My Flight to London

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Transit in Shanghai

I took China Eastern Airline from Singapore to London, with transit at Shanghai. From Changi on 00:55am and arrived on 5.55am in morning with red-eye and tired. Wanted to sleep but also had chinese breakfast :)

No China Visa required for transit less than 24 hour and I could spend my transit time (around 6 hours) for city exploring. When arrived, just filled the landing card and approached immigration line, told officer if this was a transit. After clearing immigration, next was to transfer counter near baggage belt. We were given boarding passes for next flight. Luggage was transfered automatically, then we grabbed Shanghai Map to study it and exited arrival hall.

Then we tried Shanghai Maglev Train from Pudong International Airport (PVG) to downtown at Long Yang Station (interchange with metro green line). Maglev Train costs 80 Yuan (€8) return ( 40 Yuan oneway with you present your ticket/boarding pass). You can find ticket office by following board sign in arrival hall. Train only operates from 7am till 9.30pm, no need to book in advance since it runs frequently every 15-30 minutes and not full.

Taken from www.wikipedia.org, Maglev described as:

The Shanghai Maglev Train or Shanghai Transrapid (Chinese: ?????????; pinyin: Shàngh?i Cífú Shìfàn Yùnyíng Xiàn; literally "Shanghai Magnetic Levitation Demonstration Operation Line") is the first commercial high-speed maglev line in the world. The system and trains were built to the Transrapid standard. Construction began in March 2001, and public service commenced on 1 January 2004. During a test run on 12 November 2006, a maglev vehicle achieved a Chinese record speed of 501 km/h (311 mph). The line runs from Longyang Road station in Pudong, on the Shanghai subway line 2 to Pudong International Airport. The journey takes 7 minutes and 20 seconds to complete the distance of 30 km. A train can reach 350 km/h (220 mph) in 2 minutes, with the maximum normal operation speed of 431 km/h (268 mph) reached thereafter.

It is the first commercial maglev implementation in the world. Maximum speed is 300 km/h as shown in the train lcd board (suspiciously in the other trip later I saw speed counter was 430km/h). It only took 8 minutes to arrive at Long Yang Station, and I was amazed with this super fast train but quiet in cabin. Try this train in your arrival in Shanghai! In 8 minutes ride, 2 minutes to accelerate, next 4 minutes steady in 300km/h, and last 2 minutes for reducing speed until stop.

If you want to continue journey to other parts of city, then have to continue with underground metro. Metro station is adjacent with Long Yang Maglev Station. (See Shanghai Page that I'll post later)

Arriving in Long Yang, found a store in the outside corner of metro station, had a delicious and cheap noodle soup and 'you diao' (Hokkian: cakwe) and my wife ordered porridge with pitan eggs. You'll need ability to speak mandarin in order to order food, otherwise just 'point the menu picture'.

Then took return Maglev train back to airport because we had wanted to have a sleep before taking long-haul flight. There was an airport transit hotel named Hotel 168, located above the Maglev station. Took a lift to upper level of building where the reception was located. Room rate was 193 Yuan (€20) for 6-hour block, but because of stupidity of hotel system we were only able to to check-in after 9am (after staff changing).

Room was clean, double bed, with flat tv and private bathroom, and the most important was we had deep sleep.

Woke up on 12pm, took shower and then rushed back to terminal for departure. Clearing security and immigration was fast, then just waited in departure hall.

Flight to London

Flight with China Eastern to London took almost 13 hours non-stop. Aside from economic-class problem, jet lag was problem because 8 hour timezone difference. Onboard meal was acceptable for Asian passanger, got 2-3 courses meal during flight. It was Airbus A340-300 long-haul, with 2-4-2 seating arrangment. Leg room was standard so just had to accept that condition in entire flights. Inflight Entertainment was very limited, so you might bring some books or PSP to play.

Finally arrived at London Heathow on 18.15 GMT. The airport was a bit disappointing, might because we arrived at Terminal 2, small and not sophisticated as I thought as a very busy airport (even to compare with Pudong, not to mention Changi). Queue at immigration was long but took only 15 minutes to clear it.

Yep, finally we arrived at London! Exit terminal building and felt the winter cold wind. To get to city, we took London Tube (metro train). Tube station located below arrival hall, just find it from signboard. Bought Top-up Oyster Card (price GBP 13 with value of 10) from Tourist Information (right to tube automatic entrance gate), took London Tube map, and then got to platform. It took almost an hour and something to get to Victoria station (involving change) in the weekend.

London Tube map could be collected at the ticket station. The tube is small and the trash can be everywhere. Again, I picture the clean, cozy Singapore MRT to be found inside the tube. I would suggest you to download the map first so you won’t get surprised with the colors there. You may want to pay attention to the announcement as some of the line may be closed during weekend/holiday for reconstruction.

Next page: Exploring London