Two airports into the city
Hongqiao: airport and HSR share a hub; Lines 2/10 toward Jing'an or People's Square are smooth; overnight near the hub is fine, then enter the city next day. Pudong: Line 2 is slower but luggage-friendly; Maglev only reaches Longyang Road and still needs a metro change — worth it with bags or a tight connection, not as sightseeing.
Tickets and rush hour
Single QR, transit card, or official app codes work; 1-/3-day passes follow that day’s metro notice — do not assume Maglev is included. Morning 8–9 and evening 17:30–19 pack People's Square and Line 2 across the river. Buffer last trains after Disney; do not bolt Bund night onto the same evening.
Crossing the river without axis-hopping
Line 2 can jump East Nanjing to Lujiazui in one stop — that does not mean Bund and Lujiazui axes both open at dusk. Ferries (e.g. Dongchang) are a scenic short link, not an excuse to jam Yuyuan. Before any long hop ask: which axis is today’s spine?