Kunming Metro

The streets of Kunming have long been congested, and as such there have been talks of a subway system since the late 1990s.{{Cite web |title=Kunming Rail Transit (KRT) / Kunming Metro |url=https://www.railway-technology.com/projects/kunming-rail-transit-krt-kunming-metro/ |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=Railway Technology |language=en-US}} With a rapidly growing population of just over 3 million people at the time of the network's construction (And over 5 million people living in the built-up urban area as of 2020{{Cite web |title=China: Yúnnán (Prefectures, Cities, Districts and Counties) - Population Statistics, Charts and Map |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/china/yunnan/admin/ }}), Kunming was one of the largest cities in China without a metro system before its construction.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} A 2006 proposal would have seen construction start in 2008 with a north-south line and an east-west line. The current rapid transit system was first announced in 2009, with construction scheduled to start later that year. The proposed routes would not only serve commuters in Kunming's city centre, but would help encourage development to the city's southeast. Chenggong District has been the site of a recent construction boom, although most new developments were still unoccupied without adequate transit connections.{{Cite web |last=Niederhauser |first=Matthew |date=2024-05-16 |title=The Empty City |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/slideshow/the-empty-city/ |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=Foreign Policy |language=en-US}} Thus, the Kunming Metro served the dual purpose of alleviating traffic problems in the city's core and encouraging growth in the southeast.{{Cite web |last=Balula |first=Luis |date=2013-08-02 |title=A tour of Chenggong, Kunming's new city |url=https://urbachina.hypotheses.org/6202 |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=URBACHINA |doi=10.58079/v2ik |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=云南投资促进网 |url=https://invest.yn.gov.cn/default.aspx |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=invest.yn.gov.cn}}

Construction on Lines 1 and 2 officially began in May 2010, after months of delays.{{Cite web|url=http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2010-05-02/165120194281.shtml|title=昆明地铁1号2号线首期工程开工_新闻中心_新浪网|website=news.sina.com.cn|access-date=2019-03-19}} An elevated test section had been under construction since 2009. Lines 1 (34 km) and 2 (22 km) were scheduled to open in 2012, but with delays, weren't opened until early 2013. Construction on Line 3 began in August 2010 and was opened on 29 August 2017.{{cite web|author=Dan Siekman |url=http://www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/1771/metro_line_3_construction_to_start_this_month |title=Metro Line 3 construction to start this month |publisher=GoKunming |date=2011-02-17 |access-date=2013-08-17}}

Construction of Line 1 was expected to cost as much as 32 billion yuan (US$4.5 billion), with each kilometer of elevated metro costing around 250 million yuan and each kilometer of underground subway expected to cost between 400 million and 800 million yuan. The primary contractor is China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC).

The trains of Line 6 were manufactured by China South Locomotive & Rolling Stock Corporation Ltd (CSR, now CRRC) in Zhuzhou.[http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/world-rolling-stock-market-july-2011.html "World rolling stock market July 2011"], International Railway Gazette, 19 July 2011. 6-car sets operate at 120 km/h. CSR met journalists in October 2011 to discuss the safety concerns arising from operating trains at such speeds.{{cite news |last1=Horton |first1=Chris |title=Manufacturer addresses Kunming metro safety, comfort concerns |url=http://www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/2464/manufacturer_addresses_kunming_metro_safety_comfort_concerns |access-date=2019-12-02 |work=GoKunming |date=2011-10-31}} Changes have been made to the rolling stock over time. Line 1 and 2 trains feature a physical route map made with LED lights. Line 3 trains feature a digital route map with a basic UI. Line 4 trains have darker flooring, a new UI on the TVs inside the train cars, and a remade route map UI. Line 5 trains reverted the flooring color back to white, remade the TV UI again, modified the route map UI, and feature projectors on the outside of the train that project advertisements onto the tunnel walls.{{Citation needed|date=January 2024}}

File:Kunming Metro System Map.svg

{{main article|Line 1 (Kunming Metro)}}

Line 1 is currently 33.3 km long with 22 stations, running from South Ring Road to University Town (South) and Kunming South railway station. Lines 1 and 2 currently have through service, which will end when Line 1 Northwest Extension and Line 2 Phase 2 are completed, turning South Ring Road into an interchange station. After the Northwest Extension opens, Line 1 will run from Jiaochang North Road to University Town (South) and Kunming South Railway Station. The first phase of Line 1 came into operation on May 20, 2013.{{Cite web|url=http://www.kmgdgs.com/content/2013-05/20/content_3298297.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925200309/http://www.kmgdgs.com/content/2013-05/20/content_3298297.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-09-25|title=昆明地铁首期工程（南段）今日试运营 - 新闻中心 - 昆明轨道交通有限公司|date=2013-09-25|access-date=2019-03-19}} The second phase of Line 1 came into operation on April 30, 2014. A 5.3 km long branch line to Kunming South railway station was opened on 26 December 2016.{{cite news |date=2016-12-26 |title=昆明地铁1号线支线开通 实现城市轨道交通与高铁无缝对接 |url=http://yn.people.com.cn/n2/2016/1226/c378439-29516138.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170907032919/http://yn.people.com.cn/n2/2016/1226/c378439-29516138.html |archive-date=2017-09-07 |work=People's Daily}} Line 1's route currently consists of an elevated section connecting Kunming to Chenggong and an underground section below Caiyun Road within Chenggong. The northwest extension will be dug underground along the west side of Kunming's city center. It is Kunming's main rail link to Chenggong. Line 1's color is red.

