Taking the Airport Link Line and Thoughts on Suburban Rail

A few weeks ago, I took the latest addition to the Shanghai metro — the Airport Link Line. As the name suggests, it connects Shanghai’s two main transport hubs: the Hongqiao hub in the West and Pudong International Airport in the East. In the past, passengers transiting between the two had to spend over 90 minutes on Line 2, which does not offer express service. Now, the trip is complete in 40 minutes, with ample space to store luggage. 

Strictly speaking, the Airport Link Line is not part of the Shanghai metro network. It is Shanghai’s first suburban railway, an ambitious project to transform travel outside the Shanghai downtown.

The Airport Link Line reveals many characteristics of what to expect from the Shanghai suburban railway. Stations are further apart, allowing the train to reach higher speeds; seats in the carriage are also arranged in rows, much like what you would find on the high-speed rail. However, unlike high-speed rail lines, suburban railways are planned to better integrate with other municipal networks like metro and bus lines.

The interior of an Airport Link Line train. Note the row layout and the specially-designed luggage racks (photo taken by author)

The case for suburban railways in Shanghai has been long in the making. Shanghai’s metro network has a roughly radial layout, meaning that while dense in the downtown, the lines begin thinning out in the suburbs. Traveling between two suburban towns can be a headache for commuters, as this often requires traveling first into the downtown, then transferring onto another line out of the city.

For many years, Shanghai’s urban planners have tried to establish urban sub-centers in the suburbs. Unsurprisingly, developing suburban rail has become an important agenda item, with over 5 lines currently under construction (Shanghai.gov). The Jiamin line seeks to provide a transport artery in Western Shanghai, linking the major suburban population centers of Jiading New Town and Minhang. Another line joins Fengxian and the Lingang New District in the South. Other lines venture even further, connecting Shanghai with neighboring cities like Jiaxing and Taicang.

As a metro enthusiast, I find it exciting to experience the latest infrastructure developments in a city. I’ve found that the metro map is always a great place to start if you’re trying to learn about the urban planning of a city.  

Bibliography

Shanghai Building New Suburban Railway Lines. https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/en-Latest-WhatsNew/20240805/b5585d1bfeb14373b53fd56a05f5e709.html. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.