Metro System in Shanghai
The Shanghai Metro is the urban rapid transit system of China’s largest city, Shanghai. The system incorporates both subway (地铁, dì tiě) and light rail (轻轨, qīnɡ ɡuǐ) lines. It opened in 1995, making Shanghai the third city in Mainland China, after Beijing and Tianjin, to have a rapid transit system. Since then, the Shanghai Metro has become one of the fastest-growing rapid transit systems in the world.
Subway and Light rail line
As of 2011, there are twelve metro lines (excluding the Shanghai Maglev Train), over 434 kilometres of tracks in operation, the longest network in the world. The system continues to grow, with new lines and extensions of old lines currently under construction.
Current system
There’re 12 metro lines in Shanghai till 2011. Line 3 and 4 are light rail lines. The rest lines are subway. Please see the picture below:
Interchanges
Intechanes in Shanghai are much easier than in Beijing. In all the stations, you just need to follow the arrow sign on the ground. Basically speaking, there are two types of interchange stations: physical interchange and virtual interchange stations.
Follow the sign on the ground
In a physical interchange station, passengers can transfer between subway lines without exiting a fare zone. In a virtual interchange station, however, passengers have to exit and re-enter fare zones as they transfer from one subway line to another. In order to receive a discounted fare, passengers must use a Shanghai public transport card (SPTC) instead of Single-Ride tickets.
Public transport card
In addition to a Single-Ride ticket, fare can be paid using a Shanghai public transport card. This RFID-embedded card can be purchased at selected banks, convenience stores and metro stations with a 20-yuan deposit. This card can be loaded at ticket booths, Service Centers at the metro stations as well as many small convenience stores and banks throughout the city. The Shanghai Public Transportation Card can also be used to pay for other forms of transportation, such as taxi or bus.
Transportation card in Shanghai
This transit card is similar to the Oyster card of the London Underground (and other London transport systems), Chicago card of the CTA and the Octopus card of Hong Kong’s MTR. It’s really a popluar system in Shanghai and most of the Shanghainese use transport card everyday.
Stations of note
The busiest station in Shanghai Metro system is People’s Square station (Lines 1, 2 and 8). As the interchange station for three lines, it is extremely crowded during peak hours. It remains busy during the rest of the day as it is located at the city center, 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. It has the second most number of exits (totalling 17) in the stations of the metro system.
The busiest station in Shanghai–People’s Square Station
Xujiahui (Lines 1 and 9) 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 exits, numbering a total of 18 since the addition of the four in the Line 9 part of the station that opened in December 2009. This is the largest number of exits of all the stations on the system. This station is also widely used as a pedestrian tunnel across the wide roads.
Xujiahui Station
Lujiazui (Line 2) is the major station in Pudong area. It is situated in the heart of Lujiazui financial district, the financial center of Shanghai. The city’s iconic landmarks, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Jin Mao Tower and Shanghai World Financial Centre are all within walking distance of the station. In contrast to Xujiahui and People’s Square, Lujiazui is not particularly busy during off-peak hours or at weekends as it is located in financial district of Shanghai.
Lujiazui financial district
Shanghai Railway Station (Lines 1, 3 and 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. The line 1 platform is in the South square while platforms for line 3/4 are in the North square. These two platforms are technically separate stations, so interchange is only possible between lines 3/4. A transfer to the line 1 platform requires a SPTC or a new ticket.
Shanghai Railway Station
Pudong International Airport (Line 2) is the eastern terminus of Line 2. It serves the airport of the same name in Shanghai. The station also provides a transfer with the Shanghai Maglev Train to Longyang Road.
A meglev train to Pudong International Airport
