Shanghai Metro – Shanghai, China

The Shanghai Metro is an urban rapid transit system that serves the city of Shanghai with an average daily ridership of 2.18 million in 2007. The system incorporates both subways and elevated light railways. As new metro lines are opened, passenger volumes are expected to rise significantly.

A daily ridership record of 3.82 million passengers was set on April 30, 2008. Shanghai is the third city in the People’s Republic of China to build a subway system after Beijing and Tianjin, and its metro system has the most lines in operation in Mainland China. The network of the system has outpaced Hong Kong MTR as of December 2007.

One of the world’s newest, most rapidly expanding subway systems, the Shanghai Metro currently operates eight lines, and has more new lines under construction, along with proposed extensions to the lines currently in operation.

Three new lines – Line 6, 8 and 9 – opened in late 2007, along with the final four stations needed to complete the entire portion of Line 4 as well as the northern extension of Line. These new and extended lines opened at the same time on December 29, 2007 with a ceremony at the newly-built interchange hall of People’s Square.

Ticket System

Like many metro systems in the world, the fares on the Shanghai Subway are distance based. As of September 15, 2005, when the Shanghai government raised them, fares ranged from 3 yuan (approx USD $0.375) for journeys under 6 km, to 8 yuan for journeys over 46 km.

As of December 25, 2005, Shanghai uses a “one ticket network”, which means free interchange between all lines without purchase of another ticket. However, as of May 2007, you will still need two tickets to interchange between lines 1 and 3 in Shanghai Railway Station.

Fares

• For most lines, the base fare is 3 yuan for journeys under 6 km, then 1 yuan for each additional 10 km. As of April, 2008, the highest fare is 9 yuan.
• For journeys exclusively on Line 5 (From Xinzhuang To Minhang Development Zone), the fare is 2 yuan for journeys under 6 km and all other journeys are 3 yuan (though the total length of this line is a bit longer than 16 km).
• Users of the Shanghai Public Transportation Card get a 10% discount for the rest of the calendar month after paying 70 yuan in a month.
• Users of the Shanghai Public Transportation Card as part of the “Air-conditioned Bus Transfer Discount” get a 1 yuan discount when transferring to the metro within 90 minutes. (The 10% monthly discount may be applied after the transfer discount”
• Seniors over 70 years old can take the metro for free (except during rush hours, 7-9am and 5-7pm on weekdays).

Single tickets

Single journey tickets can be purchased from ticket vending machines or at a ticket window. The new stations on Line 4 and Line 2 West extension part only use ticket vending machines.

Transit Card

Apart from the single ticket, payment for the journey can be made by buying a Shanghai Public Transportation Card. This contactless card can be bought for a refundable fee of 30(20 after Nov,2007) yuan at convenience stores and metro stations. There are also special edition cards for a non-refundable 20 yuan. Only some stations can refund the card fee (Jiangsu Road on Line 2 for example). This card can be recharged at ticket booths situated at the metro stations as well as many small convenience shops throughout the city. The Shanghai Public Transportation Card can also be used to pay for other forms of transportation, such as taxi or bus. This transit card is similar to the Chicago card of the CTA, the SmarTrip of the Washington Metro, and the Octopus card of Hong Kong’s MTR.

Stations of Note

• The busiest station in the Shanghai metro system is People’s Square station (Line 1, Line 2, Line 8). As the interchange station for the north-south Line 1 and the east-west Line 2, it is extremely crowded during peak hours. It remains busy during the rest of the day, as it is located near major shopping and tourist destinations such as Nanjing Road (E.) Pedestrian Street as well as the Shanghai Museum, People’s Park, the Shanghai Grand Theatre and Yan’an Park on People’s Square.
• Xujiahui station (Line 1) is located in the major Xujiahui commercial center of Shanghai. Six large shopping malls and eight large office towers are each within a three-minute walk of one of the station’s fourteen exits, the largest number of exits of any Shanghai Subway station.
• Lujiazui station (Line 2) is the major stop in Pudong area. It is situated in the heart of Lujiazui financial district, the developing financial center of Shanghai. The city’s new symbol, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, is within walking distance of the station, as is the Jin Mao Tower, the tallest building in mainland China. Compared to Xujiahui and People’s Square, Lujiazui is not particularly busy during off-peak hours or at weekends as it is used primarily by those who commute to the district for work.
• Shanghai Railway Station (Line 1, Line 3 and Line 4) is a major transportation hub in Shanghai, containing the railway station, two subway lines and the stop for many city bus lines as well as interprovincial buses. These bus lines will soon be housed in a brand new bus station currently under construction behind the train station. The Station of Line 1 is at south square, while the station of Line 3 and Line 4 is in the north square. These two stations are separated, so this is not an interchange station between Line 1 and Line 3, Line 4, but only a same-stop interchange station of Line 3 and Line 4.
• Zhongshan Park Station (Line 2, Line 3 and Line 4) is no longer the western terminus of Line 2, but remains a heavily trafficked station.
• Shiji Avenue Station (Line 2 and Line 4): The largest interchange station.

