2024 Shanghai Maglev Train-The Fastest Train from PVG to Downtown Shanghai

Shanghai is a super metropolitan city which boasts of many modern attractions to cater to people from all over the world. One of those attractions is the Shanghai maglev which is a magnetic levitation train. The Shanghai Maglev Train, also known as the Shanghai Transrapid, is operational in the city of Shanghai. It helps people to travel from the airport right to the heart of the city. It is the oldest of its kind which still operates commercially and is the third oldest maglev line, after the Birmingham Maglev line, which is British, and the M-Bahn line, which is German. This particular maglev train in Shanghai is currently the fastest in the world. Currently, high speed maglev train is available only in China and maglev transport as a whole is available in South Korea and Japan too.

The Shanghai maglev Trains have some unique features which are quite fascinating. Some of these features are given below.

The two stations the maglev line connects are Longyang Rd. Station and Pudong International

Airport Station. The surrounding places of interest near Longyang Road Station are

Those for Pudong International Airport Station are

The transfer to Longyang Road Station is quite simple as these is easy access to subways and buses. One can take the Subway Line 2 and deboard at Longyang Road Station. Then, one must take exit number 3 or 4. In case one is traveling to the station by bus, they can board Airport bus number 3 and number 7; or number 983 and 976.

In case passengers want to buy tickets on the way, they can do so at the ticket centers at the following addresses:

Some popular places to visit by Maglev train are as follows:

Nanjing Road: One can take the train from Pudong to Longyang and then take Metro line 2 to West Nanjing Road Station or East Nanjing Road Station

The Bund: One can also reach this place by taking the same route

Lujiazui: One can take the train from Pudong to Longyang and then take Metro line 2 to Lujiazui Station. Then, it is a short walk to Shanghai World Financial Tower, Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower and Jinmao Tower, which are all famous for their height and the panoramic view of the city they can provide.

Yuyuan Garden and Bazaar: One can take the train from Pudong to Longyang and then take Metro line 2 to East Nanjing Road Station. By transferring to Metro line 10, they can reach Yuyuan Garden and Bazaar

People’s Square: One can take the train to Longyang and then take Metro line 2 to People’s Square Station. The places to visit there are the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center and the Shanghai Museum.

The passengers are advised to board at least 5 minutes before the departure of the train. In case they fail to do so, they need to wait for the next one. The passengers have to follow these steps after reaching the platform:

The Shanghai maglev Trains are in a class of their own when it comes to facilities and services on board. The inside of the cars is quite spacious, clean, modern and comfortable. There are attendants who take care of the needs of the passengers much like those on airplanes. The seats are arranged in such a way that one has enough room to sit comfortably. There are two or three seats in a row, and everyone can control the air conditioning temperature by themselves. The LCD screen located at the top of the door of the carriage displays the current speed of the train. The LCD screen is a popular attraction with the passengers, since many of them monitor the speed closely and take pictures the moment the display shows the top speed which is ‘431’. The attendants are friendly and helpful, and pay close attention to the comfort of the passengers. Even though short, the journey is a pleasant and comfortable one.

The two stations of the Shanghai maglev line are Longyang Road Station and Pudong International Airport Station. The route taken by the trains is shown below:

Here are a few tips for using the Maglev line:

Here are a few interesting facts about Maglev trains of Shanghai:

Local Chinese companies were given the responsibility of building the guideway or track for this particular line. However, the soil in the Pudong area turned out to be alluvial in nature and this created a major problem for the builders. In order to successfully build the track through this area, they had to change the design of the track. Instead of leaving a gap of 50 meters between two adjacent supporting pillars, they had to leave a gap of only 25 meters. This innovative idea helped them overcome the problem of a comparative unstable foundation and also lay the track for the most stable railway track in the world.

This workaround enabled the companies to build the guideway without compromising with the necessary accuracy, quality and stability. Thousands and thousands of piles of concrete were driven deep into the ground, often till a depth of 70 meters, in order to achieve the necessary stability of the supporting pillars that act as the foundation of the Shanghai Maglev Line. In order to facilitate this, a special facility was built along the route of the track. This facility measured one mile in length and also boasted a controlled climate inside. The manufacturing of the train, that is the engine and the cars, took place in Germany which was a joint venture between Seimens and Thyssenkrupp JV. Vahle Inc. and was given the responsibility of electrifying the train.

When commercial operations of the Shanghai Maglev train started initially, the usage was only 20% of the full capacity of the cars. The reasons for this unimpressive performance were attributed to the short duration of the journey, much higher ticket prices compared to other trains, operating hours being somewhat limited and the fact that its end point is at Longyang Road. The terminal point of this line was a discouragement to several passengers since they would have to travel for another 20 minutes by metro rail to reach the heart of the city.

However, the government has taken action to make things easier for the passengers by introducing two additional trains since October of 2016. These are one way trains which depart from Pudong Airport at 10:15 pm and at 10:40 pm.

The Maglev line has also faced its share of unfortunate or unpleasant incidents. In the August of 2006, one of the compartments of the Maglev train, after starting from Pudong Airport, caught fire. Preliminary investigations revealed that the accident may have been caused by some kind of electrical equipment malfunctioning. On a brighter note, there was not a single injury aboard as a result of the fire and this just highlights the stringent safety measures taken on board.

Later, in the February of 2016, operation of the maglev line stopped for about an hour. However, prompt action by the engineers and maintenance personnel ensured that services were restored at the earliest.

Regardless of whether one is a train enthusiast or someone interested in modern technology, one should not miss the unique experience of travelling on that train, because it is not only an adrenaline rush to travel at such unprecedented speeds but the train itself is a testament to the technological advancement achieved by our generation. Even as a tourist, travelling on the Shanghai Maglev Train would be a memorable experience that one would cherish for the rest of his or her life.

In conclusion, it can be said that hopefully, in the near future, not just the rest of China but also the rest of the world will build the necessary infrastructure to operate maglev lines successfully, so that commuters all over the world get to avail the services of this wonderful and path breaking technological wonder. That day is not far away when traveling thousands of kilometers in a matter of minutes will no longer feel like an idea out of some science fiction; rather it will become something routine and necessary like taking the metro or taking the bus.

Also, the recent years have witnessed the tourism industry grow by leaps and bounds. Traveling all over the country or even traveling abroad is no longer considered a luxury. The sheer number of domestic and international tourists has grown like never before. As a result, the standards of various means of travel need to be improved as well to provide a better experience to the people using the facilities. Hence, this is the right time for this technology of the future to realize its full potential. Keeping in mind the growing demands of international tourists, it would be justified to state that these maglev trains are a step in the right direction to making traveling a super-fast experience.