Milan to Auckland, New Zealand from €845

🏮 17-Hour Shanghai Layover — Worth Leaving the Airport

Your outbound flight lands at Shanghai Pudong (PVG) at 06:55 and your connecting flight to Auckland departs at 00:05 the next morning — that is a 17-hour 10-minute window, and it is more than enough to spend a proper day in one of the world’s most dramatic cities.

Visa-free transit: Most European Union passport holders qualify for China’s 144-hour visa-free transit policy. You enter as a transit passenger between two international flights, visit permitted cities in the transit zone (Shanghai is included), and return to the airport before your onward flight. Check your passport eligibility with the Chinese consulate before travel — rules can change.

Getting into the city: Shanghai Metro Line 2 runs directly from PVG Terminal 2 to the city centre. Journey to People’s Square takes roughly 45 minutes and costs around ¥4 (under €0.50). A taxi to The Bund runs approximately ¥150–¥180 (€18–€22) and takes 40–60 minutes depending on traffic. Leave your checked bags in left luggage at PVG before exiting — the international terminal has storage facilities, and China Eastern check-in desks can confirm your bags are tagged through to Auckland.

A practical day outline (arriving 06:55, departing 00:05):

• 07:00–08:30 — Clear immigration (transit lane), store bags, take Line 2 into the city
• 09:00–11:00 — The Bund: the 1.5 km riverside promenade facing the Pudong skyline. Best light is early morning before the crowds arrive.
• 11:00–12:30 — Walk to Yu Garden (Yuyuan), the 16th-century classical garden in the Old Town. Entry ¥40 (€5). The surrounding bazaar is free and good for breakfast xiaolongbao at a street stall — ¥15–25 for a steamer basket.
• 12:30–15:00 — Xintiandi or the French Concession: tree-lined streets, shikumen lane houses, good coffee and lunch. Budget ¥80–150 (€10–18) for a sit-down meal.
• 15:00–17:00 — Optional: Nanjing Road pedestrian shopping street, or take the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel across to Pudong for the Shanghai Tower observation deck (¥180, book online to skip queues).
• 17:30–18:30 — Head back to PVG via Line 2. Allow 60 minutes for the metro journey.
• 18:30–00:05 — Check in, security, dinner in the terminal. China Eastern’s T1 international has decent dumpling restaurants airside.

Budget: ¥200–350 total (€25–43) covers metro both ways, Yu Garden entry, lunch, and a coffee. The Shanghai Tower deck is optional at an extra ¥180. This remains one of the most compelling free layover cities in the world — the combination of architecture, food, and transit infrastructure makes a 17-hour stopover feel genuinely rewarding rather than just a wait.