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laupsinchina

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Joined: June 01, 2005
Posts: 53
Location: Shanghai
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Posted: Jan 24, 2006 - 03:28 PM
Post subject: Maglev Train

Has anyone ever taken the Maglev train and if so what are your experiences of it?

brisbanegirl

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Joined: July 06, 2005
Posts: 34

Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 24, 2006 - 03:45 PM

The Maglev train system is really well organised. Buy your tickets on the second floor - 50RMB one way; 80RMB return. Discount of 10% if you have a same day air ticket. Takes 8 minutes to get to the airport from Longyang Station. Very efficient and very fast.

flopsy

Seeker

Joined: Jan 20, 2006
Posts: 53
Location: JingAn
Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 24, 2006 - 03:46 PM

Also, helluva lot less of a white knuckle ride than the airport road by taxi!

Georgie

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Joined: July 14, 2005
Posts: 571
Location: In hell
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Posted: Jan 24, 2006 - 04:22 PM

Its excellent, we use it all the time when travelling to and from the airport. Just be very careful when you return to Longyang station and you take a taxi. The ones waiting at the rank will undoubtedly try to rip you off with an extortionate rate, and will insist on not using their meter. I have been asked 100 rmb for a trip which is normally only 13!. Best to walk to the road and flag one down.

adrenochrome

Reacher

Joined: July 28, 2004
Posts: 218

Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 24, 2006 - 04:23 PM

German teechnology Laughing

kiwikells

LoopKicker

Joined: Oct 23, 2005
Posts: 937
Location: Beijing
Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 24, 2006 - 04:24 PM

Have to say that it was a cool experience 'flying' above the tracks and seeing the speedo tick over to 431km/h!!! It's well worthwhile, especially if you're on the metro line.

Only downer is the hours of operation. Great for 'normal' daylight hours, but not late night, or sparrow flights....

cks69

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Joined: Aug 06, 2004
Posts: 562

Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 24, 2006 - 04:55 PM

not practical and a waste of money...

benkloepfer

PopStar

Joined: Sep 02, 2004
Posts: 1041

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Posted: Jan 24, 2006 - 05:04 PM

cks69
what are you talking about? If you are like me and fly with little luggage then its the best way to get out of shanghai. Take the metro to longyang (from PuXi 5 RMB) then take the maglev to the airport (with ticket 50 RMB)

Total 55 RMB and about 1 hour

Let me see you get from Puxi to the airport with less money or time! (assuming you don't have a car and driver)

trip

Barker

Joined: Feb 03, 2005
Posts: 180
Location: Closer
Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 24, 2006 - 05:42 PM

I use it whenever I can... and the extended hours to 9PM are very welcome! The only pain is trying to get your suitcase through the turnstyle at the subway station before hand! Can only recommend it!

Trip

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cks69

Ranter

Joined: Aug 06, 2004
Posts: 562

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Posted: Jan 24, 2006 - 05:51 PM

im sorry...i meant that the billions that the government piled into the thing were not worth it. It was done purely as a means to give Shanghai status.

I don't believe that it is very practical, for all types of travellers, including business travellers and tourists (and they mistakenly advertise that it drops you off in the city center), especially since it shuts at a ridiculously early hour.

dfoo

Post Roaster

Joined: Jan 19, 2005
Posts: 4693

Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 24, 2006 - 05:54 PM

I made a big mistake in not taking the maglev train when I got back here in early Jan... it was pissing with rain that day and I decided to take a cab 'cause I didn't want to walk from the subway station to my place (about 10 minutes walk). Well, that was extra stupid 'cause the cab took over 2 hours to get to my place (close to JingAn temple) due to the rain!!

Quaver

Seeker

Joined: Jan 18, 2006
Posts: 52

Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 24, 2006 - 11:31 PM

Highly recommend going once just for the experience. Leaving HIGHWAY traffic behind in a flash is some experience. After the first ride you decide if/when you want to continue.

armie

Barker

Joined: Sep 22, 2005
Posts: 187
Location: Shanghai, PRC
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Posted: Jan 25, 2006 - 03:15 AM

The maglev is great if you're travelling with little to no luggage. If you are loaded down then it is not a good option. The problem is that it spits you out onto the Metro system which is not baggage friendly. If you then have to do the crossover at People's Square then you are screwed. I did it once with one large suitcase and believe me there is no easy way to negotiate those turnstiles and escalators. If you are travelling light then it's a great way to skip out on the inevitable traffic snarls.

wolfy
Fire-eater

Joined: Sep 13, 2004
Posts: 2510

Posted: Jan 25, 2006 - 08:27 AM

adrenochrome wrote:

German teechnology Laughing

British invention.