{{Main article|Line 2 (Kunming Metro)}}

File:Chuanxin Gulou Station.jpg

Line 2 is currently 12.4 km long with 14 stations, running from North Coach Station to South Ring Road. Lines 1 and 2 currently have through service, which will end when Line 1 Northwest Extension and Line 2 Phase 2 are completed, turning South Ring Road into an interchange station. After Phase 2 opens, Line 2 will run from North Coach Station to Haidong Park. The first phase of Line 2 came into operation on April 30, 2014. Line 2's route currently consists of a short elevated section from North Coach Station to Longtou Street and an underground section beneath Beijing Road until the line's current terminus at South Ring Road. Phase 2 will be dug beneath Guannan Avenue and Fubao Road towards Haidong Park. It is Kunming's main north-south line. Line 2's color is blue.

{{main article|Line 3 (Kunming Metro)}}

Line 3 started operation on 29 Aug 2017, consisting of 19.16 km of line with 20 stations running from Western Hills Park to East Coach Station.{{Cite web |date=2017-08-29 |title=昆明地铁3号线6号线一期今日通车试运营 |url=http://m.xinhuanet.com/2017-08/29/c_136564671.htm |website=新华网}} It is Kunming's main east-west line. Line 3's color is magenta.

{{main article|Line 4 (Kunming Metro)}}

Line 4 started operation on 23 September 2020, consisting of 43.4 km of line with 29 stations running from Jinchuan Road to {{stl|Kunming Metro|Kunming South}}.{{cite web |date=2020-09-22 |title=昆明轨道交通4号线、6号线二期 开通初期运营公告 |url=http://jtys.km.gov.cn/c/2020-09-22/3667877.shtml}} It connects Northwest Kunming and Eastern Kunming to the metro while serving as a second link to Chenggong. Line 4 has cartoon mascots exclusive to the line known as the "K4 Cats" that promote ridership of the line. Line 4's color is orange.

{{main article|Line 5 (Kunming Metro)}}

Line 5 started operation on 29 June 2022, consisting of 26.5 km of line with 22 stations running from World Horti-Expo Garden to Baofeng.{{cite web|url=http://kunming.yunnan.cn/system/2022/06/28/032160635.shtml|title=昆明轨道交通5号线29日要开通初期运营了|date=2022-06-28|accessdate=2022-06-28}} Line 5 serves as a tourism line, linking tourist destinations such as World Horti-Expo Garden, Haigeng Great Dam, and Haigeng Park. Line 5's color is green.

{{main article|Line 6 (Kunming Metro)}}

Line 6 consists of 25.3 km of line with 8 stations running from Kunming Airport to Tangzixiang. Phase 1 opened on 28 June 2012. Phase 2 opened on 23 September 2020, extending the line to Tangzixiang station just south of Kunming's city center.It is an airport express line connecting the city center with the new Kunming Changshui International Airport. Its original terminus at East Coach Station was not connected to any other line until the opening of Line 3 in 2017. The two intermediate stations between East Coach Station and Kunming Airport were built as infill stations.{{cite web | url=http://yn.xinhuanet.com/v/2012-06/15/c_131655518.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120619220834/http://yn.xinhuanet.com/v/2012-06/15/c_131655518.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=June 19, 2012 | title=第一批地铁车厢运抵昆明 | access-date=June 15, 2012}} Line 6 temporary ceased operation on 5 March 2016 to complete the two infill stations and reentered operation on 29 August 2017 with a total of four stations. Line 6's color is teal.

The extensions of Lines 1 & 2 are under construction, but have faced several delays from their original opening date in 2022 and are now projected to open in December 2026. Line 9, the Songming Line, and the Anning Line are planned. All station names that are included in phase 1 of Line 9 have been confirmed.{{cite web | url=http://www.chinametro.net/Content/DisplayNews.aspx?ID=27681 | title=昆明地铁时代来了，7年内拟新建轨道达126公里 | access-date=June 15, 2012}} Construction of the planned new lines are on hold due to a lack of funding.

{{commons category|Kunming Metro}}

• Kunming
• List of rapid transit systems
• High-speed rail in China
• Urban rail transit in China

{{notelist}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [http://news.kunming.cn/km-news/content/2009-06/29/content_1907733.htm news.kunming.cn] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120701022619/http://news.kunming.cn/km-news/content/2009-06/29/content_1907733.htm |date=2012-07-01 }}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20100507153022/http://www.yn.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2010-05/04/content_19686207.htm yn.xinhuanet.com]

• [http://www.kmgdgs.com/ Kunming Metro Official Website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110129114347/http://www.kmgdgs.com/ |date=2011-01-29 }}
• [http://www.urbanrail.net/as/cn/kunming/kunming.htm UrbanRail page on Kunming Metro]

{{Yunnan transit}}

{{Rapid transit in the People's Republic of China}}

{{Rapid transit in Asia}}

Category:Rapid transit in China

Category:Railway lines opened in 2012

Category:2012 establishments in China

Category:Underground rapid transit in China