System
The Shanghai metro is one of the youngest in the world and among the most rapidly expanding. After the first line opened only in 1995 as a north-south axis from the Central Station to the southern suburbs, by the end of 2007 the network had reached a total length of 227 km, with 161 stations and 8 lines!
Lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 8 and 9 are operated by Shanghai Metro Operation Co. Ltd., and lines 5 and 6 by Shanghai Modern Rail Transit Co. Ltd. (SMRT). All lines have 1435 mm standard gauge, with 1500 V dc being supplied via an overhead catenary. Standard platforms are 150-190 m long.
Line 1 Fu Jing Road - Xin Zhuang
38.1 km, 28 stations
Line 1 - every 3-3.5 minutes during rush hours
10 April 1995: Shanghai Railway Station - Jin Jiang Park (16.1 km, 13 stations)
xx xx 1996: Jin Jiang Park - Xin Zhuang (5.3 km, 3 stations)
28 Dec 2004: Shanghai Railway Station - Gong Fu Xin Cun (12.4 km, 9 stations)
29 Dec 2007: Gong Fu Xin Cun - Fu Jing Road (4.3 km elevated - 3 stations)
Subway Line 1, the first subway in Shanghai, is the north-south trunk line in the city's transportation network. Starting from Gongfu Xincun Subway Station (6:00 - 22:30) in the northern Baoshan District, the line runs southwards, passing Shanghai Railway Station, People's Square, Hengshan Road, Huaihai Road, and Xujiahui, and finally getting to Shenzhuang Station (5:30 - 22:20) in the southern Minhang District. The present line with a length of 33 kilometers (about 20.5 miles) will be extended north to Chongming in the future. People's Square Station and Shenzhuang Station are the main transfer stations.
Additional useful Line One stops are:
* Shanghai Stadium - venue for sports and concerts and the location of the Shanghai Tour Bus Center
* XuJiaHui - another major shopping area with large computer product markets and near Shanghai JiaTong University
* HengShan Lu - a major nightspot and restaurant area
* HuangPi Nan Lu - access to XinTianDi tourist and restaurant area
* Peoples Square - City Center, Nanjing Road shopping and the Shanghai Museum
* Shanghai Railway Station - Main rail station in Shanghai
Line 2 Song Hong Road - Zhang Jiang
26.0 km, 17 stations
Line 2 - every 3.2-3.5 minutes during rush hours
28 Oct 1999 - Zhong Shan Park - Long Yang Rd (16.4 km - 12 stations) (regular service since 13 June 2000)
26 Dec 2000 - Long Yang Rd - Zhang Jiang (2.8 km, 0.8km underground)
30 Dec 2006 - Zhong Shan Park - Song Hong Road (6.8 km)
Subway Line 2 is a west-east line linking the west Changning District and the east Pudong New District. Line 2 runs between the west Songhong Rd. Station (5:42 - 22:53) and the east Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park Station (6:28 - 22:30), passing the People's Square in the city center, the bustling East Nanjing Road, the Bund, Huangpu River, and Lujiazui Financial and Trade Zone. This line will soon be extended west to Hongqiao International Airport.
At Longyang Rd. Station near the east end of Subway Line 2, the fast Shanghai Maglev Train (SMT) can take you to Pudong International Airport within eight minutes. The train operates every day from 7:00 to 21:00 at an interval of 15 minutes. It costs CNY 50 one-way (economic) and CNY 100 for VIP, CNY 80 round-trip (economic) and CNY 160 for VIP.
Line Two runs directionally East-West and crosses Line one at Peoples Square where transfers can be made. Line two crosses the HuangPu River which separates the older western part of Shanghai, PuXi from the new Eastern development zone of PuDong.
Line Two stops of interest include:
* JingAn Temple - tourist area and shopping
* HeNan Zhong Lu - access to East Nanjing Lu for shopping and to the western side of the Shanghai Bund tourist area along the HuangPu River
* LuJiaZui - Shanghai Bund east bank and Shanghai Pearl TV tower
* Shanghai Science and Technology Museum
Line 2 will link the city's two airports. The opening of the western extension to Hongqiao Airport has been delayed time and again. The eastern extension to Pudong International Airport will provide an alternative to the present Maglev service.
