Shanghai Metro — Map, Lines, Route, Hours, Tickets

The Shanghai Metro, situated in the bustling city of Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, holds the reputation of being an extensively developed urban railway system, recognized for its rapid growth, unparalleled in global metro services. The network incorporates both underground and elevated stations, contributing to the city’s extensive transportation ecosystem.

This modern marvel of transport stretches over 588 kilometres and has a total of 364 stations spread over 14 lines. Inaugurated in 1993 with just 4.4 kilometres of track, the system has been constantly expanded, with new stations being added all the time. Fares vary according to line and distance travelled, with a basic fare of 3 yuan (US$0.44) for most routes under six kilometres. Metro stations are open between 5:00 am and 7:00 am and close between 10:00 pm and midnight.

The Shanghai Metro serves a significant number of passengers, approximately 9,300,000 per day. It does not operate 24 hours a day, but operates from 5:30am to 11:06pm daily. The Shanghai Metro provides air conditioning in its stations and trains. However, passengers are not allowed to walk between platforms.

Despite advances in automation technology, the Shanghai Metro does not operate driverless trains. Some of the newer stations on Line 4 and the rebuilt stations on Line 1 have screen doors on the platforms to provide an extra layer of safety for passengers.

The fare for a ride on the Shanghai Metro is 3 Chinese Yuan (CNY), which is approximately US$0.44. The metro system is operated by the Shanghai No.1-No.4 Metro Operation Company.

Metro map of Shanghai

Map of Shanghai Metro showing different lines. Click on the map to enlarge it or download the Shanghai Metro map in PDF format.

About Shanghai: The Home of China’s Rapid Transit

Shanghai is the most populous city in the People’s Republic of China, with a population of over 20 million. It is located in the eastern part of the country, bordering the East China Sea on the Pacific Ocean.

In its early years, Shanghai thrived on fishing and textile production, but due to its strategic location, its port developed into one of the busiest in the country. The city became an economic hub in the 1930s, but suffered a downturn after the Second World War, only to regain its prominence in the 1990s and establish itself as China’s financial centre.

Today, the city is not only an economic powerhouse, but also a magnet for tourism, thanks to its urban architecture and thriving trade. Shanghai is directly governed by the central Chinese government and its citizens communicate in the Shanghai dialect, which is derived from Wu Chinese.

The Shanghai Metro is 588 kilometres long and has 364 stations on 14 lines. In its first year of operation in 1993, it had only 28 stations. The extensive metro system serves 14 of the city’s 16 districts and is recognised as the longest metro network in the world.

The rolling stock used on the various lines comes from several manufacturers, but mainly from companies such as Alstom, Siemens and Bombardier. The number of carriages per train varies from four to eight.

With an average annual ridership of 3,000,400,000 passengers, the Shanghai metro is the second busiest in the world, surpassed only by the Beijing metro. The system is under the jurisdiction of the Shanghai Municipal Government, which is directly under the Central Government.

Key Facts:

Name: Metro.
Total Length: 588 kilometers.
Gauge: 1,435 mm.
No. of Lines: 14.
No. of Stations: 364.
Website: www.shmetro.com.
Owner: Shentong Metro Group (a subsidiary of the Shanghai Municipal Government).
Daily Ridership: Approximately 9.29 million passengers.
Inauguration Date: May 28th, 1993.

The Birth and Expansion of Shanghai Metro

The vast city of Shanghai, with an exponentially growing population, required a large-scale transport system to efficiently serve its inhabitants. This led to the conception of the Shanghai Metro project in the 1980s, culminating in the inauguration of Line 1 on 28 May 1993. It was the third metro system in the People’s Republic of China, after the Beijing Metro and the Tianjin Metro.

Initially, the metro started with Line 1, which covered just 4.4 kilometres, a tiny fraction of its current extensive network. Since then, the Shanghai Metro has had one of the fastest expansions in the world. Over the years, more lines have been added, including Line 2 in 2000, followed by Lines 6, 8 and 9, for a total of 14 lines today. The expansion continues with new stations being added every year.

Lines and Stations Overview

The Shanghai Metro is a vast network of 14 lines with 364 stations. It is managed by the Shanghai Municipal Government.

Line 1

Marked by its distinctive red colour, Line 1 was the first line of the Shanghai Metro system. Initially, only a 4.4 kilometre section was opened. Today it is 36.4 kilometres long with 28 stations. Known for its tourist-friendly routes, it runs from Xinzhuang in the north to Fujin Road in the city centre, passing through busy areas such as People’s Plaza and Shanghai Railway Station.

