Where can I leave my luggage for the day?
Short answer
Lockers sit in most subway stations and bus terminals. The newer ones take a card; the older ones only take cash.
They are in the stations, not just the airport
Public lockers are at most subway stations and bus terminals, which changes what you can do with a day. A bag does not have to go back to the hotel between checking out and a late flight — it can sit at whichever station you happen to be near.
Sizes come in small and medium, so this works for a cabin bag or a rucksack rather than a full suitcase set.
Card or cash, depending on the machine's age
Newer lockers take a credit card or a transit card. Older ones take coins and notes only, and there is no way to tell which you are facing until you are standing at it.
The practical answer is to keep a transit card topped up and a few notes on you. Between the two you can open either generation of locker.
How the time is counted
Pricing is built around a first block of four hours, with the rate stepping up beyond that. It is a left-luggage service rather than a place to store something overnight cheaply.
Because the lockers are unattended, the fee is the whole transaction — there is no counter, no form and nobody to explain your bag to.
Good to know
- Older lockers take cash only — carry a few notes
- Small and medium sizes only; a large suitcase may not fit
Two separate systems: coin lockers you work yourself, and staffed counters that will hold a bag for up to two weeks.
Metro station lockers. Shanghai runs them at 32 stations, sized by suitcase inches and charged by the hour with a daily cap.