Shenzhen Metro

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**Shenzhen Metro (SZM)**
Locale	Shenzhen
Transit type	Rapid transit
Began operation	December 28, 2004
System length	21.866 km
No. of lines	2
No. of stations	19
Daily ridership	unknown (July 2006)
Track gauge	1435 mm Standard Gauge
Operator	Shenzhen Metro Company (SZMC)

The Shenzhen Metro (SZM, Chinese: 深圳地铁) is the underground railway in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. It is owned by the Shenzhen Metro Company (SZMC).

After the opening of the Shenzhen Metro, Shenzhen has become the 5th city with an underground railway system in mainland China (after Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and Guangzhou).

1 The Shenzhen Metro network
- 1.1 Number 1 Line stations
- 1.2 Number 4 Line stations
2 History of the SZM
3 Shenzhen Metro Corporation Limited (SZMC)
4 Station facilities, amenities and services
5 Fares and tickets
- 5.1 Shenzhen Metro TransCards
- 5.2 Cash fares
6 SZM rolling stock
7 See also
8 External links

[edit] The Shenzhen Metro network

Chinese Language SZM network Map

[edit] Number 1 Line stations

Upper Level of Hua Qiang Lu Station

Platform of Guo Mao Station

Trains operate at 5 minute frequency during peak hours and 6 to 11 minute frequencies at other times. An electronic signboard system displays estimated train arrival times. Currently, there are 15 stations opened on this line:

Luo Hu (Lo Wu, 罗湖)
Guo Mao (国贸, International Trade Centre)
Lao Jie (老街, literally old street)
Da Ju Yuan (大剧院, Grand Theatre)
Ke Xue Guan (科学馆, Science Museum)
Hua Qiang Lu (华强路, Huaqiang Road)
Gang Xia (岗厦)
Hui Zhan Zhong Xin (会展中心, Exhibition Centre) [Interchange station for line number 4]
Gou Wu Gong Yuan (购物公园, Shopping Park)
Xiang Mi Hu (香蜜湖, Honey Lake)
Che Gong Miao (车公庙, Che Gong Temple)
Zhu Zi Lin (竹子林, Bamboo Forest)
Qiao Cheng Dong (侨城东, East of Overseas Chinese Town)
Hua Qiao Cheng (华侨城, Overseas Chinese Town)
Shi Jie Zhi Chuang (Window of the World, 世界之窗)

[edit] Number 4 Line stations

Trains operate at 17 minute frequencies at all times. There is no electronic signboard system which displays estimated train arrival times. In the first stage of construction, there are 4 operational stations on this line:

Huang Gang (皇岗) [nearing completion, due to open in 2007]
Fu Min (福民)
Hui Zhan Zhong Xin (会展中心) [Interchange station for line number 1]
Shi Min Zhong Xin (市民中心 Civic Centre)
Shao Nian Gong (少年宫 Youth Palace)

[edit] History of the SZM

[edit] Grand opening

The grand opening of the Shenzhen Metro system occurred at 5:00pm on Tuesday, December 28, 2004. The trial run was just in time for celebrations of the Chinese New Year. Initially the trains operated at 15 minute frequencies and consisted of the Number 1 and Number 4 rail lines.

[edit] Number 4 Initial Line extension

The second phase of line number 4 will be built by MTR Corporation Limited. The whole line will be operated by MTR on a BOT basis. MTR, in which Hong Kong's government owns a controlling stake, has also signed memorandums of understanding to invest in Line 2 and Line 3, which will cost more than 10 billion renminbi. Line 4 will be extended to Longhua, and will connect with Shenzhen's new long distance railway station.

[edit] Line 1 Airport extension

Line One is presently being extended from Shijie Zhi Chuang to Shenzhen Airport. An experimental section extending to Shenda Bei from Shijie Zhi Chuang is scheduled to open at the end of 2008. At the end of 2009 it is expected to open as far as Xixiang Zhongxin and then it will be completed to the airport at the end of 2010.

[edit] Line 2

Construction of Line 2 Phase 1 has commenced. It will run from Shijie Zhi Chuang, where it will connect with Line 1 to Shekou Keyun Gang (Shekou Ferry Terminal). Phase 2 will run from Shijie Zhi Chuang north of Line 1 and will connect with Line 4 at Shimin Zhongxin and with Line 1 again at Huaqiang Lu. According to urbanrail.net, it is due to open in 2010, although it is not clear whether this refers to Phase 1 or the whole line.

[edit] Line 3

Construction of Line 3 has commenced. It will connect with Line 1 at Guo Mao and Gouwu Gongyuan and run out to Longgang in the north-east of the city.

[edit] Current status and schedule

Both the Shenzhen Metro in Shenzhen and the KCR East Rail in Hong Kong make connections to Luo hu (written as Lo Wu in Hong Kong, based on Cantonese), the border-crossing area between the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. A station situated at another Shenzhen-Hong Kong border-crossing area, called Huanggang, will be open in the near future, connecting KCR East Rail's Lok Ma Chau Station. Another extension is via a very long suspension bridge (currently under construction) to connect Hong Kong, Macau and Shenzhen. Shenzhen Metro also connects to the Window of the World (世界之窗), a popular tourist spot in Shenzhen, which is the final stop westbound stop.

[edit] Shenzhen Metro Corporation Limited (SZMC)

[edit] Station facilities, amenities and services

Stations have toilets (free of charge), and public telephones (although at some stations, these have not yet been connected). SZMC also operates luggage storage facilities in the concourse above Luo Hu Station.

[edit] Fares and tickets

Fare is payable in two methods: a Shenzhen Metro TransCard or by cash fare.

[edit] Shenzhen Metro TransCards

The SZMC charge cards are very similar to the Octopus card system used on the MTR and KCR rail lines in Hong Kong. The TransCard bills fare according to distance, so shorter trips are at a lower cost than maximum fare. Those using the card more than forty times in one month and eligible for a 'frequent-user' discount. The TransCards are the most cost effective way to use the system and are simple to use: the card is waved in front of a card reader that are located at all entrances and exits to the subway system. However, unlike Hong Kong Octopus CArds, Shenzhen Transcards cannot be sold back to the stations or have faults dealt with by SZMC. Instead, the customer must go to the offices of Shenzhen Transcard. Furthermore, no child fares are available, and student fares are only available to students studying in Shenzhen. SZM is a cheap alternative way to travel in the central-eastern part of Shenzhen (compared with other transport modes such as buses and taxis). However, it lacks connections to the east side, particularly Yantian, a high tech foreign business park and busy port. This, however, will be remedied at a later stage of development.

[edit] Cash fares

Shenzhen Metro RFID Token

Cash fare consists of the maximum chargable riding fare of four Renminbi and can be purchased at ticket machines or at the information counter. When using cash fare, a green RFID token is purchased and used to record the station entrance information. To exit the station, one needs only to deposit the token in the slot at the station exit gate. The maximum fare will be charged if the passenger is unable to return the token. People over 70 years of age and the disabled are entitled to free travel on the system.