Shanghai Hongqiao is the airport that Pudong overshadows but locals secretly prefer. Sitting just 13km from the Bund in western Shanghai, Hongqiao is the city-center airport — faster to reach, easier to navigate, and directly connected to one of China’s busiest high-speed rail stations. Most of its traffic is domestic, with a handful of regional routes to Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea. If you are flying within China, there is a decent chance you will pass through SHA. And if you need to smoke, you will be heading outside — Hongqiao closed its indoor smoking rooms in October 2016, the same month as its bigger sibling across town.
Terminal 1 Smoking Areas
Terminal 1 is the older building, renovated but still compact by Chinese airport standards. It handles a portion of domestic flights and the limited international services. Outdoor smoking areas are near the main entrance on the departures level and outside the arrivals exit on the ground floor. The real advantage of T1 for smokers is its size — or rather, its lack of it. Most gates are a 5-8 minute walk from the exit, making a quick smoke break genuinely feasible if you have 30-40 minutes before boarding.
Terminal 2 Smoking Areas
Terminal 2 is the modern half of Hongqiao, opened in 2010 and architecturally integrated with the adjacent Hongqiao Railway Station. It is bigger than T1 but still modest compared to the cavernous terminals at Beijing or Guangzhou. Outdoor smoking zones sit near the departures entrance on Level 2 and near the arrivals exits on Level 1. There is also an outdoor area accessible from the ground transportation plaza that connects the terminal to the railway station — handy if you are killing time between a flight and a bullet train.
Before Security / Landside
The most convenient smoke at Hongqiao is before you go through security. Both terminals have designated outdoor zones near their main entrances. Terminal 2 passengers arriving by metro (Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2 station on Lines 2, 10, and 17) surface into the ground transportation area and can step outside quickly. Terminal 1 has its own metro station (Line 10) with a short walk to the outdoor smoking area near the entrance. If you are connecting from the railway station, the walk between the station and the T2 outdoor zone takes about 5 minutes.
Tips for Smokers at Shanghai Hongqiao Airport
- Hongqiao is genuinely one of the more smoker-manageable airports in China. Its compact layout means the exit-smoke-rescreen cycle takes 30-40 minutes instead of the 45-60 minutes you would face at Pudong or Beijing Daxing.
- Shanghai weather swings hard between seasons. Summers (June-August) bring suffocating humidity and temperatures above 35°C, while winters (December-February) are damp and cold, often hovering around 0-5°C. Spring and autumn are the sweet spot for outdoor breaks.
- If you are flying into Shanghai and have a choice between Hongqiao and Pudong, Hongqiao wins for smokers on two counts: shorter walks to outdoor areas and shorter security re-screening queues (less international traffic means fewer passport checks).
- The integration with Hongqiao Railway Station is a genuine asset. High-speed trains connect to Nanjing (1 hour), Hangzhou (45 minutes), Suzhou (25 minutes), and dozens of other cities. If you have a long rail journey ahead, take your smoke break in the outdoor plaza between the terminal and the station.
- Cigarette prices inside the terminal are standard retail — no markup, no discount. Chinese brands like Zhongnanhai and Double Happiness are available at convenience shops before security.
Shanghai Smoking Regulations
Shanghai’s tobacco control ordinance, updated in March 2017, is among the most comprehensive in China. It bans smoking in all indoor public spaces, workplaces, and public transport — with specific provisions covering airports, train stations, and their surrounding areas. Fines for individuals start at ¥50 and can reach ¥200 for repeat violations. Shanghai was one of the first Chinese cities to enforce an indoor smoking ban seriously, and compliance at Hongqiao is high — you will not see anyone lighting up inside the terminal.
Travelers connecting onward to Shanghai Pudong (PVG) should note that the two airports are about 60km apart. The metro (Line 2) connects them but takes over an hour. If you are transferring between SHA and PVG, plan your smoke break at whichever airport you have more time at.