Category Archives: newlines

Shanghai Metro Line 13 extended

This week we’re previewing several new lines and extensions which opened at the end of December 2014. Today, Shanghai Metro Line 13. Line 13 has gone through a number of iterations over the last few years. If you were in Shanghai during the 2010 World Expo you may recall a small section of Line 13 was open to ferry people into the Expo site. That section subsequently closed, and a new section of Line 13 in western Shanghai opened in 2012, from Jinshajiang Road to Jinyun Road. This year, Line 13 has been extended three stations eastwards, with two new interchange stations:


Later in 2015, Line 13 will be extended eastwards and southwards:

  • Jiangning Road
  • Hanzhong Road (interchange with Line 1 and 12)
  • Shanhaiguan Road
  • West Nanjing Road (interchange with Line 2 and 12)
  • Middle Huaihai Road
  • Xintiandi (interchange with Line 10)
  • Madang Road (interchange with Line 9)
  • Lupu Bridge
  • Shibo Avenue
  • Changqing Road (interchange with Line 7)

Year-end metro openings for Shanghai and Beijing

December 2014 should see several new lines and extensions opening in Shanghai and Beijing.

In Shanghai, Line 13 will be extended by three stops, with a new Line 11/13 interchange at Longde Road and a new Line 7/13 interchange at Changshou Road. Additionally Line 16 should be extended with a new Line 2/7/16/Maglev interchange at Longyang Road.

In Beijing, one major change is the switch from a flat 2RMB fare to distance-based pricing from 3RMB to 10RMB beginning December 28. There are also several new lines opening: a brand new east-west line, Line 7, plus extensions to Line 6, Line 14 and Line 15.

As you may know, ExploreMetro is run by just one person and I’m currently in the United States, preparing to get married on December 31st! So, for personal reasons, the Explore Shanghai and Explore Beijing apps will likely not be updated with all the new lines until early January. Thanks for your patience.

Update 1! Basic updates to the online maps and Android apps are now available. Some information like first/last train times will be updated in early January. iOS apps will also be updated in early January.

Update 2! Updates to our iOS apps are also now available!

All change as Taipei Songshan Line opens

It’s all change on the Taipei Metro this week as the new Songshan Line opens. Although only 4 new stations have opened: Songshan, Nanjing Sanmin, Taipei Arena and Beimen, there’s also been a major reorientation of services on the other lines, leading to much improved and simplified interchanges in central Taipei. The Songshan Line connects through to the Xindian Line as part of the new Line 3, shown in green on the map below:

Screenshot 2014-11-16 22.29.34

Additionally, the lines in Taipei have now been numbered for the first time, aiding tourists and visitors to Taipei.

* The Wenhu Line (brown) is now Line 1
* The Tamsui-Xinyi Line (red) is now Line 2
* The Songshan-Xindian Line (green) is now Line 3
* The Zhonghe-Xinlu Line (orange) is now Line 4
* The Bannan Line (blue) is now Line 5

We’ve updated our online map at taipei.exploremetro.com with all the new stations and lines. Updates to our iOS and Android apps are coming soon! Due to the large number of changes, there may be some errors or issues with the maps. Spot anything out of place? Do get in touch!

Qufu Road interchange opens on Shanghai Metro

The Shanghai Metro company has announced that Qufu Road is now open as an interchange between Line 8 and Line 12. Previously Line 12, which opened earlier in the year, terminated at Tiantong Road.

Screenshot 2014-05-11 19.31.53

The new interchange is expected to bring even more traffic to the already-overcrowded Line 8. During rush hour, a one-way system will be used to help passengers flow around the station more easily.

We’ve just pushed live updates to our online map at www.exploreshanghai.com and our Android app, an update to our iPhone app has been submitted to Apple and should be approved within the next week.

 

Guangzhou Metro Line 6 opens

Guangzhou Metro Line 6 has opened to passengers. The new line runs from Xunfenggang in Baiyun District, through Liwan and Yuexiu, and terminates at Changban in Tianhe District. There are new interchanges with Line 5 at Tanwei, Line 1 at Huangsha, Line 2 at Haizhu Square, Line 1 at Dongshankou, and Line 3 at Yantang and Tianhe Coach Terminal.

Here’s a preview of the new line:

guangzhouHere’s the full list of new stations

  • Xunfenggang 浔峰岗
  • Hengsha 横沙
  • Shabei 沙贝
  • Hesha 河沙
  • Tanwei 坦尾
  • Ruyifang 如意坊
  • Huangsha 黄沙
  • Culture Park 文化公园
  • Yide Lu 一德路 (closed)
  • Haizhu Square 海珠广场
  • Beijing Lu 北京路
  • Tuanyida Guangchang 团一大广场
  • Donghu 东湖
  • Dongshankou 东山口
  • Ouzhuang 区庄
  • Huanghuagang 黄花岗
  • Shaheding 沙河顶
  • Shahe 沙河 (closed)
  • Tianpingjia 天平架
  • Yantang 燕塘
  • Tianhe Coach Terminal 天河客运站
  • Changban 长湴

Updates to our online map, iOS and Android apps will be available soon!