Technology

In contrast to many other metro systems in the world, the Shanghai metro uses overhead wires for the power supply, probably due to its use of a 1500 volt DC system which is twice the voltage generally used for third rails. Standard gauge is used throughout the network, allowing new metro equipment to be transported over the Chinese rail network which uses the same gauge.

Plasma screens on the platforms show passengers when the next two trains are coming (usually one every five minutes or less), along with advertisements and public service announcements. The subway cars contain LCD screens showing advertisements and on some lines, the next stop, while above-ground trains have LED screens showing the next stop. There are recorded messages stating the next stop in Mandarin and English, but the messages stating nearby attractions/shops for a given stop (a form of paid advertising) are in Mandarin only (this is being phased out).

Accessibility facilities for the disabled are available at all stations. Sliding acrylic glass safety doors exist on platforms on the newest Line 4 as well as Line 6, 8, and 9. These open as the train approaches and remain closed at other times. These screens are also being retrofitted on existing lines, starting with Line 1 whose core stations had doors by the end of 2006.

Cars used by the Metro system:

• 60 Bombardier Movia 456 6 car sets – Line 1 and 5
• 37 German Shanghai Metro Group (GSMG) 6 cars units – Line 1 and 2
• 28 Alstom Megapolis six-car sets – Line 3
• 168 Alstom Metropolis (six car sets)
• 152 Alstom Metropolis (six car sets)

The first two numbers of each car represent the last two digits of the year that it was built (for example, car 00071 was built in 2000 and car 060201 was built in 2006).

Future Expansion

The Shanghai Metro system is the one of the fastest growing metro systems in the world. Many lines are under construction or planned to be constructed in the near future. After the completion of these lines, a uniform numbering system will be put in place. The length of the metro network will reach over 500 km in length in 2010.

Lines Under Construction and In Planning

• Line 1 – Final phase from Fujin Road to Chongming Island.
• Line 2 – West extension from Songhong Road to Hongqiao East, and Xujing. This extension is expected to be in operation by 2010. When Line 2 is fully complete in 2010, it will connect Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport with Pudong International Airport.
• Line 2 – East extension from Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park to Pudong International Airport via Chuansha, which could be the future site for a Disneyland in Shanghai. This extension is expected to be in operation by 2010.
• Line 2 – West extension from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport to Qingpu District. Planned to be open in 2015.
• Line 5 – South extension, as a branch line, from Dongchuan Road to Fengxian District.
• Line 5 – South extension, 2nd phase from Fengxian District to Jinshan District.
• Line 7, 35 km long, will run from Chentai Lu to Longyang Lu and cross the Expo 2010 zone. Projected to open in 2009.
• Line 7,North extension to Luodian. No timetable is given.
• Line 8 – Southern extension from Yaohua Road to Chengshan Road will open in 2008. A further extension to Aircraft Park and the Pujiang Expo Zone will open in 2010.
• Line 9, In 2008 the line will be extended from Guilin Road to Yishan Road. In 2009, the 2nd phase will reach Yanggao Road in Pudong. The 3rd phase will extend to Dongjing Rd near A20 Road and the 4th phase will extend to Chongming Island.
• Line 10, 36 km long, 30 station[2] line with two branches. Line A called “Main Line”, From Hong Qiao Railway Station, located to the west of Hong Qiao Airport to New Jiangwan City, and Line B called “Branch Line”, From Hangzhong Lu to New Jiangwan City. The two lines will join at Longxi Lu. A 2nd phase will run from New Jiangwan City to Gangchen Lu, and interchange with Line 6. The first phase (Hongqiao/Hangzhong Lu to New Jiangwan City) will be open in 2009.
• Line 10 – East north extension from New Jiangwan City to Waigaoqiao.
• Line 11 – 120 km long, with an A line and a B line. The A line is called “Main Line”, from Jiading New City to Sanlin, then to Lingang New City in Nanhui near East Sea Bridge. Line B is called “Branch Line”, from Anting Automobile City and Shanghai International Circuit to the northwest of A line and then will join Line A at Jia Ding New City Station. The line north of Jiangsu Road will open in 2009. Line 11 will provide access to Shanghai West Railway Station.
• Line 12 – 33.6 km long, From Hongmei Lu to Jinhai Lu with a west extension to Gudai Lu Zhongchun Lu and an east extension to Caolu. The section from Hongmei Lu to Jinghai Lu is planned to open in 2012.
• Line 13 – 29.8 km long, from Fengzhuang in Jiading to Huaxia Xi Lu in Pudong. First phase construction in Shanghai Expo area and the Huangpu River tunnel has started and is planned to open in 2010 to serve the Shanghai World Expo, as an “Expo Shuttle” with 5 km and 3 stations from Lupu Bridge to Changqing Road on Line 7. The rest of the line is planned to open in 2012.
• Line 14 – Planned name is M6, from West 2nd Avenue in Outer Ring Road to Jin Qiao.
• Line 15 – Planned name is L1, from West Shanghai Railway Station to South 2nd Avenue of Outer Ring Road.
• Line 16 – Planned name is L2, from Qilianshan Road to Hongkou Park.
• Line 17 – Planned name is L3, from West Shanghai Railway Station to Jungong Road
• Line 18 – Planned name is L5, from West Changjiang Road to Middle Huaxia Road

