Shenyang Metro

Shenyang Metro is a metro system currently under construction in the city of Shenyang, Liaoning province in China. The construction of the first line, Line 1, started in November 18th, 2005 and it's expected to complete in December 2009. Line 1 is an east to west line with a total length of 22.2km and 18 stops. The cost of Line 1 will be 8.88 billion yuan or 1.1 billion US dollars. The construction on Line 2 started in November 18th, 2006. Line 2 is a 19.3km north to south line with 17 stations. It's expected to be put into service by 2010.

History

Shenyang was one of the first Chinese cities with a subway plan. The initial plan of building a subway line in Shenyang was as early as 1940, when a Japanese company drew a design of 52km subway lines. [ Shenyang subway net [http://www.syditie.com/english.htm] ] The subway program revived again in 1965, when the Chinese government decided that the four biggest cities at that time, Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Shenyang should build subway system for military reasons. However, due to the Cultural Revolution, only Beijing subway and Tianjin subway were built. While the Shanghai subway system were put into service in 1995, because of the economy decline in Shenyang during 1980s-1990s, Shenyang's subway program was postponed again. A light rail system was designed in the early 1990s as a cheaper alternative, however this plan was also dead. When the city's economy revived in 2000s, the subway dream rematerialized. Finally in the year 2005, the subway proposal was approved by the Chinese central government and the construction work began. [ Subway construction plan for Shenyang ratified [http://english.people.com.cn/200508/22/eng20050822_203985.html] ]

Future Plan

There will be two east-west lines, two north-south lines, a loop line, and two branches. The total length will be 182.5 km (see map at [http://www.urbanrail.net/as/shny/shenyang.htm] ).

References

External links

* [http://www.symtc.com/ Shenyang Metro] (primarily in Chinese)
* [http://www.syditie.com/english.htm Shenyang metro] (English)