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So, spending (part of) the day in Shanghai seems to be what everyone agrees on. And a more secure option if the flight gets cancelled/delayed. Storing my luggage at the PVG airport would seem the most practical option then, regardless of where I'm landing (backtracking to Hongqiao in the evening would definitely stress me out).
I've tried to find a way to book my tickets with the flight from Kunming to PVG but I can't seem to find a website that allows this. I tried several bookers but nothing works. Somehow, the Kunming-PVG flight is only available as a 'single' ticket. As soon as I try booking my entire trip, it disappears...
Here is what I need:
Paris CDG -> Shangri-La DIG (also called Diqing or Gyalthang, depending on websites) via Guangzhou CAN (China southern flight 03/14, 11:15)
Kunming -> Shanghai (China eastern)
Shanghai PVG -> Paris CDG (China eastern 04/20, 23:55)
On edreams, with the flight to hongqiao, this costs 729€ (under $1000). Since on China eastern the flights to hongqiao and PVG cost exactly the same, I assume the whole trip should also be similarly priced... Govoyage only allows for same company flights, Opodo doesn't have the Shangri-La airport listed and expedia is the same as edreams but more expensive... Any other website I should try?
Jump on that Euro 732 flight NOW, IMMEDIATELY. You won't do better and if you wait it may get worse. That's a great price for hitting all your spots and inclusion of Diqing. You won't do any better trying to book the international separate then add internal Chinese flights, not even from our usual ctrip, elong, and travelzen booking agents. Just fly KMG to Hongqiao. Use the 08:00 departure out of Kunming. So you have:
3/14 CDG-CAN on CZ348 + CAN-DIG on CZ3499.
4/20 KMG-SHA on MU5801 + PVG-CDG on MU553
Inbound, the connection time in CAN is enough to do immigration, bag claim, customs, and recheck for onward domestic flight but you can't dally. Outbound, use either of two strategies:
(a) Arrive Hongqiao, put stuff in Left Luggage there, then do your sightseeing around the city, return around 20:00, pick up luggage and take shuttle bus over to Pudong for check-in.
(b) Arrive Hongqiao, take shuttle bus to Pudong and use Left Luggage there, return to city for look around, return to Pudong around 21:30 for luggage retrieval and check-in.
If you want an extra hour or so of daytime sightseeing, pick (a). If you want the extra in the evening/sundown and the bright lights of Shanghai, take (b). I'd personally lean towards (b). Knowing my luggage is already at Pudong and after a long day, the annoying cross-town part was already done. I'd enjoy my dinner in the city more with option (b). :-))
Now, I only have to decide what to do in Shanghai ^^
I took Bus#1 between Hongqiao and PVG quite a few times before, curb to curb (well, almost), not bad of an experience. It was running mostly on the elevated ring roads, so you get to see some Shanghai skyline, if the AQI is lower.
According to a news report, Eastern passengers can transfer luggage, as well as Hitching a free ride from SHA to PVG.
...在虹桥国际机场2号航站楼H岛设有办理东航当天浦东机场出发国际航班登机手续的值机柜台，为旅客办理当天虹桥、浦东两段航班衔接时间超过4小时的登机手续。
Found a reference in China Eastern website. Again, the text is in Chinese, but it does say one can check-in at either airport (SHA or PVG) for flight departing from the other airport, at least 4 hours in advance and within the same day.
http://www.ce-air.com/mu/main/gydh/xwgg/201101/t20110114_23539.html
My advice, to ensure the OP's luggage gets to where it needs to be and isn't left orphaned somewhere: Check it to check it to SHA (which may be all they will do anyway), pick it up yourself, and then either use MU's shuttle to Pudong (if there is a convenient one you and your luggage can take), or just use public Airport-to-Airport shuttle bus. Then, assuming it is too early to check in for the PVG-CDG flight, stick it in Left Luggage, pick it up later at night before checking in. At least if the stuff doesn't show up in CDG, you'll know it made it as far as Shanghai and the traceback will be easier.
You convinced me to spend as much time in Shanghai as possible, without cutting my time in Yunnan short too much, so, twisting up my itinerary a bit, I ended up booking a ticket for the previous day:
Jinghong -> Kunming -> Shanghai
Arriving at 18:10 (if I remember correctly). Now, I just have to decide what to see / do during my time there!
