Chongqing Rail Transit
The Chongqing Rail Transit is the rapid transit system in the city of Chongqing, China. In operation since 2005, it serves the transportation needs of the city's main business and entertainment downtown areas and inner suburbs., CRT consisted of eight lines, with a total track length of. Lines 1, 4, 5, 6, 10 and the Loop line are conventional heavy-rail subways, while Lines 2 and 3 are high-capacity monorails. To keep up with urban growth, construction is under way on Lines 9, 18 and S5, in addition to extensions to Lines 1, 4, 5, 6, 10 and the Loop line. A network of 18 lines is planned.
The Chongqing Rail Transit is a unique transit system in China because of the geography of Chongqing being a densely-populated but mountainous city, with multiple river valleys. Two lines use heavy-monorail technology, leveraging the ability to negotiate steep grades and tight curves and rapid transit capacity. They are capable of transporting 32,000 passengers per hour per direction. At, the system's two monorail lines form the longest monorail system in the world, with the Line 3 being the world's longest single monorail line even if the Airport branch is excluded. The length and the capacity of its monorail network both also make it the world's busiest monorail system, with a total of 94 million and 250 million rides in 2015 on Line 2 and Line 3, respectively. The latter ridership statistic for Line 3 also makes it the world's busiest single monorail line.
The extreme difference in elevation between the river valleys and the hilly plateaus of Chongqing pose a unique challenge in designing alignments for conventional rail transit lines. The network currently has the world's highest metro-only bridge, the Caijia Rail Transit Bridge for Line 6, spanning the Jialing River valley, with the bridge deck being approximately 100 m above the water. Hongtudi station is the deepest subway station in China and the second-deepest station in the world, after the Kiev Metro's Arsenalna, with Line 10's platforms being more than below the surface. Liyuchi station, also on Line 10, is the second-deepest station in China, being below the surface.
The Chongqing Rail Transit is also in the process of constructing a number of extremely-long metro-only suspension bridges. The Gaojiahuayuan Rail Transit Bridge is currently the longest transit only bridge in China and carries the western arc of the Loop line over the Jialing River using a long bridge with a main span of. The long Egongyan Rail Transit Bridge carries the southern arc of the Loop line across the Yangtze River using a long suspension main span, making it the longest cable supported metro-only bridge by main span in the world. The Nanjimen Bridge will carry Line 10 trains across a cable-stayed bridge with a main span of, making it the longest metro-only cable-stayed bridge by main span in the world. Finally, the Chongqing Rail Transit has numerous double-deck bridges carrying vehicle and metro traffic, such as the Chaotianmen Bridge, which is the world's longest arch bridge.
Network
Loop line
The Loop line is a rapid transit loop line. The northeastern section was opened on 28 December 2018. When the line is fully completed, it will run through two important railway stations: Chongqing North Railway Station, and Chongqing West Railway Station.Line 1
Line 1 runs from Chaotianmen, in the central west, to Shapingba and then to Bishan with a total length of. It has 24 stations, including interchange stations with Line 2, at in Jiefangbei CBD and at, and with Line 3, at Lianglukou, near Chongqing railway station, in the Caiyuanba section of central Yuzhong. It is the first heavy-rail subway line in Chongqing and the second in Western China. The passenger capacity is 36,000 passengers per hour in each way. The line serves as the system's backbone connecting the densest areas including the main Central Business Districts of Jiefangbei, Lianglukou, Daping, and Shapingba. It is the first conventional subway, running in a deep-bored tunnel below Yuzhong and Shapingba Districts.In 1992, the Chongqing government signed a Build-Operate-Transfer agreement with a Hong Kong company and provided the land for the project, but work ceased in 1997 because of legal issues. Work resumed from Chaotianmen to Shapingba on 9 June 2009, and a limited opening occurred on 28 July 2011. Thales provided an operations control centre for the line.
