Airport in Shanghai to get tram or subway

The new satellite terminal to be built at Pudong International Airport will be accessed via an underground subway or tram, a top industry official said yesterday.

Passengers will check in at one of the two existing terminal buildings and then use the transport system to get to the new facility, said Li Derun, president of the Shanghai Airport Authority.

According to the official microblog of the Shanghai Metro Forum, the favored option is an unmanned rubber-tire train, as used at several of the world's major airports, though a tram system would be cheaper.

Whichever option is selected, the network will run underground and its construction will be concurrent with the development of the satellite terminal, which is set to begin this year.

With 119 departure gates, the third terminal will be the largest of its kind in the world when it opens in 2018, said Wang Jijie, deputy president of the airport authority.

Six design firms have submitted plans for the terminal, and one will be selected for development, Li said.