Line 3 North Jiang Yang Road - Shanghai South Railway Station
40.3 km, 29 stations (11.9 km and 9 stations shared with Line 4)
Line 3 - every 4.5-5 minutes during rush hours
26 Dec 2000 - Shanghai South Railway Station - Jiang Wan Town (trial operation: 24.6 km, mostly elevated)
18 Dec 2006 - Jiang Wan Town - North Jiang Yang Road (15.7 km)
The third line, initially referred to as the 'Pearl Line', was developed out of a former ring railway, mainly elevated, to run from Baoshan Steel Complex in the north via Shanghai Railway Station to Cao Xi Rd. in the south. After several months of trial operation, full service started in Aug 2001.
Subway Line 3 was formerly known as the Pearl Line (Mingzhu Line). Now it is a north-south line from North Jiangyang Rd. Station (5:30 - 21:40) in the northern Baoshan District to Shanghai South Railway Station (5:55 - 21:24) in Xuhui District, passing Jiangwan Town, Hongkou Football Stadium, and Shanghai Railway Station. Line 3 will be extended to Baosteel Group in the near future.
Line Three is really not a subway at all but an overhead light rail train. It crosses Line One at Shanghai South Railway Station, Shanghai Stadium and again at Shanghai Main Railway Station. Line three connects with Line Two at its western most terminal, ZhongShan Park.
Line Three does not offer much of interest to the short time traveler to Shanghai
Line 4 Circle Line (Shanghai Railway Station - Shi Ji Ave - South Xi Zang Rd - Yi Shan Rd)
34.2 km, 26 stations (11.9 km and 9 stations shared with Line 3)
Line 4 - every 10-12 minutes during rush hours
31 Dec 2005: Bao Shan Road - Lan Cun Road and Da Mu Qiao Road - Yi Shan Road
29 Dec 2007: Lan Cun Road - Da Mu Qiao Road
The second phase of the original 'Pearl Line' (Line 4) runs through Pudong along Oriental Road. This line forms a circle with the existing Pearl Line, linking Bao Shan Road station and Yi Shan Road station via Pudong on the east bank of the Huangpu River. The 22.3 km mainly underground line (1.25 km elevated) was scheduled for completion by the end of 2004 (17 stations), but was delayed due to the collapse of a building suffered on the eastern cross-river section. The first stretches opened in Dec. 2005, with the full circle being completed at the end of 2007.
Subway Line 4 is designed as a ring line in the city's subway network. At present, it is a C-shaped line from Damuqiao Rd. Station (5:33 - 21:03) in Puxi Area to Lancun Rd. Station (5:55 - 21:40) in Pudong New District, including a section of line sharing with Subway Line 3. The remaining part of the ring is under construction and will be completed in 2007.
Line 5 Xin Zhuang - Min Hang Development Zone
17.2 km, 11 stations
Line 5 - every 5-5.5 minutes during rush hours
25 Nov 2003: Xin Zhuang - Min Hang Development Zone (all elevated)
The present Line 5 was designed as a southern extension of Line 1 (XinMin Line) to Minhang, but is was eventually opened as a separate line . For this line Siemens TS supplied the VICOS operation control system, the SICAS electronic interlocking and the ZUB 200 intermittent automatic train control (ATC) system. Trains were built by Alstom (Metropolis). As this line runs completely elevated it is also referred to as 'Light Railway' in Chinese terminology. Platforms are only 80 m long
Subway Line 5, the first light rail line in China, has been in operation since 2003. It begains from Shenzhuang Station (6:00 - 22:20), the end point of Subway Line 1, and runs southwards to Tianxing Rd. Station in Minhang Development Zone (6:00 - 22:00).
Line 6 Gang Cheng Road - South Ling Yan Road
31.5 km, 27 stations (12.1 km above ground)
29 Dec 2007: Gang Cheng Road - South Ling Yan Road
Like Line 5, also referred to as 'Light Railway' with 80 m long platforms, and operated by Shanghai Modern Rail Transit Co. Ltd. (SMRT). It runs parallel to the Huang Pu River on the Pudong side, from Wai Gao Qiao in the north to San Lin City in the south.
Line 8 Shi Guang Road - Yao Hua Road
22.6 km, 20 stations (all underground)
29 Dec 2007: Shi Guang Road - Yao Hua Road
The 'Yangpu Line' runs from New Jiangwan City in the north to Zhongshan South Rd via People's Square.