Line 2
Line 2, a monorail line, runs and has 25 stations. It begins as a subway under downtown Jiefangbei, then runs west along the southern bank of Jialing River on an elevated line, and then turns south into the southwestern inner suburbs, looping back east, to terminate at Yudong, in Ba'nan District. It runs mostly elevated, but a section is underground, including three of its 18 stations in the Jiefangbei CBD and central Daping areas in the extremely-dense area of Yuzhong District. Line 2 runs through four administrative districts in the central city. In 2010, Line 2 served 45 million passengers. It also runs through Daping CBD and Yangjiaping CBD in Jiulongpo District and Chongqing Zoo at Zoo Station. Most trains have four cars, and six-car trains began to operate in September 2012. Line 2 is the first rapid transit line to open in the Interior West of China, in 2005. In 2013, six-car trains are being implemented because of overcrowding and increasing demand.Line 3
Line 3 is the longest and busiest monorail in the world. It runs from north to south and links the districts separated by the Yangtze and the Jialing Rivers. The initial segment, from Lianglukou to Yuanyang, opened on 29 September 2011, with a northern extension, from Yuanyang to Jiangbei Airport, opening on 30 December 2011. A southern extension, from Ertang to Yudong, opened on 28 December 2012.Most trains have six cars, more than on the older Line 2. The line started to equip eight-car trains in 2014, which are now in operation. There are interchange stations in central Yuzhong district with Line 1, at Lianglukou, and with Line 2, at.
Line 4
Line 4 is a rapid transit line. In June 2018, debugging of the first segment of Phase I commenced. The line began operating on 28 December that year.Line 5
Line 5 is a northeast-southwest heavy-rail line crossing the centre, and the line has opened its northern section of phase 1, from the EXPO Garden Center to Dashiba. It will connect Yubei, Jiangbei, Yuzhong, Jiulongpo, Shapingba and Dadukou districts, and the extension line from Tiaodeng to Dingshan in Jiangjin district is under construction. New six-car trains were introduced on the line.Line 6
Line 6 is the second heavy-rail subway line of Chongqing. Opened on 28 September 2012, it connects Nan'an, Yuzhong, Jiangbei and Yubei districts, in central Chongqing.A northern branch, from Lijia to Wulukou, Beibei District, was opened on 31 December 2013, long with five stations. Phase 1 of the Chayuan extension was opened in 2014. Thales provided an operations control centre for the line.
Line 10
The line serves the North Railway station and the airport terminals. The first phase opened on 28 December 2017, and the second phase will connect Yuzhong and Nan'an districts by crossing the Jialing and the Yangtze rivers. Two new bridges, Zengjiayan Jialing River Bridge and Nanjimen Railway Bridge, are under construction for train services to the south.Fares
Single-journey ticket
Tickets range from 2 to ¥7, depending on the distance. Day passes cost ¥18.Refund
Only unused tickets bought on the same day and at the same station can be refunded without an explanation. If the train was delayed for over 15 minutes, the tickets may be refunded, and a certificate of delay can be acquired.Transport cards
CRT accepts Life & Transport Card and its compatible cards, released by partner companies in other cities of China. There is a 10% discount applied to the Regular Card if it is used on public transit in the city. The higher price is paid for transfers between the bus and the metro within 1 hour. The Regular Card can be purchased at any CRT station, and a deposit can be recovered when the card is returned with its receipt. In addition the card can be used in many shops, cinemas, restaurants, etc. in Chongqing. The Students' Card and the Elders' Card can not be directly used on the metro since their monthly fee covers only buses unless a cash sub-account, which allows a 50% discount, is added to the cards for free at the service points.Time limit
All trips must be completed in 3 hours upon entering the fare-paid area, or the highest ticket price in the system will be charged in addition.Operation
During times of heavy use like for major events, CRT may close some stations to avoid overcrowding. In 2018, CRT closed Xiaoshizi, Jiaochangkou, Qixinggang, Lianglukou, Xiaolongkan, and Shapingba stations of Line 1; Jiaochangkou and Linjiangmen stations of Line 2; Lianglukou, Huaxinjie, Guanyinqiao, and Hongqihegou stations of Line 3; Shangxinjie, Xiaoshizi, Grand Theater, Jiangbeicheng, and Hongqihegou stations of Line 6 after 20:00 on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, after 19:00 on New Year's Eve. And they also closed Shapingba and Shangxinjie stations of Loop line after 19:00 on New Year's Eve.From 9 to 12 November 2018, they closed Grand Theater and Jiangbeicheng stations from 10:00 to 15:00 because of heavy use during Flower Expo; from 1 to 7 November 2019, they closed Grand Theater and Jiangbeicheng stations since 10:00 till 16:00 because of heavy use during Flower Expo.
