Nanchang Metro
Metro system in Nanchang, China
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nanchang Metro, officially Nanchang Rail Transit, is a rapid transit system in Nanchang, Jiangxi, China. The Metro opened for commercial operation in December 2015.[2] As of 2025, four lines are operational. After the latest expansions in June 2025, the network is currently 163.0 km (101.3 mi) in length. A Line 5 is currently still under planning.[3][4]
| Nanchang Rail Transit | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Overview | |||
| Locale | Nanchang, Jiangxi, China | ||
| Transit type | Rapid transit | ||
| Number of lines | 4 | ||
| Number of stations | 122 | ||
| Daily ridership | 1,182,700 (2025 average)[1]
2.6996 million (2025 Peak)[1] | ||
| Website | official site | ||
| Operation | |||
| Began operation | December 26, 2015 (Line 1)[2] | ||
| Operator(s) | Nanchang Rail Transit Group Co., Ltd. | ||
| Technical | |||
| System length | 163.0 km (101.3 mi) | ||
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge | ||
| |||
| Nanchang Rail Transit | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simplified Chinese | 南昌轨道交通 | ||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 南昌軌道交通 | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| Nanchang Metro | |||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 南昌地铁 | ||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 南昌地鐵 | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Network
Network map
| Line | Terminals (District) |
Commencement | Newest Extension |
Length km |
Stations | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Changbei Airport (Xinjian) |
Maqiu (Nanchang Co.) |
2015 | 2025[4] | 49.8 | 34 |
| 2 | Nanlu (Xinjian) |
Nanchang East Railway Station (Qingshanhu) |
2017 | 2025[4] | 45.1 | 37 |
| 3 | Jingdong Avenue (Qingshanhu) |
Yinsanjiao North (Nanchang Co.) |
2020 | — | 28.5 | 22 |
| 4 | Yuweizhou (Qingshanhu) |
Baimashan (Honggutan) |
2021 | — | 39.6[5] | 29 |
| Total | 163.0 | 122 | ||||
History
Origins
The construction of a rail transit system in Nanchang was first proposed in the beginning of the 2000s.[6] The population of the urban core of Nanchang is projected to reach 3.5 million people by 2020.[7] In August 2005, Jiangxi Provincial Development & Reform Commission and Nanchang City Government replied to the proposal of building a metro system, and the City Government considered listing the proposal in the Eleventh Five-year plan.[8] In November, a plan of 4 metro and 1 light rail was drafted.[9][10] In 2006, the City officially started the research of building a rail transit system.[11] In the second half of 2007, the prophase research of the construction of the system was initiated.[6] On 30 July 2008, the construction of Nanchang Metro was formally included in the priority agenda.[12]
Planning
Initial Plan
In 2008, Nanchang was approved to build a rail transit system by the State Council,[13] and Nanchang Rail Transit Group Co., Ltd. was incorporated on 16 October 2008 to construct and operate Nanchang Metro.[14] On 15 September, the planned 5 routes were notified to the public,[3][15][16][17] which was approved by the State Council in July 2009.[18][19] On 29 July 2009, the construction of Nanchang City Rapid Rail Transit officially began,[20][21] and also on the same day the detailed route and construction plan of the five lines was proclaimed at the press conference.[22] In July 2010, the National Development and Reform Commission approved the feasibility study report of the first phase of Nanchang Metro Line 1.[23]
Construction of Line 1 has started on 29 July 2009,[20] and the line opened on December 26, 2015.[24][25]
In April 2013, the Government planned to acquire approval for all 5 lines by 2014, start constructing all planned lines from 2015, and plan Line 6 to Line 10 to complement the existing network.[26][27]
As of August 2013, the construction of Line 2 also started with the first section opening on August 18, 2017.[28] The construction was planned for Line 3 to start in September 2014, and Line 4 will be constructed as soon as September 2015.[29][30]
Phase 2
On 31 May 2013, Nanchang Government submitted three candidate plans for the Phase 2 construction (2014-2020) to the expert panel,[31][32] which chose the compromising Plan 2.[29][33] According to the plan, Line 2 will be extended to both directions from 2014, Line 1 from 2016.
Line 1 north and Line 2 east extension both started construction in September 2021.[34][35] The project extended Line 1 north from Shuanggang Station to Changbei Airport. The extension is 16.62 km (10.33 mi) in length, including 11.86 km (7.37 mi) underground and 3.23 km (2.01 mi) elevated.[36] Line 2 was extended from Xinjia'an Station to Nanchang East railway station, the extension is 10.52 km (6.54 mi) in length and fully underground.[36] Both extensions were opened in June 2025.[4]
Future
Rolling Stock
Nanchang Metro uses Type B rolling stock, whose cars are 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in) in width, 3.8 m (12 ft 6 in) in height and 19 m (62 ft 4 in) in length, providing the system with maximum capacity of 30,000 to 55,000 passenger per hour per direction.[37]
Ticketing
Single ticket will be available as plastic packaged RFID coin like many other cities in China.[38] Existing pre-payment smart cards such as local Hongcheng Tong (Chinese: 洪城通) are also expected to be used in Nanchang Metro.
