The Shanghai metro is among the most rapidly expanding in the world. After the first line opened only in 1995 as a north-south axis from the Central Station to the southern suburbs, by the end of 2015, the Shanghai Metro system had reached a total length of 531.5 km (excluding the 29 km Maglev line and the 56.4 km Jinshan Line)!

Unless where stated otherwise, all the metro lines are operated by Shanghai Metro Operation Co. Ltd., and they have 1435 mm standard gauge, with 1500 V dc being supplied via an overhead catenary. Standard platforms are 150-190 m long.

36.4 km, 28 stations

10 April 1995: Shanghai Railway Station - Jin Jiang Park (16.1 km, 13 stations)
xx xx 1996: Jin Jiang Park - Xin Zhuang (5.3 km, 3 stations)
28 Dec 2004: Shanghai Railway Station - Gong Fu Xin Cun (12.4 km, 9 stations)
29 Dec 2007: Gong Fu Xin Cun - Fujin Road (4.3 km elevated - 3 stations)

60 km, 30 stations

28 Oct 1999: Zhong Shan Park - Long Yang Rd (16.4 km - 12 stations) (regular service since 13 June 2000)
26 Dec 2000: Long Yang Rd - Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park (2.8 km, 0.8 km underground)
30 Dec 2006: Zhong Shan Park - Song Hong Road (6.8 km)
24 Feb 2010: Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park - Guanglan Road (including new underground station at Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park)
16 Mar 2010: Song Hong Road - East Xujing (now National Exhibition and Convention Center) (8.6 km)
08 April 2010: Guanglan Road - Pudong Airport T1 & T2 (26.8 km)
01 July 2010: Hongqiao Railway Station added

40.3 km, 29 stations (11.9 km and 9 stations shared with Line 4)

26 Dec 2000 - Shanghai South Railway Station - Jiang Wan Town (trial operation: 24.6 km, mostly elevated)
18 Dec 2006 - Jiang Wan Town - North Jiang Yang Road (15.7 km)

The third line, initially referred to as the 'Pearl Line', was developed out of a former ring railway, mainly elevated, to run from Baoshan Steel Complex in the north via Shanghai Railway Station to Cao Xi Rd. in the south. After several months of trial operation, full service started in Aug 2001.

33.7 km, 26 stations (11.9 km and 9 stations shared with Line 3)

31 Dec 2005: Bao Shan Road - Lan Cun Road and Da Mu Qiao Road - Yi Shan Road
29 Dec 2007: Lan Cun Road - Da Mu Qiao Road

The second phase of the original 'Pearl Line' (Line 4) runs through Pudong along Oriental Road. This line forms a circle with the existing Pearl Line, linking Bao Shan Road station and Yi Shan Road station via Pudong on the east bank of the Huangpu River. The 22.3 km mainly underground line (1.25 km elevated) was scheduled for completion by the end of 2004 (17 stations), but was delayed due to the collapse of a building suffered on the eastern cross-river section. The first stretches opened in Dec. 2005, with the full circle being completed at the end of 2007.

31.2 km; two southern branches; 19 stations

25 Nov 2003: Xin Zhuang - Min Hang Development Zone (16.6 km, all elevated)
30 Dec 2018: Dongchuan Road - Fengxian Xincheng (14.6 km)

The present Line 5 was initially designed as a southern extension of Line 1 (XinMin Line) to Minhang, but it was eventually opened as a separate line. Platforms are only 80 m long.

32.3 km, 28 stations (12.1 km above ground)

29 Dec 2007: Gang Cheng Road - South Ling Yan Road
12 Apr 2011: South Ling Yan Road - Oriental Sports Center (ex-Ji Yang Road)

Like Line 5, also referred to as 'Light Railway' with 80 m long platforms, and operated by Shanghai Modern Rail Transit Co. Ltd. (SMRT). It runs parallel to the Huang Pu River on the Pudong side, from Wai Gao Qiao in the north to San Lin City in the south.

44.2 km, 33 stations

05 Dec 2009: Shanghai University - Hua Mu Road
20 Apr 2010: Hou Tan station
28 Dec 2010: Shanghai University - Meilan Lake (10 km)
22 July 2014: Qihualu station added

37.5 km, 30 stations

29 Dec 2007: Shi Guang Road - Yao Hua Road
05 July 2009: Yao Hua Road - Aerospace Museum (now Shendu Highway)
12 Apr 2011: Oriental Sports Center (ex-Ji Yang Road) station
28 Sept 2012: China Art Museum station

The 'Yangpu Line' runs from New Jiangwan City in the north to Zhongshan South Rd via People's Square.