By the way, I managed to get hold of China Eastern's customer service. They offer to book your luggage through only if your departure flight is from the same airport as your arrival flight. It would have worked if I had taken a flight from Chengdu, for example, as they land in PVG. SHA -> PVG, you still have to do it yourself. No early booking either...
They offer to book your luggage through only if your departure flight is from the same airport as your arrival flight. It would have worked if I had taken a flight from Chengdu, for example, as they land in PVG. SHA -> PVG, you still have to do it yourself. No early booking either...
I wonder if the customer service had explained EVERYTHING clearly to you?
The way I understand from China Eastern’s fancy announcement (Jan2011) is…
1. If you fly CTU-PVG-CDG, they can check you in to CDG (and tag your luggage), but, at PVG you will still need to collect luggage for custom exit formality.
2. If you fly KMG-SHA and PVG-CDG, you can check in at SHA for your PVG-CDG flight. The link in #24 has clearly shown photo of check-in counters in SHA for PVG departures.
在虹桥国际机场2号航站楼H岛设有办理东航当天浦东机场出发国际航班登机手续的值机柜台…
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15
Wow, thanks for all the info!So, spending (part of) the day in Shanghai seems to be what everyone agrees on. And a more secure option if the flight gets cancelled/delayed. Storing my luggage at the PVG airport would seem the most practical option then, regardless of where I'm landing (backtracking to Hongqiao in the evening would definitely stress me out).
I've tried to find a way to book my tickets with the flight from Kunming to PVG but I can't seem to find a website that allows this. I tried several bookers but nothing works. Somehow, the Kunming-PVG flight is only available as a 'single' ticket. As soon as I try booking my entire trip, it disappears...
Here is what I need:
Paris CDG -> Shangri-La DIG (also called Diqing or Gyalthang, depending on websites) via Guangzhou CAN (China southern flight 03/14, 11:15)
Kunming -> Shanghai (China eastern)
Shanghai PVG -> Paris CDG (China eastern 04/20, 23:55)
On edreams, with the flight to hongqiao, this costs 729€ (under $1000). Since on China eastern the flights to hongqiao and PVG cost exactly the same, I assume the whole trip should also be similarly priced... Govoyage only allows for same company flights, Opodo doesn't have the Shangri-La airport listed and expedia is the same as edreams but more expensive... Any other website I should try?
18
Ansileran, I've done a little looking via other options/bookings. Do this: forget about my previous advice about trying to get KMG-PVG. It's not websites, for some reason it's the KMG-PVG leg itself.Jump on that Euro 732 flight NOW, IMMEDIATELY. You won't do better and if you wait it may get worse. That's a great price for hitting all your spots and inclusion of Diqing. You won't do any better trying to book the international separate then add internal Chinese flights, not even from our usual ctrip, elong, and travelzen booking agents. Just fly KMG to Hongqiao. Use the 08:00 departure out of Kunming. So you have:
3/14 CDG-CAN on CZ348 + CAN-DIG on CZ3499.
4/20 KMG-SHA on MU5801 + PVG-CDG on MU553
Inbound, the connection time in CAN is enough to do immigration, bag claim, customs, and recheck for onward domestic flight but you can't dally. Outbound, use either of two strategies:
(a) Arrive Hongqiao, put stuff in Left Luggage there, then do your sightseeing around the city, return around 20:00, pick up luggage and take shuttle bus over to Pudong for check-in.
(b) Arrive Hongqiao, take shuttle bus to Pudong and use Left Luggage there, return to city for look around, return to Pudong around 21:30 for luggage retrieval and check-in.
If you want an extra hour or so of daytime sightseeing, pick (a). If you want the extra in the evening/sundown and the bright lights of Shanghai, take (b). I'd personally lean towards (b). Knowing my luggage is already at Pudong and after a long day, the annoying cross-town part was already done. I'd enjoy my dinner in the city more with option (b). :-))
19
Thanks Jiejie, I'll do it this way. Option b is much better for me because I tend to get nervous about missing departure, so I'll feel better if I only have to get back to Pudong. I'm trying to check with China eastern if they perhaps have a service for transfering luggage between the two airports. I have been unable to reach the customer service so far...Now, I only have to decide what to do in Shanghai ^^
20
op: Glad that you mentioned edreams, a good site for price comparison. I just checked on your itinerary, it is showing 832 now. Have they already jacked up the price? I would agree with jiejie to jump on your lower price asap, if it is still available?I took Bus#1 between Hongqiao and PVG quite a few times before, curb to curb (well, almost), not bad of an experience. It was running mostly on the elevated ring roads, so you get to see some Shanghai skyline, if the AQI is lower.