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wolfy
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Joined: Sep 13, 2004
Posts: 2510

Posted: Jan 25, 2006 - 08:29 AM

benkloepfer wrote:

Shuttle bus. 20 odd kuai...

The maglev is a complete white elephant to be honest but it is a cool ride. I love trains and that thing is the best in the world.

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benkloepfer

PopStar

Joined: Sep 02, 2004
Posts: 1041

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Posted: Jan 25, 2006 - 01:25 PM

True wolfie, I forgot about the shuttle bus. They are actually the best deal and pretty convienent.
And cks69, you are probably right about the waste of government money, but at the same time I try to imagine what the traffic will be like in Shanghai in the next ten years and can't help but wonder if this investment in public transit will eventually pay off (not from ticket sales, but rather from the indirect benefits).

MahamYe

Rocker

Joined: Jan 07, 2004
Posts: 616

Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 25, 2006 - 01:58 PM

Is it true that they was just an initial test of the technology, but the ultimate goal is to connect Beijing and Shanghai by Maglev?

tazman099

Barker

Joined: Aug 08, 2005
Posts: 167
Location: Beijing
Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 25, 2006 - 04:16 PM

Just rode it the other day and was able to snap this picture. I agree though, it is a pain if you have a lot of luggage, especially coming back from the airport where you will have to walk a ways to find a taxi that isn't going to rip you off.

01202006(002)1.jpg

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peter2883

Lurker

Joined: Jan 19, 2006
Posts: 29

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Posted: Jan 26, 2006 - 10:29 AM

Shuttle bus. 20 odd kuai...

The maglev is a complete white elephant to be honest but it is a cool ride. I love trains and that thing is the best in the world.

Wolfy or Anyone out there,

Any idea where does the Shuttle Bus end at? Does it go to Puxi & any idea if it stops in Town (Fu Zhou Road area)? Thanks.

selahbr8.com

Barker

Joined: Sep 03, 2005
Posts: 171
Location: LuJaiZui, Pudong Shanghai
Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 26, 2006 - 11:44 AM

Took it for the first time the other day, was a great experince. I could not how on time it is... at exactly 7.00.00 am it started and at exactly 7.08.00 it stopped and opend the doors. That was cool. The only the frightened the absolute clackers was the approaching magliev doing the same speed 40 odd cm away coming in the opposite direction.. that shakes the train a bit, but was a cool ride. Worth it very much. Some people almost the same amount of money at a family carnival for only a 1/4 of the experience.

wolfy
Fire-eater

Joined: Sep 13, 2004
Posts: 2510

Posted: Jan 26, 2006 - 02:32 PM

Peter there are a few different routes. Here are the details :

http://www.chinats.com/air/faq7.htm#t

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IgotAquestion

Talker

Joined: Dec 05, 2005
Posts: 115

Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 26, 2006 - 02:35 PM

when is the earliest maglev to the airport????

there is a shuttle bus a couple of times a day from the back of the hongkou football staduim for 18 kuai - takes jsut over an hour - the earliest leaves at 5;40am

frenchlover1999
Shanghai Royalty

Joined: Sep 18, 2004
Posts: 8729

Posted: Jan 26, 2006 - 04:15 PM

By the way, it was a strategic mistake the local government did (but it was a bet, nobody could say for sure at the time) - they should probably have extended line 2 to the airport instead. Much cheaper, much more practical, not a big difference in time for people who need to commute from regular subway to maglev or even get there by cab. But again they made a bet and the Germans did a good sales job, with the idea that if the maglev was not profitable to the airport (it isnt, by very far, even without counting the initial capital investment, just operating costs...), the government should look at it as an experiment and later build lines to Hangzhou and Beijing, which would make more economical sense (perhaps, but now seems even they dont).

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ranjan1515

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