Shenzhen Metro

Shenzhen Metro
Info
Locale Shenzhen
Transit type Rapid transit
Number of lines 5
Number of stations 137
Daily ridership 342,000 (2008)
Annual ridership 138 million (2009) [1]
Website www.szmc.net
www.szmtr.net
www.mtrsz.com.cn
Operation
Began operation 28 December 2004
Operator(s) Shenzhen Metro Co.,Ltd
Shenzhen Metro No.3 Line Operations Branch Co.,Ltd
MTR Corporation (Shenzhen) Limited
Technical
Track gauge 1435 mm Standard Gauge
System map
Shenzhen Metro
Simplified Chinese 深圳地铁
Traditional Chinese 深圳地鐵
Cantonese Jyutping Sam1zan3 Dei6tit3
Cantonese Yale Sàmján Dèihtít
Hanyu Pinyin Shēnzhèn Dìtiě
Logos of the three operators for Shenzhen Metro

The Shenzhen Metro is the subway or underground system for the city of Shenzhen in Guangdong province, China. The system opened on 28 December 2004, making Shenzhen the seventh city in mainland China to have a subway after Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Dalian, and Wuhan. The Shenzhen Metro currently has 5 lines, 137 stations, and 178.44 km (110.87 miles) of total trackage in operation. The network underwent rapid expansion prior to the 2011 Summer Universiade, opening 110 km (68.35 miles) of tracks in June 2011.[2] Currently, there are two lines under construction.

Contents

Current System

The current system has five lines and provides a relatively fast and economical way of traveling in east-central part of Shenzhen, compared to buses and taxis. The Luobao and Longhua Lines also run to the border crossings between the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region at Luohu/Lo Wu and Futian Checkpoint/Lok Ma Chau, where riders can transfer to Hong Kong's MTR East Rail Line for travel onward to Hong Kong. Each of the five lines intersect all of the other four lines at least once.

Line
Terminals
Opened
Newest
Extension
Total Length
in km
Stations
 Luobao Line  Luohu Airport East 2004 2011 41.04 30
 Shekou Line  Chiwan Xinxiu 2010 2011 35.78 29
 Longgang Line  Yitian Shuanglong 2010 2011 41.66 30
 Longhua Line  Futian Checkpoint Qinghu 2004 2011 19.96 15
 Huanzhong Line  Qianhaiwan Huangbeiling 2011 40.00 27

Luobao Line

Luobao Line of the Metro runs westward from Luohu to Airport East. Trains operate at 4.5 minute frequency during peak hours and 6.5 minute frequencies at other times. An electronic signboard system displays estimated train arrival times. All stations in Luobao Line are underground. An extension to Airport East has completed constructed and open to public since 12 p.m., June 15, 2011.[3]

Shekou Line

Shekou Line run from Chi Wan to Xin Xiu. It connects with Luobao Line at Window of the World, with Longhua Line at Civic Center, with Longgang Line at Futian and with Luobao Line again at Grand Theater. Phase I of Shekou Line was open on 28 December 2010[5] The remainder of Shekou line opened in June 2011.

Longgang Line

Longgang Line will run 41.8 km with 30 stations from Hongling to Yitian Village and will be built in two phases. Construction on Phase I which runs 32.86 km from Caopu to Shuanglong began on 26 December 2005.[6] Phase I was completed on 28 December 2010. The entire line is scheduled to open 30 June 2011.[7] It will connect with Luobao Line at Laojie and Shopping Park, with Shekou Line at Futian, with Longhua Line at Children's Palace, with Huanzhong Line at Buji and run out to Longgang in the north-east of the city.

The line is operated by Shenzhen Metro No.3 Line Operations Branch Corporation

Longhua Line

Longhua Line of the Metro runs northward from Futian Checkpoint to Qinghu. Trains operate at 8 minute frequencies at all times. There are electronic signboard system which display estimated train arrival times. Stations from Futian Checkpoint to Lianhua North are underground. North of Children's Palace, an extension to Qinghu in Longhua, Bao'an District has completed construction and open to public since June 16, 2011 except Shenzhen North Station, which was open to be a transfer with Huanzhong Line since 22 June 2011, first opening day of Huanzhong Line.

The line is operated by MTR Corporation (Shenzhen), a subsidiary of MTR Corporation, since 1July 2010.

