Shanghai and Bye: How I Spent an 8-Hour Layover at Shanghai Airport
Eight hours, four wrong turns, dumplings, milk tea, skincare, a bit of work and somehow enough walking to close my Apple Watch rings.
I'd already been travelling for around 20 hours by the time I reached Shanghai, having started the journey by train before getting on the plane, so an eight-hour layover could easily have felt like one thing too many. Surprisingly, though, I wasn't actually that tired.
I also hadn't eaten much.
So rather than immediately looking for somewhere to sleep, I decided to see what I could get up to at Shanghai Pudong International Airport.
There was only one slight problem: I had absolutely no idea where I was going.
In the course of my eight hours, I managed to get lost four times. I'm not entirely sure whether that's because Shanghai airport is enormous or because I have absolutely no sense of direction, but let's blame the airport.
Once I'd finally worked out where I was and, more importantly, where I needed to be, I found it surprisingly easy to get around. The central location of the main facilities meant that once I'd got my bearings, I was pretty much away.
I actually ended up walking around so much that I pretty quickly closed my rings on my Apple Watch. Not quite the exercise regime I'd planned for the day, but after spending so long travelling by train and plane, I wasn't complaining.
Eventually, hunger got the better of me. I hadn't eaten much during the journey, so I found somewhere selling dumplings and ordered some with a milk tea. The whole thing came to around £7, which, for an airport, I thought was pretty reasonable, and the dumplings were lovely.
There was something rather comforting about sitting down with proper food rather than grabbing another overpriced sandwich and carrying on walking.
It was also around this point that I realised an eight-hour layover doesn't necessarily have to be something you endure. You can actually slow down a little and take your time.
The customer service staff were more than helpful whenever I needed directions or had a question, which was particularly useful given my rather impressive ability to get lost. I never felt uncomfortable wandering around either. I always feel very safe in China; people are friendly, you don't feel judged and there is a real sense that you can simply explore and get on with your day.
After 20 hours, I really wanted a shower
The one thing I really wanted to find was a shower. After around 20 hours of travelling by train and plane, I thought it was a pretty reasonable request.
I asked customer service and, on my visit, I was told that the shower facilities available to me were for domestic passengers rather than the international section I was travelling through. I was slightly disappointed because, after that long in transit, a shower was pretty much top of my list. I'd have thought international passengers would be exactly the people who needed one.
Still, at least I'd brought my skincare.
I'd been given a little Korean skincare set free with an online order, and it turned out to be perfect for travelling because it was small, lightweight and didn't mean carrying a collection of bottles around in my hand luggage. It had sunscreen and a face mask, which, yes, might be a little boujie for an airport, but after 20 hours of travelling I wasn't going to complain.
Taking a few minutes to sit down and look after my skin actually felt rather good after such a long journey.
There is one thing worth mentioning here, though. Shanghai's current airport information now lists free 24-hour shower facilities, as well as rest areas and private rest cabins, including facilities for passengers on extended layovers.
So my experience shouldn't be taken as a blanket statement that international passengers can't shower. It may depend on which terminal or transfer route you're using, and I'd definitely ask customer service when you arrive rather than relying on my experience.
Finding somewhere to work
The other thing I hadn't really expected was how easy it was to get some work done.
I found some proper desks where I could get my laptop out, and there were USB and USB-C charging points. This was something of a lifesaver because, in classic fashion, I'd forgotten my converter plug, so I thought I was going to have a problem.
Thankfully, I didn't need it.
I could plug everything in, get my laptop out and catch up with some work while I waited, which meant my clients didn't need to worry about me disappearing somewhere between China and my final destination.
Phew.
Shanghai may just have saved my job.
Another little thing I appreciated was having access to hot and cold water. It sounds like such a small thing, but when you're spending eight hours in an airport it makes a difference. You can refill your drinking water rather than continually buying bottles, and if you fancy picking up some noodles from one of the shops, you've got hot water there too.
It's not glamorous and it's certainly not something that would make me choose an airport for a holiday, but when you've got hours to spend there, these are exactly the sort of practical things you appreciate.
I'd also heard about pod beds and went looking for them, but I couldn't find them. To be honest, I don't think it mattered particularly because there is so much seating throughout the airport that finding somewhere to properly stretch out shouldn't be too difficult.
If you've got several hours to spare, you can find somewhere quieter, make yourself comfortable and, with a bit of consideration for everyone else trying to find somewhere to sit, probably even have a decent lie down.
Interestingly, the airport's current information does list sofas and seating suitable for lying down, private rest cabins and other rest facilities, so perhaps I simply wasn't looking in the right place.
Don't make my Wi-Fi mistake
There was one other thing I got wrong, and that was the Wi-Fi.
I'd seen the airport Wi-Fi and thought I'd sort it out later. When I eventually tried to connect properly, I couldn't get the passport verification pop-up to appear again. Because I was working, I needed the internet, so I ended up having to buy some mobile data.
That was entirely my own fault.
If you're going through Pudong, sort the Wi-Fi as soon as you arrive. International passengers can authenticate for the airport's free Wi-Fi using their passport, but don't assume you'll be able to come back to the login screen whenever you fancy it.
And, to be honest, if you're going to be there for eight hours, I'd have some mobile data available anyway. Airport Wi-Fi has a habit of becoming unreliable precisely when you need it most.
So, would I want an eight-hour layover here again?
By the time my eight hours were coming to an end, I'd realised that I actually rather liked Shanghai Pudong.
It's not massively buzzing and there isn't a huge amount to do if you're looking for entertainment. And actually, I quite liked that.
After around 20 hours of travelling, first by train and then by plane, I didn't necessarily want entertainment. I wanted somewhere I could take a breath, find something decent to eat, get some work done and simply wait for the next part of my journey.
And that's what I found.
I wandered around, found somewhere comfortable to sit, caught up with work and took my time. I wasn't constantly checking the clock or wondering how I was going to fill another hour. The airport gave me enough space to simply make myself comfortable and wait.
And I always feel very safe in China, which makes that sort of thing easier. The people are nice, I've never felt judged and I feel free enough to explore to my heart's content. Even when I don't know exactly where I'm going — which, in Shanghai, happened rather a lot.
Of all the airports I've stopped at in China, I'd have to say Shanghai Pudong is one of my favourites. Not because it's spectacular, and not because there's an endless list of things to do, but because it gives you the things you actually need on a long layover.
I wasn't looking to leave the airport and see Shanghai on this particular trip. I just wanted eight hours to pass comfortably.
And it did.
By the time I was heading for my gate, I'd eaten some dumplings, had a milk tea, caught up with work, managed my skincare, charged everything I needed to charge and walked enough to close my Apple Watch rings.
I hadn't found the pod beds and I'd failed spectacularly at navigating the airport, but actually, I hadn't minded the layover at all.
Sometimes that's all you really need from an airport.
Shanghai and bye.
Practical Information
My Shanghai Layover Checklist
Get the Wi-Fi sorted first
Don't leave the passport authentication until later.
Have mobile data as a backup
Especially if you're planning to work.
Ask about the showers
Facilities and access can vary depending on your terminal and route.
Take a refillable bottle
Hot and cold drinking water is available.
Bring your charging cables
USB and USB-C points can be very useful.
Find somewhere comfortable early
There is plenty of seating and current airport information lists dedicated rest facilities.
Eat something proper
My dumplings and milk tea came to around £7 and were very welcome.
Pack some lightweight skincare
Because after a long journey, a little self-care never hurts.
And don't panic about eight hours
Once you've found your bearings, there's actually plenty of time to eat, work, rest and simply let the hours pass.