Line 2

Line 2, which opened in 2000, is recognisable by its light green colour. Covering 60 kilometres and with 31 stations, it runs from the east to the west of the city, linking East Xujing and Pudong International Airport. It provides access to the Shanghai Maglev Train, one of the few magnetically levitated trains in the world.

Line 3

Recognisable by its yellow colour on metro maps, Line 3 has a length of 40.23 kilometres. It has 29 stations, starting from Shanghai South Railway Station to North Jiangyang Road, and mainly covers the north to the city centre. Most of the stations on this line are elevated, with Tieli Road being the only underground station.

Line 4

Line 4, shown in dark purple, is the circular line of the Shanghai Metro. It therefore operates in two directions: clockwise and counter-clockwise. With 26 stations over a distance of 33.7 kilometres, it connects Shanghai Stadium and the city’s largest railway station. Part of this line shares tracks with Line 3.

Line 5

Inaugurated in 2003, Line 5 marked the extension of the system to the south of the city and its suburbs. Recognisable by its light purple colour, the line has 11 stations over a length of 17.2 kilometres, connecting Xinzhuang with the southern suburb of Minhang via the Minhang Development Zone station.

Line 6

Line 6, painted magenta, was the first to serve the entire Pudong district in the western part of Shanghai. It is 32.3 kilometres long and has 28 stations, a mix of elevated and underground. The line starts at Gangcheng Road and ends at Oriental Sports Center Station.

Line 7

Line 7, shown in orange, has mainly underground stations, except for two. It connects five districts of the city from Baoshan to Pudong over 44.2 kilometres with 33 stations. The line starts at Meilan Lake and ends at Huamu Road station, near one of Shanghai’s largest convention centres. It also serves the University of Shanghai.

Line 8

Line 8, which opened in 2007 and is coloured blue, has 30 stations and stretches 37.4 kilometres from north to south. The line connects Shiguang Road in the central Yangpu district with Shendu Highway station in the Minhang suburb, serving areas such as Town’s Plaza and the Hongkou Football Stadium.

Line 9

Line 9 is marked light blue and is one of the longest lines in the metro system. It is 51.7 kilometres long and has 26 stations, some elevated and some underground. The line runs from the suburban district of Songjiang at Songjiang South Station to the coastal district of Pudong at Middle Yanggao Road Station. It provides access to landmarks such as the Sheshan Basilica and the historic city of Qibao.

Line 10

Launched in 2010, the lilac-coloured Line 10 traverses the central part of Shanghai and extends to some suburbs, including Minhang. It starts at Hongqiao Railway Station and ends at Xinjiangwancheng in the Yangpu district. The line, with its 31 stations covering 36 kilometres, provides access to Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport and the city zoo.

Line 11

Line 11, marked in brown, is the longest in the Shanghai Metro system, covering 82.4 kilometres with 38 stations. It starts at Disney Resort Station, which is connected to the Shanghai Disney Resort, and has branches that end at North Jiading and Huaqiao. This makes Line 11 one of the two intercity metro lines in China, as the latter station is located in Kunshan City, Jiangsu.

Line 12

Line 12, recognisable by its green colour, is 40.2 kilometres long and was opened in 2013. It has 39 stations and runs from Qixin Road station in the Minhang district to Jinhai Road station in the Pudong district. Line 12, which is entirely underground, has the highest number of transfer points with 16 in total.

Line 13

Line 13, marked in pink, has 29 stations along a 2.2-kilometre route, although much of it is still under construction. It currently connects the northern district of Jiading at Jiyun Road station with the Pudong district at Shibo Avenue station. A further 12 stations will be added in the Pudong district on completion.

Line 16

Line 16, the latest addition to the Shanghai Metro, is currently 58.96 kilometres long with 13 stations, of which 10 are elevated and three are underground. The entire line is located in the eastern district of Pudong, running from Longyang Road Station to Dishui Lake. Line 16 is the first and only line in the Shanghai Metro to offer different train services, such as the Express Route, which only stops at selected stations.

Connections

The Shanghai metro is the undisputed leader in the Chinese city’s transport system and is expected to continue growing. As a result, there are very few connections to other modes of transport. One of the connections available is to the Zhangjiang Tramway, which is the second best tramway in the Asian continent. Costing just two yuan ($0.3) per trip, this tramway has 15 stations and a 10 kilometre track. The Zhangjiang Tramway connects to the Shanghai Metro Line 2 at the Jinke Road and Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park stations. The latter station is one of the terminals of the tramway.

The metro also allows transfers to the Jinshan Railway, which has 8 stations and has trains departing from the south of Shanghai. It connects with lines 1 and 3 of the metro at Jinshanwei. The Jinshan Railway is a high-speed train service.