29 Dec 2007: Gui Lin Road - Song Jiang Xin Cheng
28 Dec 2008: Gui Lin Road - Yi Shan Road
31 Dec 2009: Yi Shan Road - Century Avenue
07 Apr 2010: Century Avenue - Middle Yanggao Road
30 Dec 2012: Song Jiang Xin Cheng - Shanghai Songjiang Railway Station
30 Dec 2017: Middle Yanggao Road - Caolu (12.1 km)

Metro Line 9 (Shensong Line) was conceived as a regional express line (R4), to run from Xu Jia Hui on Line 1 towards the southwest to Song Jiang New City, but it has eventually been developed as a full metro line across the city centre. When it opened in Dec 2007, it was not yet connected to any other metro line.

45.2 km, 37 stations (including branch: Longxi Road - Hongqiao Railway Station 5.8 km, 4 stations)

10 Apr 2010: Xinjiangwancheng - Hangzhong Road
30 Nov 2010: Longxi Road - Hongqiao Railway Station
26 Dec 2020: Xinjiangwancheng - Jilong Road (9.8 km; 6.4 km elevated)

82.4 km, 39 stations

31 Dec 2009: North Jia Ding - Jiangsu Road
29 Mar 2010: Jia Ding Xin Cheng - Anting
26 Apr 2011: East Chang Ji Rd station
31 Aug 2013: Jiangsu Rd - Luoshan Rd
16 Oct 2013: Anting - Huaqiao
19 Dec 2015: Luoshan Road - Kangxin Highway (4.1 km)
26 Apr 2016: Kangxin Highway - Disney Resort
25 Aug 2020: Chenxiang Highway station
28 Sept 2024: Kangheng Road station

40.4 km, 32 stations

29 Dec 2013: Tiantong Road - Jinhai Road
10 May 2014: Tiantong Road - Qufu Road
19 Dec 2015: Qufu Road - Qixin Road (21.8 km)

38.8 km, 31 stations

20 Apr 2010: Madang Road - Shibo Avenue (Expo)*
01 Nov 2010: end of service*

30 Dec 2012: Jinshajiang Road - Jinyun Road
01 Nov 2014: Daduhe Road station
28 Dec 2014: Jinshajiang Road - Changshou Road (2.9 km)
19 Dec 2015: Changshou Road - Shibo Avenue (9.4 km)
30 Dec 2018: Shibo Avenue - Zhangjiang Road (16 km)

*Operated as the 4 km 'Expo Line' shuttle, between Madang Road (interchange with Line 9) and the Expo.

38.2 km, 31 stations

30 Dec 2021: Fengbang - Guiqiao Road (38.2 km)

42.3 km, 30 stations, all underground north-south line:

23 Jan 2021: Gucun Park - Zizhu Hi-tech Park (42.3 km)
27 Jun 2021: + Guilin Road (interchange with line 9)

59 km, 13 stations

29 Dec 2013: Luoshan Road - Dishui Lake
28 Dec 2014: Luoshan Road - Longyang Road (7 km)

41.3 km, 14 stations; partly elevated, partly underground suburban line in the western area of Shanghai:

30 Dec 2017: Hongqiao Railway Station – Oriental Land (34.7 km)
30 Nov 2024: Oriental Land – Xicen (6.6 km)

44 km tangential line through the eastern area of Shanghai:

26 Dec 2020: Hangtou - Yuqiao (14.5 km)
30 Dec 2021: Yuqiao - South Changjiang Road (20.1 km)

6.7 km rubber-tyred APM system (automatic people mover), elevated, fromerly planned as line 8 extension

31 March 2018: Shendu Highway - Huizhen Road

56.4 km, 9 stations - suburban express line operated by Jinshan Railway Co. Ltd., initially referred to as Line 22

28 Sept 2012: Shanghei Nanzhan (Shanghai South Station) - Jinshan

Conventional tram system in the southwestern suburb of Songjiang, linked to central Shanghai by metro line 9; line T2 operates as a circular line.

- route length: ~34 km
- two lines
- rolling stock: Alstom Citadis manufactured locally by Shanghai CRRC Equipment
- opened 26 Dec 2018: T2 Canghua Road - Zhongchen Road (13.9 km)
- 10 Aug 2019: T2 full circle + T1 Jinxi Road - Xinmiaosan Road (12.7 km)
- 30 Dec 2019: T1 Xinmiaosan Road - Xinqiao Railway Station (3.9 km)

Several extensions and new lines are currently under construction (view map) - for details check Wikipedia

Shanghai Shentong Metro Co. Ltd (Official Website)

Shanghai Metro at Wikipedia

Explore Shanghai > Metro by Matt Mayer

Allen Zagel's China Rail includes more Shanghai Subway Pictures

Shanghai Metro Map at Johomaps.com

Metro Map 2008 that calculates fares and travel time

Zhangjiang Tram at Wikipedia

Shanghai Metro lines at Baidu Maps

Photos © 1-2 Allen Zagel; 3-5 Joseph Kristensen; 6 Xu Edison

Photos © 1 Simba Qiu; 2 Trevor Olson

Rubber-tired tram system with Translohr technology (central guide-rail) in eastern part of Pudong

- route length: 10 km
- 15 stops
- opened 1 January 2010
- closed on 1 June 2023 and subsequently dismantled