Planned unified numbering system

Due to the inconsistency in naming of early lines, plans are underway to rename all lines in a unified system:

• Line 1 – Former name Metro Line 1, Planned name R1.
• Line 2 – Former name Metro Line 2, Planned name R2.
• Line 3 – Former name Pearl Line, Planned name M3, commonly known as “Light Rail” because it is the first elevated railway.
• Line 4 – Former name Pearl Line Phase 2, Planned name M4.
• Line 5 – Former name Xin Min Line, Planned as part of R1. First surface light rail.
• Line 6 – Former name Pudong Light Rail, Planned name L4.
• Line 7 – Planned name M7.
• Line 8 – Former name Yangpu Line, Planned name M8.
• Line 9 – Former name Shengsong Line, Planned name R4.
• Line 10 – Planned name M1.
• Line 11 – Planned name R3.
• Line 12 – Planned name M2.
• Line 13 – Planned name M5.
• Line 14 – Planned name M6.
• Line 15 – Planned name L1.
• Line 16 – Planned name L2.
• Line 17 – Planned name L3.
• Line 18 – Planned name L5.

1. R line means it is a subway line that connects the CBD to a suburb.
2. M line means it is a subway line that runs within the CBD only.
3. L line means it is a surface light railway line.

Criticism

The subway during rush hours is extremely crowded. To deal with congestion and passenger safety, platform screen doors are being fitted to platforms.

Some transfers are inconvenient. For example, stations that share the same name on different lines are often hundreds of meters apart. Transferring between different lines frequently requires walking through numerous tunnels.

In many stations, the retail section would appear to dominate the station concourse. The Xujiahui station houses dozens of stores, mostly selling women’s and girls’ clothing and shoes. The result can be disorientating for casual visitors attempting to access the platforms. The only other stations with such a shopping selection are Shanghai Railway station (in the transfer corridor) and the Milan Plaza arcade in Zhongshan Park station.

The Metro operators have responded to some criticism. For example, in the People’s Square station, the transfer corridor between two lines has been stripped of retail space and shortened to deal with congestion and reduce the hassle of commuters.

Other Information

• Name: Shanghai Metro
• Locale: Shanghai, China
• Transit type: Rapid transit
• Began operation: 1995
• System length: 228.4 km (141.9 mi)
• No. of lines: 8
• No. of stations: 162
• Daily ridership: 2.18 million (2007)
• Track gauge: 1,435 mm (4 ft 8½ in)
• Owner: Shanghai Shentong Metro Group
• Operator: Shanghai Metro Operation Co, Ltd, Shanghai Modern Rail Transit Co, Ltd.

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