Finally, the metro also connects to the Shanghai Maglev, which is the most popular and attractive railway system in Shanghai. The Shanghai Maglev is a tourist attraction in itself. It was the first magnetic levitation train to be inaugurated in the world. It connects Longyang Road with Pudong International Airport. It has an average speed of 240 km/h and can cover a distance of 30.5 kilometres in 7 minutes.

Shanghai’s metro system also has transfer points from China Railway at four stations: Shanghai, South Shanghai, West Shanghai and Hongqiao. Shanghai is also connected to the cities of Beijing, Chengdu, Kunming and Hangzhou by high-speed trains.

Connection to the airport

Shanghai has two international airports. The airports are Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA) and Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG). Both airports work quickly to provide flights to the people of the cosmopolitan and super populated city of Shanghai. Thanks to the rapid development of the city’s transport services, the airports provide fast and convenient connections to Shanghai’s public transport.

Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport has three metro stations. The first one is Hongqiao Airport Terminal 1 Station of Line 10. The second station is Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2 Station from Line 2 and Line 10. The third station is Hongqiao Railway Station on Line 10, which also provides connections to a long-distance train station.

Pudong International Airport Station is located at one of the ends of Line 2, which connects directly to the airport of the same name. This airport also has a connection to the brand new Shanghai Maglev electromagnetic train service, which connects the airport to Longyang Road. Not only is this the fastest train in the world, it is also designed to carry large luggage.

Schedule, calendar and timetables

Shanghai Metro operating hours vary from line to line. However, the opening hours are between 5:00 am and 6:30 am, while the closing hours are between 10:00 pm and midnight.

Line 1: The first train leaves at 5.30am and the last arrives at 11.34pm. The arrival times of the last trains vary on Fridays, Saturdays and on the eve of public holidays due to longer working hours on these days. The frequency of the trains is between two and four minutes during rush hours and between six and 12 minutes during off-peak hours.
Line 2: The first train leaves Guanglan Rode at 5:28. At night, the last train arrives at 23:34, although it may arrive later on days with extended business hours. Trains run every three to seven minutes, depending on the time of day. At off-peak times the frequency can be 12 minutes.
Line 3: The first train departs from North Jiangyang Road at 5:25am. The last train arrives at South Metro Station at 11:42 at night. The frequency of the trains is between five and seven minutes, although it can reach 14 minutes during off-peak hours.
Line 4: Trains depart from Yishan Road Station in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions at 5:30am. The last train arrives at Yishan Road Station at 22:30. Trains run every two to five minutes during peak hours and every seven to 15 minutes during off-peak hours.
Line 5: The first train leaves Xinzhuang at 6:00 am, while the last train arrives at 10:26 pm. The train frequency is between four and five minutes during rush hours, and between six and seven minutes during the rest of the day.
Line 6: The first train leaves Gangcheng Road at 5:30 in the morning, while the last train arrives at 11:30 at night. The frequency of the trains varies greatly throughout the day. It ranges from 2 to 7 minutes during rush hours, but can be as long as 11 minutes during the rest of the day.
Line 7: The first train departs Melian Lake at 5:30am, while the last train arrives at 11:33pm, but may be later on longer days. Train frequency is between two and five minutes at peak times, but can be up to eight minutes at other times of the day.
Line 8: The first train leaves Shendu Highway at 5:30 in the morning. The last train arrives at the same station at 11:35 in the evening, although it may arrive later on days with long hours. This line has the lowest waiting time in the Shanghai Metro, as the train frequency varies between two and five minutes for most of the day, although it can be up to 12 minutes during off-peak hours.
Line 9: The first train departs from Middle Yanggao Road at 5:30 in the morning, while the last train arrives at 11:10 at night. Its train frequency is between 3 and 7 minutes during rush hour, while it can be up to 10 minutes at other times.
Line 10: The first train leaves Xinjiangwancheng at 5:25 in the morning, while the last train arrives at 11:20 at night, with the possibility of later arrivals on days with longer hours. Depending on the final destination of the train, the frequency can be between three and six minutes or between 10 and 12 minutes.
Route 11: This route has two branches. The first train departs from Disney Resort, Huaqiao and North Jiading at 6:30 am, 5:40 am and 5:38 am respectively. The last trains arrive at 11:39 pm, 11:44 pm and 11:59 pm respectively. The frequency also varies depending on the branch, ranging from three to seven minutes.
Line 12: The first train leaves Jinhai Road at 5:30 in the morning, while the last train arrives at 11:47 at night. The frequency is between 3 and 8 minutes during rush hours, while it can be up to 10 minutes at other times.
Line 13: The first train of this line leaves Jiyun Road at 5:30 in the morning. The last train from this station arrives at 11:15 at night. The frequency of the trains is between 4 and 7 minutes during rush hour and between 8 and 10 minutes at other times.
Line 16: The first train leaves Dishui Lake at 6:00 in the morning, while the last train arrives at this station at 23:42 in the evening. The frequency of the trains varies between four and seven minutes at peak times and up to 12 minutes at other times.