21
Ansileran wrote:
I'm trying to check with China eastern if they perhaps have a service for transfering luggage between the two airports.
I'm trying to check with China eastern if they perhaps have a service for transfering luggage between the two airports.
According to a news report, Eastern passengers can transfer luggage, as well as Hitching a free ride from SHA to PVG.
...在虹桥国际机场2号航站楼H岛设有办理东航当天浦东机场出发国际航班登机手续的值机柜台，为旅客办理当天虹桥、浦东两段航班衔接时间超过4小时的登机手续。
23
Right now it's showing as Euro 729. This is on edreams, French/Euro site selection, using the multi-destination option and putting CDG-DIG 3/14 in the first segment and KMG-CDG for 4/20 in the second segment. The itinerary as I posted above. Inbound via CAN on CZ and outbound via SHA and PVG on MU. This is a good deal. If you can get a free or even convenient, decent-priced transfer on China Eastern, that's an extra goodie.24
Making KMG-CDG in a segment is a very clever move!Found a reference in China Eastern website. Again, the text is in Chinese, but it does say one can check-in at either airport (SHA or PVG) for flight departing from the other airport, at least 4 hours in advance and within the same day.
http://www.ce-air.com/mu/main/gydh/xwgg/201101/t20110114_23539.html
26
@#25. Because if you're talking about checking in his luggage at KMG and not seeing it again until CDG, that's not normally how it works in China on a domestic + international routing. Usually they'll require pickup and recheck at the final point in China before Intl exit, which in this case is Shanghai. He'll have to deal with Exit Immigration and Customs at PVG. So unless something has recently changed in procedure, he'll almost certainly have to take custody of his luggage in PVG and deal with intl check-in there. How his luggage gets from SHA to PEK is a different issue.My advice, to ensure the OP's luggage gets to where it needs to be and isn't left orphaned somewhere: Check it to check it to SHA (which may be all they will do anyway), pick it up yourself, and then either use MU's shuttle to Pudong (if there is a convenient one you and your luggage can take), or just use public Airport-to-Airport shuttle bus. Then, assuming it is too early to check in for the PVG-CDG flight, stick it in Left Luggage, pick it up later at night before checking in. At least if the stuff doesn't show up in CDG, you'll know it made it as far as Shanghai and the traceback will be easier.
28
Thanks again to all of you for your help!You convinced me to spend as much time in Shanghai as possible, without cutting my time in Yunnan short too much, so, twisting up my itinerary a bit, I ended up booking a ticket for the previous day:
Jinghong -> Kunming -> Shanghai
Arriving at 18:10 (if I remember correctly). Now, I just have to decide what to see / do during my time there!
By the way, I managed to get hold of China Eastern's customer service. They offer to book your luggage through only if your departure flight is from the same airport as your arrival flight. It would have worked if I had taken a flight from Chengdu, for example, as they land in PVG. SHA -> PVG, you still have to do it yourself. No early booking either...
29
They offer to book your luggage through only if your departure flight is from the same airport as your arrival flight. It would have worked if I had taken a flight from Chengdu, for example, as they land in PVG. SHA -> PVG, you still have to do it yourself. No early booking either...
The way I understand from China Eastern’s fancy announcement (Jan2011) is…
1. If you fly CTU-PVG-CDG, they can check you in to CDG (and tag your luggage), but, at PVG you will still need to collect luggage for custom exit formality.
2. If you fly KMG-SHA and PVG-CDG, you can check in at SHA for your PVG-CDG flight. The link in #24 has clearly shown photo of check-in counters in SHA for PVG departures.
在虹桥国际机场2号航站楼H岛设有办理东航当天浦东机场出发国际航班登机手续的值机柜台…
