Planning for a metro system began in the early 2000s in the meantime the mostly elevated Xiamen BRT opened in 2008. The initial phase of construction of the metro system was compiled as the Xiamen Urban Rail Transit Construction Plan on 24 December 2010 and was approved by the National Development and Reform Commission on 11 May 2012. The construction started on 13 November 2013. Xiamen Urban Rail Transit Group was founded for the purpose of construction and operation. On 8 October 2016, the National Development and Reform Commission approved phase II of the Xiamen Urban Rail Transit Construction Plan. The approved phase I of system development includes three lines with 62 stations, in length. The construction cost is projected to be 50.37 billion yuan. The approved phase II of system development includes four lines with 67 stations, in length. The construction cost is projected to be 100.092 billion yuan. In addition, an intercity railway system consisting of two lines and in length was also approved.
Network
Line 1
Line 1, with 24 stations, length, 50 min duration of trip and 20.39 billion yuan cost of construction, was opened on 31 December 2017. The line goes from south to north. The depot is situated at the northern end and is Xiamen Metro's principal depot. The line goes through Xiamen North Railway Station and connects the island and mainland parts of the city through a dam. Route: Lundu Ferry Terminal, Old Town, Jimei New Town, Xiamen North Railway Station. Line 1's color is orange. Line 1 uses six car CRRC Tangshan rolling stock.
Line 2
is in length with 32 stations. It was opened on December 25, 2019. It runs from east to west through Xiamen Island and then through Haicang channel to the mainland.
Under Construction
Line 3
will be in length with 26 stations and is scheduled to be complete by 2020. It will serve the Xiamen Island from southwest to northeast then cross to the mainland and head towards Xiamen's new Xiang'an Airport.
will be in length with 18 stations and is scheduled to be complete by 2020. Unlike other lines, which are radial lines that connect Xiamen island to the mainland, this line is a tangential express line running strictly on the mainland around Xiamen Island. It will connect Xiamen's new Xiang'an Airport to Xiamen North railway station.
will be in length with 27 stations and is scheduled to be complete by 2022. Like Line 4, it is a tangential line running strictly on the mainland north of Xiamen Island.
Future plans
Xiamen city government plans to build an urban-suburban metro network comprising eleven lines, in length, with 188 stations. Lines 3 and Line 6 will be extended further south by 4 stations, length and further north by 7 stations, length. Line 11 with 31 stations and length will be reconstructed mainly from the BRT line. Line 5 will have 27 stations and length. Line 5 counts 29 stations and length. Like Line 1, Line 4 and Line 11 will intersect at the new main Xiamen North railway station in Jimei District. In addition, there are long-term plans to connect the Xiamen Metro with neighboring cities of Zhangzhou and Quanzhou.
