Shanghai on Track for Rail Stations, Airport Facelift in Next 2 Years

​Construction of the Eastern Hub, Shanghai East Railway Station and related supporting projects is underway in Zhuqiao town, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, on Feb 17, 2026. [Photo/VCG]

Shanghai is set for a transportation facelift as major facilities are scheduled for completion in the coming two years, including Shanghai East Railway Station, which is due to open in July of next year, said official sources.

With the main structure currently more than 50 percent complete, the project is expected to finish construction by the end of this year, and is slated to begin operations by July 2027, Xiao Hui, director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Transport, was quoted as saying on the commission's official account.

"As an important aspect of the eastern hub, and poised to become Shanghai's second-largest transport hub, the Shanghai East Railway Station is a landmark project for the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region, offering one-stop access to an integrated transportation network that includes high-speed rail, urban railway, metro lines, buses, and the airport," Xiao said.

Adjacent to the Shanghai East Railway Station, Shanghai Pudong International Airport is building its Terminal 3, which is scheduled to open by 2028. With a designed capacity of 50 million passenger trips per year, the new terminal will increase the airport's annual capacity to 130 million passenger trips, according to Xiao.

Baoshan Railway Station, the starting point of the 2,000-kilometer, 500-billion-yuan ($73.17 billion) high-speed railway linking Shanghai and Sichuan province, is also expected to be put into operation next July. The new station will better facilitate the integration of the Yangtze River Economic Belt.