How to Get to Shanghai for the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix

The best ways to get to Shanghai International Circuit for the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix, plus advice on getting around in China’s biggest city.

• The 2025 Chinese Grand Prix is scheduled for March 21-23
• Paddock Club Packages are now on sale via F1 Experiences. Tickets will be on sale soon.
• Join our closed Facebook group for fans attending the race
• This post contains affiliate links. We may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links

Flying to China

With two airports, Shanghai Pudong International (PVG) and Shanghai Hongqiao International (SHA), Shanghai is very well connected to the rest of the world. PVG is the 3rd busiest airport in China and ranked 20th in the world with in excess of 40m annual passengers. SHA mainly serves domestic flights plus regional connections to Tokyo and Seoul. Several airlines fly direct to Shanghai from major global hubs in Australia, the Middle East, Europe and the USA.

Flights from Europe

• Major European hubs: London, Paris, Frankfurt and Amsterdam.
• Popular airlines: Emirates, BA, China Eastern, Virgin Atlantic, Air China, Air France/KLM, Lufthansa.
• Flight times: Direct flights from Europe approx. 12 hours (16-18 hours with stopover). You’ll also lose around 6 hours when traveling to China.

Flights from the USA

• Major US hubs: LA, San Francisco, New York, Dallas.
• Popular airlines: Delta, Qantas, Emirates, Air China, China Eastern, Jet Airways, United, Continental .
• Flight times: 13-hour direct flights from USA to Shanghai (18+ hours with stopover). China is about 15 hours ahead of the West Coast USA time.

Flights from Australia

• Major Australian hubs: Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
• Major airlines flying into Shanghai from Australia: Qantas, Air China, China Eastern, Malaysia Airlines.
• Flight time: around 10-11 hours for direct routes from east coast capital cities.

Regional & Domestic Flights

• Regional flights: Major Asian hubs with regular Shanghai flights include Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo & Bangkok. Popular airlines include: Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Royal Brunei, Cathay Pacific, China Southern, Shanghai Airlines & AirAsia. Flight times around 3-5 hours from most Asian hubs to Shanghai, and prices range from $200-500 USD for return flights.
• Domestic flights in China: With 180 existing airports and more than 80 new airports scheduled to open in 2015, there are plenty of flights from across China into Shanghai, on both full-service and budget airlines. Flights between Beijing and Shanghai take just over 2 hours and cost anywhere from $50-200 USD each way.

Train/Boat to Shanghai

• Chinese Trains: Four main passenger railway stations connect Shanghai to other parts of China: Shanghai Railway Station, South Railway Station, West Railway Station and Hongqiao Railway Station. Tickets are cheap and can be bought online up to 20 days before departure. Click here for more information on Chinese train travel.
• Boats to Shanghai: There are several weekly ferry services to Shanghai from Kobe and Osaka in Japan, which take 2 nights. Tickets can be bought online.

How to Get to Shanghai International Circuit

Whilst staying in the Jiading District near the circuit is more convenient from a travel perspective, we think it’s better to get a hotel in central Shanghai, where you will enjoy the best of what Shanghai has to offer. The circuit is approximately 35km from downtown Shanghai and is close to major highways. The best way to get to the circuit is to take the Metro; the circuit has its own Metro station on Line 11. The Metro journey from central Shanghai to the circuit takes around 60 minutes.

Taking the Metro to Shanghai Circuit

Please note that Line 11 branches out to two end stations – Huaqiao and North Jiading. You need to make sure you are on the train heading to Huaqiao. The “Shanghai Circuit” station is located within a few minutes walk from Gate 1 (behind Grandstand A, the main one). Check the circuit map. There have been instances during previous years’ race weekends that the station was ordered to close due to overcrowding. If you encounter this, hop down at the next station and flag a taxi to the circuit. If you want to beat the crowds when leaving a circuit and get yourself a seat, take the train in the other direction to Huaqiao, get off at the next stop and then return towards the city via the circuit. Click here to download the Shanghai metro map.

