Nanchang Metro is a rapid transit system in Nanchang, Jiangxi, China. As of 2017, two lines are operational. The Metro opened for commercial operation in December 2015. The network is expected to exceed 122.2 km in length in 2020 after Phase 2 is finished. Additional complementary lines are also being considered. Five lines are planned with a total length of 163 km of network.
History
Origins
The construction of a rail transit system in Nanchang was first proposed in the beginning of the 2000s. The population of the urban core of Nanchang is projected to reach 3.5 million people by 2020. 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. In November, a plan of 4 metro and 1 light rail was drafted. In 2006, the City officially started the research of building a rail transit system. In the second half of 2007, the prophase research of the construction of the system was initiated. On 30 July 2008, the construction of Nanchang Metro was formally included in the priority agenda.
Plans
Initial Plan
In 2008, Nanchang was approved to build a rail transit system by the State Council, and Nanchang Rail Transit Group Co., Ltd. was incorporated on 16 October 2008 to construct and operate Nanchang Metro. On 15 September, the planned 5 routes were notified to the public, which was approved by the State Council in July 2009. On 29 July 2009, the construction of Nanchang City Rapid Rail Transit officially began, and also on the same day the detailed route and construction plan of the five lines was proclaimed at the press conference. 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.
Phase 2
On 31 May 2013, Nanchang Government submitted three candidate plans for the Phase 2 construction to the expert panel, which chose the compromising Plan 2. According to the plan, Line 2 will be extended to both directions from 2014, Line 1 from 2016; the construction of Line 3 will start as soon as September 2014, and Line 4 will be constructed as soon as September 2015.
Construction
Construction of Line 1 has started on 29 July 2009, and the line opened on December 26, 2015. As of August 2013, the construction of Line 2 also started with the first section opening on August 18, 2017.
Lines in operation
Infrastructure
Lines
Rolling Stock
Nanchang Metro uses Type B rolling stock, whose cars are 2.8 m in width, 3.8 m in height and 19 m in length, providing the system with maximum capacity of 30,000 to 55,000 passenger per hour per direction.
Ticketing
Single ticket will be available as plastic packaged RFID coin like many other cities in China. Existing pre-payment smart cards such as local Hongcheng Tong are also expected to be used in Nanchang Metro.
