Shenzhen Metro

Infobox Public transit
name = Shenzhen Metro (SZM)
imagesize = 48px
locale = Shenzhen
transit_type = Rapid transit
began_operation = December 28, 2004
system_length = 21.866 km
lines = 2
stations = 19
ridership = unknown (July 2006)
track_gauge = 1435 mm Standard Gauge
operator = Shenzhen Metro Company (SZMC)

The Shenzhen Metro (SZM) is the underground railway in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. It is owned by the Shenzhen Metro Company (SZMC).

After the opening of the Shenzhen Metro, Shenzhen has become the 5th city with an underground railway system in mainland China (after Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and Guangzhou).

Current system

Line 1

Trains operate at 5 minute frequency during peak hours and 6 to 11 minute frequencies at other times. An electronic signboard system displays estimated train arrival times.Currently, there are 15 stations opened on this line:
* "Luo Hu" (Lo Wu, 罗湖); transfer to MTR East Rail Line Lo Wu station in Hong Kong via Customs and surface bus connections from Luo Hu
* "Guo Mao" (国贸, International Trade Centre)
* "Lao Jie" (老街, literally "Old Street")
* "Da Ju Yuan" (大剧院, Grand Theatre Diwang and MixC)
* "Ke Xue Guan" (科学馆, Science Museum Jusco)
* "Hua Qiang Lu" (华强路, Huaqiang Road)
* "Gang Xia" (岗厦)
* "Hui Zhan Zhong Xin" (会展中心, Exhibition Centre + Central Walk) " [Interchange station for line number 4] "
* "Gou Wu Gong Yuan" (购物公园, Shopping Park Coco Park)
* "Xiang Mi Hu" (香蜜湖, Honey Lake)
*" Che Gong Miao" (车公庙, Che Gong Temple)
* "Zhu Zi Lin" (竹子林, Bamboo Forest)
* "Qiao Cheng Dong" (侨城东, Overseas Chinese Town East)
* "Hua Qiao Cheng" (华侨城, Overseas Chinese Town)
* "Shi Jie Zhi Chuang" (Window of the World, 世界之窗)

Line 4

Trains operate at 10 minute frequencies at all times. There are electronic signboard system which display estimated train arrival times.

* "Shao Nian Gong" (少年宫 Youth Palace)
* "Shi Min Zhong Xin" (市民中心 Civic Centre)
* "Hui Zhan Zhong Xin" (会展中心) " [Interchange station for line number 1] "
* "Fu Min" (福民)
* "Fu Tian Kou An" (福田口岸) — transfer to MTR East Rail Line Lok Ma Chau station in Hong Kong. The station was formely named "Huang Gang" (皇岗), and it was renamed on Aug 15, 2008 to avoid confusion with Huang Gang Kou An.

History

First phase

The grand opening of the Shenzhen Metro system occurred at 5:00pm on Tuesday, December 28, 2004. The trial run was just in time for celebrations of the Chinese New Year. Initially the trains operated at 15 minute frequencies and consisted of the Number 1 and Number 4 rail lines.

Line 4 extension

The second phase of line number 4 will be built by MTR Corporation Limited. The whole line will be operated by MTR on a BOT basis. MTR, in which Hong Kong's government owns a controlling stake, has also signed memorandums of understanding to invest in Line 2 and Line 3, which will cost more than 10 billion renminbi. Line 4 will be extended to Longhua, and will connect with Shenzhen's new long distance railway station.

Huanggang station opened on June 28, 2007 [cite web |url=http://www.szmc.net/06news/pop.jsp?infoID=4692 |title=深圳地铁皇岗站正式开通 |accessdate=2007-07-01] .

Line 1 airport extension

Line One is presently being extended from Shijie Zhi Chuang to Shenzhen Airport. An experimental section extending to Gao Xin Yuan from Shijie Zhi Chuang is scheduled to open in 2009. In 2010 it is expected to open as far as Xixiang Zhongxin and then it will be completed to the airport at the end of 2011.

