Sleeping in Shanghai Pudong Airport

Whether your situation calls for a short nap or an overnight slumber, this sleep guide will give you the essential information needed to prepare you for sleeping in Shanghai Pudong Airport.

Our guide is updated with the help of airport sleepers who tell us about their experiences at Shanghai Pudong Airport. If you have a tip to share, write a review to help us keep this sleep guide up-to-date!

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Sleeping in Shanghai Pudong Airport

Locations & Seating

For an airport of this size, the seating isn’t anything special. The pre-Security areas are quite limited, with only a few benches dotting the area. Inside Security, there are more seats, though most are metal and have armrests. If you are able to grab a seat, expect little privacy. Plenty of nooks are perfect to tuck into if you prefer the floor, do bring along a sleep mat or blanket to provide some cushion.

Rest Zones

At the time of this update, there are no designated rest zones within the airport.

Temperature

Travellers report cold temperatures year round. Arrive prepared with a blanket or even a sleeping bag. A hoodie provides extra warmth if the terminal gets even colder.

Lighting

At the time of this update, we have not received reports from travellers related to terminal brightness. Arrive prepared with eyeshades or something else to cover your eyes, such as a shirt or towel.

Noise

Noise is a problem depending on your sleep spot. By day, expect the usual hum of airport chaos: frequent announcements, news and music playing on TVs, and travellers and workers chatting. At night, it may quiet down in some emptier corners. It’s best to come prepared with earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones.

Showers

Freshen up (and loosen those stiff muscles) with a shower before your flight. Shower facilities are located in a few pay-to-use lounges. See our Shanghai Pudong Airport Guide for details.

Food & Drink

When you get the midnight munchies or give up trying to sleep and need a coffee to stay awake, 24-hour food concessions are available. Check out these vendors:

Terminal 2, International Departure: Starbucks, near Gate D75
Terminal 2, Arrivals area: Burger King (2 locations) and Starbucks
Airport Transportation Center: Starbucks

Hotels

Prefer some privacy and comfort? If you would like a good solid sleep between flights without leaving the airport behind, check out the T2 Max TIP Hourly Lounge, located in Terminal 2, Floor 3, near exit doors 25-26. We believe the mini-hotel rooms with ensuite bathrooms are rentable by the hour, but we’re unable to confirm rates. Otherwise, opt for one of several hotels located a quick 5-minute ride from the airport, and some offer free shuttle service. See the hotel section in our Airport Guide for locations or visit Tripadvisor to find hotels deals at Pudong Airport.

Lounges

Shanghai Pudong Airport has several lounges, but none have designated sleep rooms or rest areas. If you just want to relax in a comfortable seat, check out this list of lounges in our Shanghai Pudong Airport Guide that you can pay to access.

Security & Safety

Airport staff don’t seem to mind overnight campers here – maybe that’s because they ignore a lot of what goes at Shanghai Pudong Airport. At the time of this update, we have no reports from travellers commenting on safety issues. However, some travellers have mentioned a couple ongoing scams, including hotel representatives price gouging unsuspecting travellers and con-men selling counterfeit technology, like Apple products, inside the public areas.

As a precaution, here are a few tips to ensure you have a safe airport sleeping experience:

Know Where Security is Located. Whether you are sleeping in the airport by yourself or with friends, it is good to know where security is. Know where their office is located and look for video cameras in the spot you decide to stay the night. Ask security where it is safe to spend the night. They’ve probably seen many airport sleepers before you and they will direct you to a safe spot.
Don’t Seclude Yourself. If you are travelling alone we recommend that you sleep near other travellers or close to security.
Hide Your Valuables. Don’t leave all your mobile devices out in plain view. We have received reports from people who woke up with earphones and no ipod and a laptop bag strap and no laptop bag (or laptop). Same goes with important documents and money. Keep these secure on your body, so that no one can get them without waking you up.
Secure Your Bags. If you are a deep sleeper, you may want to padlock your bag to something. If your bags have zippers turn the bag upside down (zippers to the floor) or sleep with your bag up against the wall, so that it would be hard for someone to access.
Choose to Stay Alert. If you don’t feel safe, drink coffee and stay awake and be alert. You can always sleep on the plane!

Pro-tip: If you are sleeping in the public zone, don’t be surprised if you receive an early morning wake-up call. Security is known to make the rounds waking people up as travellers begin to arrive for morning flights.