Chongqing Metro

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Chongqing Metro

Location	Chongqing, China
Type	straddle-beam
Builder	Hitachi, Ltd. and the Changchun Car Company
Length	19.15 kilometres
Inauguration	2005
Lines	1
Stations	18

Dongwuyuan station, line 2

The Chongqing Metro currently only has one operating line: Line 2. It is the first metro system in western China, and China's first monorail system. It runs through four administrative districts (Yuzhong, Jiulongpo, Dadukou, Ba'nan (future plan)). The metro serves transportation in the city's main business and public districts. The track length is 19.15 km.

It is a unique metro system. Due to Chongqing's surrounding geography as a hilly city, this metro system is for the most part elevated above streets, although a 2.2 km section is underground, including 3 of its 18 stations. The system also employs vehicles with strong climbing capabilities. It can transport 30,000 passengers per hour in single direction.

1 History
2 Future
3 Stations
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] History

Construction began in 1999, and it was officially opened to service in June 2005 between Jiaochangkou and Dongwuyuan. The portion between Dongwuyuan and Xinshancun opened in July 2006.

[edit] Future

Line 2 is currently being expanded another 6.2 km to Fengshouba. When completed, the line will include 2.2 km of underground right-of-way.

Line 1 will run 16.41 km from Chaotianmen west to Shapingba, and eventually all the way to Shangbei for a total length of 22.41 km. The line will be predominately underground, with 10 subway stations and only 3 above-ground stations. Initial passenger capacity will be 19,000 passengers/hour, while long-term plans call for a capacity of 36,000 passengers/hour. In 1992, the Chongqing government signed a Build-Operate-Transfer in 1992 with a Hong Kong company, and provided the land for the project, but work ceased in 1997 due to legal issues.

Line 3 will have a North-South orientation, linking the districts separated by Chongqing's two rivers. The 14-station line will be 16.6 km long, with 10.2 km underground.

Lines 4 and 5 will not begin construction until after 2010.