Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (IATA: SHA, ICAO: ZSSS) (simplified Chinese: 上海虹桥国际机场; traditional Chinese: 上海虹橋國際機場; pinyin: Shànghǎi Hóngqiáo Guójì Jīchǎng) is one of two international airports in Shanghai, China. It is located in Changning District, 13 km west of downtown Shanghai in Puxi, and is closer to the city than Shanghai Pudong International Airport, which is located at the eastern edge of Pudong, 40 km from the city center.
In 2010, Hongqiao airport handled 31,298,812 passengers, making it the fourth busiest airport in the People’s Republic of China. The airport was also the 5th busiest airport in terms of cargo traffic and the 7th busiest airport by traffic movements.
History
An airport was first built in the town of Hongqiao in the west of Shanghai in 1907, initially as a small military airfield. In March 1923, it was upgraded into the Hongqiao Airport for civilian use. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, the airport was occupied by the Japanese and used as an air force base. Its military use continued after being handed over to the Republic of China government and, later, the People’s Republic of China government. From late 1963, it was rebuilt for civilian use, and was re-opened in April 1964. A major expansion took place from March to September 1984, and another from December 1988 to December 1991.
Before the completion of Shanghai Pudong International Airport in 1999, Hongqiao Airport served as Shanghai’s main international airport. However, after the completion of the Shanghai-Pudong International airport, almost all international flights were subsequently moved away from Hongqiao airport. The airport presently offers three international and cross-strait routes with “city-to-city” service to central Tokyo’s Haneda Airport which started on September 29, 2007. Services started to central Seoul’s Gimpo International Airport on October 28, 2007, and to central Taipei’s Songshan Airport on June 15, 2010. Service to Hong Kong began on September 10, 2010.
New terminal and runway
Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport has won state approval for a 15.3 billion yuan expansion that features a second runway and a new terminal. The growth plan for the smaller of the city’s two airports is expected to boost Hongqiao’s capacity to 40 million passengers a year by 2010, according to the statement. The expansion project comprises a 3,300-meter runway and a new terminal with an area of 250,000 square meters, plus new public facilities. The new runway and a second terminal opened on March 16, 2010. Terminal 2 is four times the size of the original Terminal 1 and now houses 90 percent of all airlines at the airport (Terminal 1 is now exclusively for international flights and Spring Air). Once the new runway was put into use, Shanghai became the first city in China to have five runways for civilian use (Shanghai-Pudong and Shanghai-Hongqiao combined). As a result of the expansion, Hongqiao Airport was rated the most improved airport in the world by Skytrax in 2011.
Ground Transportation
The Hongqiao Airport is now connected to the city’s metro network. A stop on Line 2 was opened at the new Terminal 2 of the airport on March 16, 2010. In October 2010, Shanghai Metro Line 10 connected to the airport as well, with stations at both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.
A taxi rank serves the airport from the arrivals level. A bus stop provides various services to other parts of the city. A minibus route terminates at Jing An Temple station.
The proposed extension of the Shanghai Maglev Train from Longyang Road through Shanghai South Railway Station to Hongqiao would connect the two airports. At top speed, the maglev would take only 15 minutes to travel the 55 km route. Original plans called for completing the extension by 2010, in time for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo; however, the Hongqiao extension has been postponed. There have been discussions about slowing the Maglev within urban areas but allowing full-speed operation along non-urban portions of the track. In the meantime, there remains an empty section of Terminal 2 with “Maglev” signage for this purpose.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Please advise the fastest route from Shanghai to Wenzhou in China
- train from Shanghai to Nanjing
- Visiting China
- From Pudong Airport to New Harbour Service Apartment
- Train bookings Zhengzhou
 |