 

 

Beijing Subway Line 8 gets longer

Beijing Subway’s Line 8 is scheduled to receive two extensions this December! The northern extension connects Line 8 with the Changping Line, with a cross-platform interchange at Zhuxinzhuang. There are new stations at Pingxifu and Yuzhilu.

Screenshot 2013-12-23 07.52.16

The southern extension adds three stations at Shichahai, Nanluoguxiang (now an interchange with Line 6), with the terminal station at National Art Museum.
Screenshot 2013-12-23 07.52.32

 

In the future (by around 2017), Line 8 will continue futher south, through Wangfujing, Qianmen and beyond.

Meanwhile, interchanges between Line 1 and Line 9 are now possible at Military Museum station.

Beijing Subway expert David Feng reports that interchange times are around 5 minutes for Line 1 to Line 9 and 8-10 minutes from Line 9 to Line 1. The interchange passageway is well-lit with wide corridors, but includes steep stairs!

military-museum

 

Updates to our online map, iPhone and Android apps will be available soon!

Shanghai Metro Line 12: Cruise Control

It’s that time of year again, when metro systems in China prepare to open new lines. We’re expecting two brand new lines to open in Shanghai in late December 2013: Line 12 and Line 16. Today we’re previewing Line 12.

Line 12 will eventually pass all the way through the city center, from Pudong to Minhang, but for now the Phase 1 contains 15 stations. Phase 1 starts at Tiantong Road on Line 10, one stop north of East Nanjing Road. It heads west along the North Bund, passing the new International Cruise Terminal, and interchanges with Line 4 at Dalian Road. It then continues east with six more stations in Puxi, before crossing the river and intersecting with Line 6 at Jufeng Road. The final terminus is Jinhai Road in Pudong, which will eventually be a interchange with Line 9.

In around May 2014, the line will also be extended by one line to the west to interchange with Line 8 at Qufu Road.

The full list of stations is:

  • Tiantong Road 天潼路
  • International Cruise Terminal 国际客运中心
  • Tilanqiao 提篮桥
  • Dalian Road 大连路
  • Jiangpu Park 江浦公园
  • Ningguo Road 宁国路
  • Longchang Road 隆昌路
  • Aiguo Road 爱国路
  • Fuxing Island 复兴岛
  • Donglu Road 东陆路
  • Jufeng Road 巨峰路
  • North Yanggao Road 杨高北路
  • Jinjing Road 金京路
  • Shenjiang Road 申江路
  • Jinhai Road 金海路

Line 12 is labelled dark green on the map:

Screenshot 2013-12-14 16.10.25

Our metro maps online, for Android and iPhone will be updated as soon as the new line opens (around December 28th, 2013).

Shanghai Metro Line 16: the Dishui Lake Express

It’s that time of year again, when metro systems in China prepare to open new lines. We’re expecting two brand new lines to open in Shanghai in late December 2013: Line 12 and Line 16.

Today we’re previewing Line 16. Line 16 is entirely in Pudong, and currently connects Luoshan Road station, at the end of Line 11, with Dishui Lake, a man-made circular lake, near Lingang New City. The line also passes the Shanghai Wild Animal Park and the site of the future Pudong Railway Station. The line will also be extended to connect to Longyang Road (Line 2/7 and Maglev) in future. You’ll also be able to connect to Shanghai Disney Resort via Line 11 by 2015 at Luoshan Road.

Trains on Line 16 will run faster than regular metro stations due to having to cover a longer distance, and seats will face forwards/backwards, instead of sideways like on other lines.

The full list of stations is:

  • Luoshan Road 罗山路
  • East Zhoupu 周浦东
  • Heshahangcheng 鹤沙航城
  • East Hangtou 航头东
  • Xinchang 新场
  • Wild Animal Park 野生动物园
  • Huinan 惠南
  • East Huinan 惠南东
  • Shuyuan 书院
  • Lingang Avenue 临港大道
  • Dishui Lake 滴水湖

Screenshot 2013-12-11 18.51.52

Our metro maps online, for Android and iPhone will be updated as soon as the new line opens (around December 28th, 2013).

Singapore Downtown MRT Line opens 22 December 2013

The Singapore MRT‘s long-awaited Downtown Line opens its first phase on 22 December 2013. Six stations of what will eventually be a 34-station, 42 km line will start services on a semi-circular loop in the city center. The line starts at Bugis, connecting to the East West Line, continues through Promenade and Bayfront (both on the Circle Line), then two new stations Downtown and Telok Ayer, before ending at Chinatown, on the North East Line.

The new line is colored blue on MRT maps, and the driverless trains will run fully underground. Here’s a sneak preview of the new line:

Downtown MRT

Look out for updates to our online map, iOS and Android apps before December 22nd!