THE end of 2023 was marked by the opening of several new metro lines and extensions in cities across China, including the 23.3km Line 19 in Wuhan, which entered service on December 30.

Located in the eastern part of the city, Line 19 runs from the West Square at Wuhan’s main railway station southwards to Xinyuexi Park, providing interchange with Line 11 at Guanggu 5th Road.

December 30 also saw the opening of three extensions to the Beijing metro network, including a 800m extension of Line 11 from Jin’anqiao to Moshikou. Line 11 now runs underground for a total of 4.2km from Moshikou to Xinshougang, serving four stations and providing interchange with Line 6 at Jin’anqiao.

Line 16 has been extended by 3.2km from Yushuzhuang to Wanpingcheng, and now runs for a total of 48.9km from Beianhe to Wanpingcheng.

The longest metro line to open in Beijing on December 30 was the 24.9km northern section of Line 17 from Workers’ Stadium to Future Science City North. Line 17 will run for a total of 49.7km when the section under the city centre is completed. It will connect Workers’ Stadium with Shilihe, the terminus of the 16.5km southern section to Jiahuihu, which opened on December 31 2021.

In Chongqing, the new Line 18 opened on December 28. This runs for 29km from an interchange with Line 9 at Fuhualu to Tiaodengnan in the south of the city.

December 28 also saw two metro extensions enter service in Guangzhou. A new 9.8km section of Line 5 from Wenchong to Huangpu New Port has opened, together with a 19.9km extension of Line 7 from Higher Education Mega Center South to Yanshan.

The 10.7km southern section of Line 7 in Nanjing opened on December 28, running from Yingtiandajie to Xishanqiao. The northern 12.6km section Mufuxilu to Xianxinlu had entered service on December 28 2022, and the two currently isolated portions of Line 7 now run for a total of 35.7km serving 27 stations.

In Tianjin, December 28 saw the entry into service of the first section of the new Line 11, running for 13.7km from Dongjiangdao to Dongliliujinglu.

The second metro line opened in the city of Nantong on December 27. Line 2 runs for 20.9km from Xingfu to Xianfeng, providing interchange with Line 1 at Hepingqiao and Wenfeng and also serving Nantong and Nantong East railway stations.

December 27 was also marked by a new addition to the major metro network in Shenzhen, an 8km extension of Line 8 from Yantian Road to Xiaomeisha.

Two extensions to the Hefei metro opened on December 26, including the 14.5km section of Line 2 from Sanshibu to Cuozhen. Line 3 has been extended by 9.5km from Xingfuba to Sheng Ertong Yiyuan Xinqu.

A short 800m extension of Line 3 in Harbin also opened on December 26, running from Chinese-Baroque Block to Beima Road.

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