Huanzhong Line

Huanzhong Line will run from Qianhaiwan in the west to Huangbeiling in the east. It is 40.001 km in total length with 27 stations. Construction began in May 2009 and is scheduled to be completed by June 2011. Huanzhong Line requires total investment of Y20.6 billion. This line has been open to public since 2 p.m., 22 June 2011.[8]

Fares and tickets

Metro rides are priced according to distance travelled, and varies from Y2 to 7.[9] Children under the height of 120 cm or aged below 6 may ride for free when accompanied by an adult.[10] The metro also offers free rides to senior citizens over the age of 65, physically disabled and military personnel. Children between 120 cm and 150 cm or aged between 6 and 14 years can enjoy half price, as well as middle school students.

Metro fares can be paid for with single-ride tokens, multiple-ride Shenzhen Metro TransCards or weekly passes.[11]

Starting December 2010 a new Metro fare system will be implemented, based on an a usage fee (2RMB) + a distance fee. The distance fee is 1RMB for each 4KM from 4KM to 12KM; after that 1RMB for each 6KM from 12KM to 24KM and finally 1RMB for every 8KM over 24KM distance.[12]

Tokens

Cash fares range from 2 to over 11 Renminbi, depending on the distance to be traveled, 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.

Shenzhen Tong cards

Shenzhen Tong is similar to the Octopus card system used on the MTR rail lines in Hong Kong. The multiple fare card stores credit purchased at stations. It is easy to use; simply wave it in front of the card reader located at all entrances and exits to the subway system. Riders who pay for metro fare with the transcard receive a 5% discount. Beginning 1 March 2008, riders who pay for a bus fare with the transcard and then a subway fare within 90 minutes receive an additional 40% discount on the subway fare.

Unlike Hong Kong Octopus Cards, Shenzhen Tong cards cannot be sold back to the stations or have faults dealt with by SZMC. Instead, the customer must go to the offices of Shenzhen Tong. Students studying in Shenzhen can use the Shenzhen Tong to receive a 50% discount.

Integration of Shenzhen Tong and Hong Kong Octopus Cards

After the completion of five Metro Phase II lines by 30 June 2011, users will be able to reciprocally use their Transcards in both Hong Kong and Shenzhen for bus and train commuter travel. Continuing research is taking place on the "merging" and "convertibility" of the two systems card. Flucuations in the HK Dollar with the Chinese RMB are the main issues to be resolved before the final plan is introduced formally.[13]

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 Luohu Station.

Expansion Plans

Third phase


Line
Expected Terminals
Expected Length
in km
Expected Stations
Expected Opening
Current Status
 Longhua  (III) Qinghai Songyuan 7.3 5 2017 onwards approved
 Guangming  Shenzhen North Railway Station Songgang 37.2 19 2016 approved
 Xili  Tai'an Lishui 28.9 23 2016 approved,construction start in 2012
 Yantian  Guomao Xiaomeisha 25.9 13 2016 approved
Chunfeng Hongshuwan 17.8 17 2016 approved,construction start in 2012
Bao'an Sea World Songgang 42.2 28 TBD approved (2017 u/c)
 Airport  Futian Songgang 49.7 12 2016 approved,construction start in 2012
Pingshan Universiade Xinqiao Industrial Zone 36.4 22 TBD approved (2017 u/c)

History

First phase

The grand opening of the Shenzhen Metro system occurred at 5:00pm on Tuesday, 28 December 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 Luobao Line (then called Line 1) between Luohu and Shijie Zhi Chuang (now Window of the World)and the Longhua Line (then called Line 4) between Fumin and Shaonian Gong (now Children's Palace)stations. Initially the English names of the stations were rendered in Hanyu Pinyin, but some of the names were changed to English translation with American spelling in mid-2011 on instructions from higher authorities.

The Futian Checkpoint station opened on 28 June 2007 using the name Futian Kou'an.[14]

Second phase

Shenzhen Metro increased to over a hundred operating metro stations in June 2011, before the Shenzhen Universiade games.

Equipment

Rolling Stock

Signaling system

For metro Luobao Line, Longhua Line and the extension of Luobao Line, Siemens Transportation Systems supplied 7 (Phase 1) and 6 (Phase 2) LZB 700 M continuous automatic control systems; 7 (Phase 1) and 6 (Phase 2) electronic Sicas ESTT interlockings; the Vicos OC 501 operations control system with 2 operations control centers, fall-back level with Vicos OC 101 and RTU (FEP), 230 (Phase 1) and 240 (Phase 2) FTG S track vacancy detection units.[15]

See also

References

External links