Tickets, Prices and Cards

Shanghai Metro ticket prices vary slightly from line to line. The single ticket is highly recommended for tourists and usually costs three yuan ($0.44), with an additional charge of 1 yuan for every 10 kilometres travelled. These tickets must be validated when entering and exiting the metro and expire after a certain period of time.

Alternatively, unlimited tickets can be purchased as one-day or three-day passes, which cost 18 yuan (USD 2.63) and 45 yuan (USD 6.57) respectively. An exception to the regular prices is Line 5, where a trip of less than six kilometres costs only two yuan ($0.29) and a longer trip costs three yuan ($0.44). Tourists can also buy the Shanghai Public Transportation Card, which offers a 10% discount on rides. There is also a 24-hour pass for combined Metro and Maglev travel. A one-way pass costs 55 yuan (US$8.04), while a two-way pass costs 85 yuan (US$12.42).

Rules

Passengers should always carry valid identification. Without it, you will not be allowed to board the metro.
Children less than 1.3 metres tall can travel free of charge on the metro.
Passengers are allowed to take one piece of luggage weighing no more than 23 kilograms, measuring no more than 1.7 metres in
length and no more than 0.2 cubic metres in volume.
In order to keep the metro clean, eating and drinking in the metro is prohibited.

Future Expansions

The Shanghai Metro, one of the world’s fastest growing urban transport systems, is expected to continue expanding as the city’s population grows. There are currently 14 lines in operation, with several new lines under construction and many more in the pipeline.

In 2023, the extensions of lines 5, 8 and 9 will be completed and the new line 17 will be launched, connecting Hongqiao station with the suburb of Qingpu. The extensions of lines 10 and 13 are expected to be completed by 2025. Three new lines, Lines 15, 18 and 16, are expected to be operational by 2028. This expansion will be one of the most significant increases in metro service in recent years.

Beyond 2025, many more expansions are planned, including the extension of Lines 1, 2, 5, 9 and 13 and the construction of Lines 19 to 25. The relentless growth of the Shanghai Metro has made it the longest metro system in the world.

Shanghai Metro Tips

If you are buying a one-way ticket, it is important to know your destination in advance as you will need to validate your ticket again when you get off the bus. If you exceed a certain distance, an additional charge will be levied.
As with all forms of transport, it is advisable to keep an eye on your belongings to prevent theft.
Given the size of the Shanghai Metro, it’s important to carry a map of the stations. A digital or paper map will come in handy when navigating this large system.

Fun Facts

With a total length of 588 kilometres, the Shanghai Metro is the largest urban rail system in the world, surpassing the Beijing Metro and London Underground, which are 527 kilometres and 402 kilometres long respectively.
Although it was the third metro to open in China, after the Beijing Metro and the Tianjin Metro, the Shanghai Metro quickly overtook the other two in terms of line length.
It is also the second largest metro system in the world in terms of number of stations, behind only the New York Metro in the United States, which has 468 stations.
All signage in the Metro is bilingual, in both English and Chinese.

Nearby Attractions

The Shanghai Metro’s extensive reach makes it an ideal mode of transport for tourists exploring the city. Some popular attractions accessible by metro include

People’s Square: One of the busiest squares in the city, this is a historical and political centre in Shanghai, housing the municipal government headquarters and the Shanghai Museum. It is accessible via People’s Square station on lines 1, 2 and 8.

Nanjing Street: One of the busiest shopping streets in the world, Nanjing Street is famous for its variety of shops selling clothes and many other products. It is accessible from East Nanjing Road Station on Line 2 and Line 10 and from West Nanjing Road Station on Line 2.

Huangpu River: Divides the city into two parts: Pudong and Puxi, the river offers scenic views of the city’s financial district. There are several boat and ferry services along the river. The recommended station to reach the river is Pudong Avenue Station on Line 4.

Yuyuan Garden: Dating back to the 16th century, this ancient Chinese garden is a testament to the city’s thousand-year history and Western influences. It can be reached from Yuyuan Station on Line 10.

Oriental Pearl Tower: This iconic television tower is a well-known Shanghai landmark due to its unique design. It can be reached from Luijiazui Station on Line 2.