Chengdu Metro
The Chengdu Metro is the rapid transit system of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan, China. The system consists of 12 subway lines and 1 light rail line. Line 1 was opened on 27 September 2010, making it the first heavy-rail metro line in southwest China. (Chongqing Rail Transit opened Monorail first in 2005) Line 2 began operation in September 2012. Line 4 opened to public at the end of December 2015, while Line 3 opened in July 2016. Metro lines are operated by Chengdu Rail Transit Group Company Limited. There are currently of subway lines under construction  in Chengdu in 2020. There are 12 operating subway lines of totaling and 1 tram line (Line T2) of and expected to serve over 8 million trips per day. On Dec 18th, 2020, Chengdu Metro officially opened Line 6, 8, 9, 17, 18, making this system the 4th largest in the world. As of 2021, about 2.2 million and 4.6 million people live within 500 and 800 meters of a subway station. Operating network. There are twelve subway lines operated covering with 337 stations and a long with 36 stop light rail line (Line T2) operating. Line 1. The first  phase of Line 1 cost 7 billion yuan to construct. A natural ventilation system has been used in the underground section of Line 1 on the subway system from Southern Third Ring Road to Jingcheng Plaza Station. Square ventilation units are built every 30m along the subway top to allow fresh air from the ground enter the construction site underground. The method is used in subway construction in other countries as it cuts the construction cost and it saves energy. The subway system is the first in China to adopt such a ventilation system during construction. Chengdu Metro is  planning to set up a section for subway fire control and introduce the latest fire fighting technologies and vehicles. Line 1's color is dark blue. Line 2. Line 2 is a crosstown northwest-southeast trunk route. This line serves the Chengdu East railway station. Line 2 began operation on September 16, 2012. An 11 km long mostly elevated extension to Longquanyi began testing in April 2014 opened in October 2014. Line 2's color is orange. Line 3. Line 3 runs in a northeast–southwest direction from Chengdu Medical College to Shuangliu West Station. The total length is . Phase  1 of this line began construction on 28 April 2012, and opened on 31 July 2016. Line 3's color is magenta. Line 4. Line 4 is the third line to enter revenue service on the metro network in Chengdu, Sichuan. Line 4 runs in an east–west direction, stretching from Wansheng in Wenjiang to Xihe in the Longquanyi. The first phase started construction on July 22, 2011, and began operation on 26 December 2015. Testing began on the east of west extensions of Line 4 as part of Phase II expansion on December 10, 2016. Line 4's color  is green. Line 5. Line 5 is a crosstown north-south trunk line. It started operation on 27 December 2019. Line 5's color is purple. Line 6. Line 6 is a crosstown northwest-south-west pivotal line. It started operation on 18th Dec 2020. Line 6's color is brown. Line 7. Line 7 is a loop line which runs around downtown Chengdu. It started operation on 6 December 2017. Line 7's color is sky blue. Line 8. Line 8 is a crosstown northeast-southwest filling line. Phase 1 started operation on 18th Dec 2020. Line 8's  color is chartreuse. Line 9. Line 9 is a second circle line. It is the first driverless metro line in Mid/West China. Phase 1 started operation on 18th Dec 2020. Line 9's color is bright orange. Line 10. Line 10 is a line serving Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. It started operation on 6 September 2017. Line 10's color is blue. Line 17. Line 17 is an express line at west side of Chengdu. Phase 1, including phase 1 of line 19, started operation on 18th Dec 2020. Line 17's color is pale green. Line 18. Line  18 is an express subway line paralleling southern Line 1 serving Tianfu New Area. It started operation on 27 September 2020. Phase 2 started operation on 18th Dec 2020. Line 18's color is teal. Tram Line 2. Chengdu Tram Line 2 has 39.3 km of operating tracks, 35 stations (47 when fully completed). Tram Line 2's color is light green. History. Inception. In 1985, the Chengdu Planning Bureau set up an integrated transportation planning office which began the process of the planning for a rapid transit network for Chengdu. By 1992, a proposal for the subway was sent  to the National Planning Commission and was subsequently