Riding the Maglev

By Kin Enriquez -


One exciting thing to experience when going to Shanghai is the chance to ride the Shanghai Transrapid - the first commercial high speed, magnetic levitation rail line in the world.  


The train up close

The line connects Pudong International Airport to downtown Shanghai (at Longyang Station, Line 2). With a top speed of 431 kph, it can whisk passengers the 31km distance to and from the airport in 7 minutes, although I only noticed that it only topped at 301 kph, accelerating in the first 3 minutes, and decelerating after that before reaching the station on the other end. 


Inside the cabin
Another shot of the exterior. This one's during the first time I rode it.

Useful Info
Fare is 50 RMB for the economy class, 40RMB if the passenger has an airline ticket; VIP passes would cost 100RMB, but these are not needed, as the coaches are not usually full. 

 The service is open only until 9:40 pm, and trains leave every 15 minutes (20 minutes after 7pm). 

the highest speed the train reached during the 7-minute trip



by Kin Enriquez

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