Taxi, Private Car or Shuttle to Shanghai Circuit

Traveling by road to the circuit is more convenient but carries the risk you will get caught up in traffic congestion. It should be approx 1 hour’s drive from central Shanghai to the circuit, but can take much longer on race weekend. Fares from the centre to the circuit should cost around CN¥200-250 ($30-35 USD) including tolls. It’s a good idea to organize your return pickup from the circuit in advance to avoid waiting too long at the end of the day. Alternatively, you can hire a car with a driver, daily rates to start from around CN¥700 ($100 USD). Please note that in 2024, it was not possible for cars without a parking pass to enter the roads closest to the circuit.

Hotel Bookings & Circuit Transfers with F1 Experiences

Circuit transfers are available for F1 Experiences guests who have booked their hotel together with an Official Ticket Package for the Chinese Grand Prix. F1 Experiences secures room allocations at some of the most sought-after hotels in Shanghai on race weekend, including the 5-star Conrad Shanghai. Return bus transfers from your hotel to Shanghai International Circuit can be added to your booking. View China 2025 ticket packages & hotels

Taking Taxis in Shanghai

If you need to get somewhere fast, take a taxi – most drivers know the quickest way to get to your destination. Unless it is rush hour or raining, you can easily find taxis in Shanghai and this large supply translates into some of the cheap prices in the world. The Shanghai Government regulates taxi fares so make sure that your taxi driver uses the meter. Avoid taxi with plate numbers starting with X as these are unlicensed. Unlike the yellow cabs in New York, taxis in Shanghai are in different colors – black, red, yellow, white, green, blue – according to the company they belong to. Shangahai Eastern Taxi Service is a reputable company with online reservations for airport pickups, day tours and various other services.

General Advice on Taking Taxis in Shanghai

• Avoid unlicensed taxis as you will not have any rights, should you are injured on the way to your destination. A legitimate taxi has a logo light at the top of the vehicle, a meter, an illuminated vacancy disk and a transparent shield between the driver and back passenger seats.
• Ask your hotel to call a cab for you. To avoid being sent to the wrong place, have the front desk of your hotel write down the name and address of your destination in Chinese. Make sure to also keep a copy of your hotel’s business card or flyer for the ride home.
• Remember to collect a receipt, even if you paid in cash. If you have left something in the car, you will have details of the taxi and the driver as a reference when calling the taxi company to reclaim your items.

Shanghai Metro

Most of Shanghai can be accessed via the Shanghai Metro, one of the longest and fastest-expanding rapid transit systems in the world. It currently has 14 lines (not inclusive of the Shanghai Maglev Train line) that connect 337 stations across Shanghai. Travel is inexpensive with single-journey tickets priced from CN¥3 ($0.40 USD) and going up  depending on the length of the journey

To avoid the hassle of purchasing tickets each time you travel, we recommend purchasing a Shanghai Public Transportation Card. It costs CN¥20 ($2.80 USD, which is a refundable deposit) and can be loaded in increments of CN¥50 ($7 USD) or CN¥100 ($14 USD). Alternatively, you can opt to buy a 1-day pass for CN¥18 ($2.50 USD) or a 3-day pass for CN¥45 ($6.25 USD) respectively, which will allow you unlimited rides on the metro.

• Learn more about the Shanghai Metro
• Download the Shanghai metro map

Shanghai Public Buses

One of the more convenient ways to travel across Shanghai is on a public bus. With more than 1000 routes serviced by more than 10 bus companies, Shanghai has an extensive bus network. The city also has one of the oldest operating trolleybus systems. Most buses in the city centre of Shanghai uses numbers to indicate the line they serve, while Chinese characters are used for suburban busses and some city buses. Click here for an overview of the routes. Most public buses have a flat-rate fare which costs less than $0.50 USD, while some lines use distance-based fares. You can pay distance-based fares with the Shanghai Public Transportation Card.