People's Republic of China

Operating Lines

Anshan
Beijing
Changchun
Chongqing
Dalian
Guangzhou
Hong Kong
Nanjing
Shanghai
Shenyang
Shenzhen
Tianjin
Wuhan

Under Construction

Changsha
Changzhou
Chengdu
Datoig
Dongguan
Fuzhou
Guiyang
Harbin
Hangzhou
Hefei
Huizhou
Jiaxing
Jinan
Kunming
Lanzhou
Macau
Nanchang
Nanning
Ningbo
Quanzhou
Qingdao
Shuijiazhuang
Suzhou
Taiyuan
Urumqui
Weifang
Weihai
Wenzhou
Wuxi
Xi'an
Xiamen
Xuzhou
Zhengzhou
Zibo
Zibo

Workers of the Revolution: It's time to ride the People's Subway!

The dixia tielu (known by the locals as the dittie), means the underground iron road. A similar definition, hiro den, or "iron road", exists in Japan. The term qinggui denotes light rail, while the term kuaigui refers to a higher speed rail, i.e. an interurban, but not a subway.

Official policy states that only one transit system is allowed per city, but they can have as many lines as they wish. Cities trying to build more than one are forced to abortl the project. Things are rapidly changing in the home of the People's Subway, as cities build hundreds of kilometers of fresh new subways, light rails, monorails, and monosubways. Presently there are 11 Chinese cities with subways, but look out: there are 20 more applicants clamoring to build their own collective, happy system. As for the imperialist tramways, many still exist today.

For general, non-subway-specific information, be sure to check out Railways of China.

Metros are also planned for Changzhou Metro • Datong Metro • Dongguan Metro • Fuzhou Metro • Guiyang Metro • Hefei Subway • Jiaxing Metro • Jinan Metro • Lanzhou Metro • Nanning Metro • Quanzhou Metro • Shijiazhuang Metro • Taiyuan Metro • Ürümqi Metro • Xiamen Metro • Xuzhou Metro • Macau LRT*. A list of Chinese metro cities on Wikipedia, the ultimately reliable source for metros, can be found here.

And deserving honorable mention is the planned 3D bus, a monstrous bus designed to drive over cars, which resembles a massive road subway.

Brief China Radio International feature about trams in China.
China Metro home page - metro news throughout the Middle Kingdom
Urban railways of China
Xiangtan Electric Manufacturing Group
Subways Future - a site dedicated to systems in China, Korea and Japan

And remember, if you don't have the ability or good fortune of being able to visit China, a ride on New York City's 7 train is the next best thing.