Wi-fi
Free Wi-fi is provided on most platforms and trains on Lines 1 and 6 at 5 GHz. An app, Heikuai, is required.Accessibility
Almost every station has accessible elevators and toilets, and almost every train has wheelchair locks. Only the oldest rolling stock and toilets of Line 2 are not fully accessible. In addition, many older interchange channels between lines are not designed with accessibility in mind, which means the disabled there must transfer via the main concourse.Luggage rack
The trains on Line 10, which links Jiangbei Airport and Chongqing North railway station, are equipped with a luggage rack on each car.History
The CRT is part of the central government's project to develop the Western regions. The Japan Bank for International Cooperation provided some of the funding. Construction was carried out, with co-operation between Changchun Railway Vehicles Co. Ltd. and Hitachi Monorail, which used advanced Japanese monorail technology. Construction on Line 2 began in 1999, and the line was officially opened in June 2005 from Jiaochangkou to Zoo.Planning timeline
1946
The Nationalist government made a plan of high-speed tram system. The rail weighs 47.77 kg/m, with a rail gauge of 1000 mm, a maximum slope of 9%, a minimum radius of curvature of 80 m. The top speed is in the urban area and in the suburban area. The train was 8 m long, 1.8 m wide, with two 35-horsepower motors and a trailer. Each train took 240 passengers. The headway was designed to be 10 minutes. The system was expected to carry 1 million passengers per day. Some of the tracks were underground.- Line A, Longmenhao – Ciqikou, 9 Stations,
- Line B, Longmenhao – Nanwenquan, 7 Stations,
- Line C, Longmenhao – Datiankan, 3 Stations,
1960
1983
A subway line was planned. It is the precursor to today's Line 2.1991
A monorail system was planned.- Chaotianmen – Shapingba, the forerunner of Line 1.
- Chaotianmen – Xinshancun, the forerunner of Line 2.
- Airport Line: Xinpaifang – Nanping, the forerunner of Line 3.
- Link Line: Yangjiaping – Shiqiaopu.
1998
- Line 1: Chaotianmen – Shuangbei.
- Line 2: Chaotianmen – Jiugongmiao.
- Line 3: Jiangbei Airport – Sigongli.
- Line 4: Sigongli – Shiqiaopu.
- Line 5: Tongjiayuanzi – Zhongliangshan.
2003 and 2007
2013
The current plan is an expanded edition of the 2007 plan, with a length of about. Eight new lines were merged to the plan, with some minor modifications.Testing timeline
The tests left some tunnels, which were reused in the construction of Lines 1 and 2.- In late 1958, the "Yuzhong District Subway Engineering Unit" was started, only to be suspended one year later.
- In 1965, the unit was reinstated. It has 4 units, including more than 1000 workers in total. Construction was stopped again in late 1966 by the Cultural Revolution. The unit was officially disbanded again in 1971. The completed tunnel sections were taken over by the Civil Air Defense Department.
- In 1988, some Hong Kong businessmen arrived to start a metro company in Lianglukou. The original completed tunnel sections where extended.
Opening timeline