Line 2

Construction of Line 2 Phase 1 has commenced. It will run from Shijie Zhi Chuang, where it will connect with Line 1 to Shekou Keyun Gang (Shekou Ferry Terminal). Phase 2 will run from Shijie Zhi Chuang north of Line 1 and will connect with Line 4 at Shimin Zhongxin and with Line 1 again at Huaqiang Lu. According to urbanrail.net, it is due to open in 2010, although it is not clear whether this refers to Phase 1 or the whole line.

Line 3

Construction of Line 3 has commenced. It will connect with Line 1 at Guo Mao and Gouwu Gongyuan and run out to Longgang in the north-east of the city.

Current status and schedule

Both the Shenzhen Metro in Shenzhen and the MTR East Rail Line in Hong Kong connect to Luohu ("Lo Wu") and Huanggang/Lok Ma Chau Station, the border-crossing areas between the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Another crossing (road only)is Shenzhen Wan which goes from the New Territories across the bay to Shenzhen (Nanshan). Funds have now been allocated for a very long suspension bridge to connect Hong Kong, Macau and Shenzhen. Shenzhen Metro also connects to the Window of the World (世界之窗), a popular tourist spot in Shenzhen, which is the final westbound stop.

Approval has now (Sep2008) been given for a new line called Line 5. It will circle the north of Shenzhen (source Shenzhen Daily newspaper)

Station facilities, amenities and services

Stations have toilets (free of charge), and public telephones (although at some stations, these have not yet been connected). SZMC also operates luggage storage facilities in the concourse above Luo Hu Station.

Fares and tickets

Fare is payable in two methods: a Shenzhen Metro TransCard or by cash fare.

Shenzhen Metro TransCards

The SZMC charge cards are very similar to the Octopus card system used on the MTR rail lines in Hong Kong. The TransCard bills fare according to distance, so shorter trips are at a lower cost than maximum fare. Those using the card more than forty times in one month and eligible for a 'frequent-user' discount. The TransCards are the most cost effective way to use the system and are simple to use: the card is waved in front of a card reader that are located at all entrances and exits to the subway system. However, unlike Hong Kong Octopus CArds, Shenzhen Transcards cannot be sold back to the stations or have faults dealt with by SZMC. Instead, the customer must go to the offices of Shenzhen Transcard. Furthermore, no child fares are available, and student fares are only available to students studying in Shenzhen. SZM is a cheap alternative way to travel in the central-eastern part of Shenzhen (compared with other transport modes such as buses and taxis). However, it lacks connections to the east side, particularly Yantian, a high tech foreign business park and busy port. This, however, will be remedied at a later stage of development.

Cash fares

Cash fare consists of the maximum chargeable riding fare of four Renminbi and can be purchased at ticket machines or at the information counter. When using cash fare, a green RFID token is purchased and used to record the station entrance information. To exit the station, one needs only to deposit the token in the slot at the station exit gate. The maximum fare will be charged if the passenger is unable to return the token. People over 70 years of age and the disabled are entitled to free travel on the system.

SZM rolling stock

* 132 Bombardier Transportation Movia 456 6 car sets - Line 1
* 37 German Shanghai Metro Group (GSMG) 6 cars units - Line 1 and 2
* Siemens AG-Duewag/German Shanghai Metro Group Metro cars

Signaling System

For metro line 1, 4 and the extension of line 1, Siemens Transportation Systems supplied 7 (Phase 1) and 6 (Phase 2) LZB 700 M continuous automatic control systems; 7 (Phase 1) and 6 (Phase 2) electronic Sicas ESTT interlockings; the Vicos OC 501 operations control system with 2 operations control centers, fall-back level with Vicos OC 101 and RTU (FEP), 230 (Phase 1) and 240 (Phase 2) FTG S track vacancy detection units. [cite web | title=Metro Lines 1 and 4, Shenzhen, China | url=http://references.transportation.siemens.com/refdb/showReference.do?r=2195&div=2&l=en | date= | accessdate=2008-07-06]

See also

* List of rapid transit systems

References

External links

* [http://www.szmc.net Official website] (in Chinese)
* [http://www.urbanrail.net/as/shen/shenzhen.htm Shenzhen subway on urbanrail.net]