The seismic performance of shallow tunnels could be influenced by surcharge loads. The objective of this study is to evaluate the seismic fragility of shallow shield tunnels subjected to varying surcharge loads. In order to achieve this, this paper establishes numerical models of shallow tunnels which take into account different surcharge loads and seismic motions. Based on the models, a correlation between the damage measure and the seismic intensity measure is established. Finally, the seismic fragility curves of the shallow tunnel in consideration of surcharge loads are established, and the evolution law of the seismic performance under different surcharge loads and seismic intensities is revealed. The results demonstrate that bending moments and deformations of the tunnel rise significantly with increasing surcharge loads. As for seismic fragility, the probability of the occurrence of severe damage states increases at a faster rate with the increase of surcharge loads than mild damage states. The conclusions provide a reference for seismic performance assessment and fragility analysis of shallow tunnels.