But for most of the pictures light will be better in the afternoon than in the morning hours.
MISC.	Everything can be found inside the terminal, like cafés or restrooms. Of course no ladder needed!
FOCAL LENGTH	18 – 400mm Dragonair A320 = 120mm / United B744 = 95mm / Malaysian Airlines A330 = 120mm / China Southern = 195mm / China Eastern Cargo B744 = 160mm / Ethiopian B777 = 170mm

	Spot #5 – Anhang Rd –  Arrivals Runway 17L
WHERE	This spot is located on the corner of Anhang Rd and Haitian 2nd Rd. There is a small field where all arrivals of Runway 17 can be photographed. The easiest way to get there is to take the metro line 2 to “Haitiansan Road”-Station and then exit “Haitian East 3rd Road” and walk till Anhang Rd and Haitaian 2n Rd. If you travel by car: take S1 to the city (north) and get off at the first exit. Then go left on Haitian 5th street and right on Anhang Rd. You won’t be bothered at this spot.Our visit is some years ago and due to recent satellite images we are not sure if you can still spot from here. It seems there is a parking lot now and very high trees.
WHAT	Arrivals runway 17L.
TIME	From sunrise until noon. There can be quite some smog though.
MISC.	There is nothing there.
FOCAL LENGTH	300 – 400mm

PVG-Spot5

PVG-Spot5

PVG-Spot5

	Spot #6 – Bridge at Hangquan Rd – Arrivals Runway 17L
WHERE	This spot is located on the corner of Jidi 3rd road and Hangquan road on a bridge. There is supposed to be a bus stop (“东方航空”) north of this spot, but except from this getting here is quite difficult. Taking a taxi might be the best/easiest option to get to this spot. We never received reports that spotters got bothered at this spot. LINK TO BAIDU MAPS
WHAT	Arrivals runway 17L.
TIME	From noon till sunset. There can be quite some smog though.
MISC.	There is nothing there. Take care of the cars using the streets.
FOCAL LENGTH	200 – 300mm A332 = 220mm / A380 = 210mm

PVG-Spot6 / © Hu Chen

PVG-Spot6 / © Hu Chen

PVG-Spot6 / © Hu Chen

	Spot #7 – Haitiansan Metro Station – 34L/35R departures
WHERE	It’s quite easy and convenient to reach this spot by taking metro line 2 and get off at Haitiansan Rd. station as the spot itself is the platform of this open-air metro station. Once you get off the train, you are right at this spot. One problem with this spot is that the view is blocked when a train arrives. In this case, you can only wait until the train departs. LINK TO BAIDU MAPS
WHAT	Best for 35R and 34L heavy departures. 17R/16L arrivals are visible but very far.
TIME	RWY 35R departures, sunrise to noon. RWY 34L departures noon to sunset.
MISC.	Food and drinks are available on the ground floor in a vending machine, BUT you have to exit the station to get access. Restrooms are available also on the ground floor. No need to exit the station. No issue with the police.
FOCAL LENGTH	up to 400mm for the 777

PVG-Spot7

PVG-Spot7