Shanghai’s Hongqiao Airport opened a second terminal on 16 March, two months ahead of the 2010 Expo.

The five-year expansion project, which includes a new 3,300 metre-long runway in addition to the terminal, will boost Hongqiao’s annual handling capacity by an estimated 40m passengers and 1m tons of cargo by 2015.

Until now, Terminal 1 has struggled to cope with increased passenger demand. Designed to handle 9.6m passengers a year, it processed more than 25m in 2009.

Terminal 2 is four times larger than the original terminal, and it will serve 11 domestic carriers and handle three-quarters of Hongqiao’s passenger traffic. Terminal 1 will offer both domestic and international services, including flights to Japan and South Korea. Pudong, on the other side of Shanghai, remains the city’s main international airport.

The new terminal is linked to downtown by Metro Lines 2 and 10. From People’s Square station in central Shanghai, the airport can be reached in about 40 minutes. Free bus services of 15-20 minutes duration operate between Hongqiao’s two terminal buildings.