Making Connections

Complementing these objectives is the third strategy to harness the area as a major transit hub and facilitate connectivity throughout the rest of China. It’s no coincidence that the CBD takes its name from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA); the city’s secondary airport is just ten minutes from Hongqiao’s commercial center and a major part of the area’s appeal.

Primarily a domestic hub (though there are a few international services to destinations such as Korea and Japan operating from Terminal 1), the 80-year-old facility has been given a new lease on life recently with a planned series of soft upgrades.

In March, Terminal 1 unveiled a revamped Building A, with updated check-in areas plus more retail and F&B options, while further upgrades are due to be revealed in Building B and Terminal 2 by 2018. The Shanghai Airport Authority also announced it will build a new hangar facility for business jets at Hongqiao airport by April 2018 to cope with the rising demand.

Beyond air links, a key component in enhancing the region’s transit prowess was the creation of the Hongqiao Transport Interchange (HTI), or Hongqiao Transit Hub, which opened in time for the 2010 World Expo. This is the world’s largest multimodal transportation center, connecting air, rail, road and subway in one giant facility.