Line 9 Gui Lin Road - Song Jiang Xin Cheng
29.1 km, 12 stations (approx. 16 km above ground)
29 Dec 2007: Gui Lin Road - Song Jiang Xin Cheng
Metro Line 9 (Shensong Line) was conceived as a regional express line (R4), to run from Xu Jia Hui on Line 1 towards the southwest to Song Jiang New City, but it has eventually been developed as a full metro line across the city centre. When it opened in Dec 2007, it was not yet connected to any other metro line.
FARES
3-8 Yuan for a single ride depending on distance, payable with smartcards available from 10 Yuan to 1000 Yuan (including 20 Yuan deposit) smartcards allows transfer to buses,taxis,metro:
- 3 yuan (0-10 km)
- 1 yuan per 10 km for more than 10 km trips
Projects
After the big extensions opened in Dec 2007, the next goal is the World Expo being held in Shanghai in 2010 (view map):
1) Line 2 will link the city's two airports. The opening of the western extension to Hongqiao Airport has been delayed time and again. The eastern extension to Pudong International Airport will provide an alternative to the present Maglev service.
2) Line 7 will run from Qi Lian Shan Rd in the northwest to Dong An Rd station on Line 4 (20 km - 15 stations). Construction started in 2002 for completion in 2007/08. Later it will be extended north to Shanghai University and towards the southeast under the Huangpu River to Pudong to the planned East Shanghai Railway station.
3) Line 8 will continue further south along Shangnan Rd to Sanlin Town.
4) Line 9 (Shensong Line) is being extended through the city centre to a terminus in Pudong.
5) Line 10 is a new east-west metro line through the city centre with two branches at its western end.
6) Line 11 will eventually be a long cross-city line running from the northwestern to the southeastern suburbs. The northwestern and central sections are scheduled to be completed by 2011/12.
7) Line 13 - the first four stations of this cross-city line will be opened in 2010 to serve the EXPO 2010 area.
More lines are in the pipeline, with the numbering of planned routes having meanwhile reached 18!
From Monday to Friday, the intervals between subway trains usually are 3 - 5 minutes in the morning rush hour between 7:00 and 9:30, and 4 - 6 minutes in the evening rush hour between 16:30 and 19:30. During other periods of time or on weekends, the intervals will be slightly longer.
Future Shanghai Subway
By the end of the year 2007, Shanghai will have eight subway lines, totaling over 230 kilometers (about 143 miles). The ring line, Subway Line 4, and Line 6, Line 8 (Part 1), and Line 9 (Part 1) will be completed. Subway Line 6 in Pudong New District will operate between the north Gangcheng Rd. Station and the south Jiyang Rd. Station. It will be a great benefit to the residents in Pudong. Subway Line 8 (Part 1) will be an important north-south line from Shiguang Rd. Station in northern Yangpu District to Yaohua Rd. Station in Pudong New District, passing seven districts of Shanghai. Additionally Line 8 will be extended south to Pujiang Town in the future. Subway Line 9 (Part 1) will run from Songjiang Xincheng Station in the southwest Songjiang District to Guilin Rd. Station in Xuhui District near the city center.
In 2009, Subway Line 7, running between Jinqiu Rd. Station in the northwest Baoshan District and Fangdian Rd. Station in the southeast Pudong New District, will be in operation. At that time, the line will be very helpful for passengers traveling to the venue of the 2010 World Expo, which is near the Fadian Rd. Station in Pudong.
In 2010, Line 9 will be extended northeast to Middle Yanggao Rd. Station in Pudong. Subway Line 10 will be in operation. It will run from New Jiangwan City Station in the northeast Yangpu District to Hongqiao Airport in the west of Shanghai, passing Huaihai Road, Nanjing Road, Sichuan Road, Laoximen Area, and Yuyuan Garden in the city center, so it will be easy for passengers to make transfers to other subway trains or buses. Subway Line 11 (Part 1), the north part of the whole line, will be completed before the World Expo. It will run between Jiading North Station in the northwest Jiading District and Jiangsu Rd. Station in Changning District. Later on, it will be extended southeast to Sanlin in Pudong.
In that way, Shanghai will have 11 subway lines in 2010, totaling about 400 kilometers (about 250 miles) and making up over 35% of the city's mass transit. The subway transportation network, especially Line 7 and Line 8, will facilitate the World Expo.
Download Shanghai Metro Map