rejected. In 2004 before the approval of the National Development and Reform Commission Chengdu started reconstructing Tianfu Square with provisions for Tianfu Square station. The first phase of Chengdu Metro, consisting of Lines 1 and 2, were approved by the NDRC on 11 September 2005. Network Expansion. Lines under construction. It is expected that Chengdu will have built about of subway lines in 2020. In 2017, the construction of the first phases of Lines 8, 9, 11, 17 and Line 10 (Phase 2) started, the length of subway under construction in Chengdu  totaling . It is expected by the end of 2020, Lines 6, 8, 9, 17 and 18 will open. Extending the Chengdu Metro network to 518.5 km of route (excluding ). Long Term Planning. In December 2020, Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Planning and Natural Resources announced the long-term planning including Lines 1-33, D1-D6 and S1-S19. Fares. Single Ride Card. Single Ride Card is an IC card for one trip. Riders can purchase it through attendants in station's Service Centers or use ticket-vending machines. One ticket allows only one rider in with validity of the same day . If riders have not used the Single Ride Card, they may refund it at the same day at the same station. From its opening until 1 June 2017, Chengdu Metro used a fare system based on station counts. With a 2 hour grace period in the subway system. In October 2016, Chengdu Metro held public meeting for price changing issues and set new pricing plans. From 2 June 2017, Chengdu Metro starts new fare system based on distance. Reloadable IC cards. The Tianfutong Pass is a reloadable IC Card accepted by the Chengdu Metro. Normal Tianfutong Passes provide 10% discounts . Student Tianfutong Passes provide 50% discounts. Senior Tianfutong Passes have special discounts depending on time of use. Additionally, passengers can pay for single rides directly using Debit IC cards offered by participating banks. Train Types and Technology. All Chengdu Metro lines in operation run on 1,500 V DC supplied by overhead lines. Trains on Lines 3, 4, 7, 10 and some of the newer Line 2 trains have a Golden Sun Bird insignia. Type A Trains. In response to congestion and high ridership, Lines 7, 8 and 10 are equipped with higher capacity 6-car aluminum alloy Type A trains . The total length of 140 meters and width is 3 meters. All trains have a maximum operating speed of 80 km/h. The capacity of a 6-car train is 1,828 passengers with a crush load capacity of 2,488 passengers. Line 7 trains are designed and managed by CRRC Qingdao Sifang with CRRC Chengdu performing manufacturing and assembly. Lines 5, 6 and 9 are equipped with even higher capacity eight car aluminum alloy Type A trains. The capacity of an eight car trainset is 2,480 passengers with a crush load capacity of 3,456 passengers. Type B Trains. Lines 1, 2 , 3 and 4 use six car stainless steel Type B trains with a total length of 120 meters and width 2.8 meters. The capacity of each train set is 1,460 people with a crush load capacity of 1,880 passengers. All trains have a maximum operating speed of 80 km/h. Lines 1 and 2 use CRRC Qingdao Sifang and CRRC Chengdu trains. Trains on Line 3 and 4 are manufactured by CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles and CRRC Chengdu. In 2008, Chengdu Metro in anticipation of the opening of Line 1, purchased and initial order of 17 six car trains sets  from CRRC Qingdao Sifang. In April 2011, a further order was announced for trains from CRRC for Line 2, taking the total to 59 six car sets. Light Rail Trains. Currently, only Chengdu Light Rail Line 2 is in operation. Light Rail Line 2 uses low floor light rail trains provided by domestic manufacturer CRRC. The tram system uses light rail trains, of each having 5 cars and 8 doors. opened to public on 26 December 2018 and extended on 27 December 2019. It is 39.3 km long, with 35 stations (47 station when completed). In early 2020, this line  is included in the latest Chengdu Metro's official system map. Other Rail Transit. High-speed intercity rail. There are also two high-speed intercity railways in Chengdu, not part of Chengdu Metro system: the Chengdu–Dujiangyan intercity railway and Chengdu–Pujiang intercity railway. They are operated by Chengdu Metropolitan Railway Company Limited, which is China's first joint venture between a local government and China's national rail operator. The city and the Ministry of Railways worked together in building high-speed intercity rail lines.