Metro Lines

Reaching almost every corner of the city, covering all the prosperous areas, the Metro is the fastest and most convenient way to move about in the downtown area. There are now eight lines and in December 2007 Shanghai's subway systems overtook Paris as the seventh longest network in the world.

For detailed information on the metro see: http://live.shanghaidaily.com/detail.asp?type=editor&id=46

Advantages and Disadvantages

The Shanghai metro, as with elsewhere in the world, is the quickest method to get around a congested metropolis. It's also much cheaper than taxis with maximum fares of 6 yuan per journey. Some special advantages of the Shanghai metro is that it's easy to understand for foreigners due to the simple graph format of its maps, and signs are in both Chinese and Pinyin. Another special advantage is that it's by far the best way to get across the Huangpu between Pudong and Puxi. Finally it connects both train stations in Shanghai and provides a link to the maglev which goes to Pudong airport.

However, the Metro has its disadvantages. It is extremely crowded in rush hours and Line 1 is crowded in whatever hours. Even the act of getting on and off the trains can be tiresome as people typically don't wait for passengers to disembark before getting on. Also be wary of thieves, both on the train and on the platform, especially when it is extremely crowded.

 

 

The lines

Line 1 stretches north to south meeting in the middle with lines 2 and 8 at  People's Square. As such it provides access to many important downtown areas such as People's Square, Xintiandi, Huaihai Road and Xujiahui. It also links Shanghai's two railway stations.

Line 2 goes East to West across Shanghai meeting with lines 1 and 8 at People's Square. This line provides access to some of the downtown areas line 1 miss including Nanjing Road West and East, and the Bund. Importantly is the metro line to Pudong airport though you will have to change at its easternmost station for the maglev to get to the airport. Line 2 also links Pudong's financial center Lujiazui and residential area jingqiao with the Puxi city center areas as well as traversing busy Western suburbs of Zhongshan Park.

Lines 4 is a circular lines covering both Pudong and Puxi and part of its course is also followed by line 3.

Line 5 covers Xinzhuang to Minhang Development District.

Lines 6, 9 and 8 opened late in 2007. Line 6 is entirely in Pudong going North to South it provides those areas with links to line 2 and 4. Line 8 links some older parts of Shanghai such as Laoximen to the city center as well as covering more parts of the northeast. Line 9 connects the southwestern Songjiang District to Pudong New Area, though a large part of this is still under construction.

Interchanges and transfer stations

There are stations where several Metro lines meet. An interchange station is a station where you can change for other lines without meeting a ticket barrier. A transfer station, however, is one where you have to leave the first line through a ticket barrier and then be charged for another line.

Future Constructions

By 2010 the city plans to have a subway of 11 lines in time for the Expo. Line 7, 10 and 11 is currently under construction.

First and Last Trains

The Shanghai metro closes relatively early by Western standards. Last trains depend on the line, but the latest is around 10.30pm with some lines closing at 8pm. Click the following to download a complete list of the first and last trains for each of the lines and train intervals.