CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- On January 25, Phase I of Chongqing Rail Transit Line 9 was officially opened for operation. The opening of this Line will provide a new way to cross river in the central trough of the main districts of Chongqing, while greatly improve the travel conditions of residents along the Line and giving a strong boost to the economic development of the main districts.

Transferable at 9 stations to 6 opened lines

Phase I of Chongqing Rail Transit Line 9, constructed by China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd., starts at Xinqiao Station and ends at Xingke Avenue Station. The Line mainly passes through Shapingba District, Yuzhong District, Jiangbei District and Yubei District, with a total length of about 33km. According to the person in charge of the General Contracting Command of Phase I Project of Chongqing Rail Transit Line 9 of China Construction Fifth Engineering Division Corp., Ltd., the line is approximately 32.3km long, of which 29.91km is the underground portion and 2.38km is the elevated portion.

Among them, Hualongqiao Station and Gailanxi Station are elevated stations, Tuwan Station is the only above-ground station in Phase I of Line 9, and the rest of the stations are underground stations.

It is available to transfer to six opened lines at nine of the stations. The 9 stations and transferable lines are as follows: transfer to Line 1 and Loop line (exit the station to transfer) at Shapingba Station; transfer to Line 10 at Liyuchi Station; transfer to Line 6 at Jiangbeicheng Station; transfer to Line 1 and Loop line at Wulidian Station; transfer to Line 4 at Toutang Station; transfer to Line 4 at Bonded Port Station; and transfer to Line 10 at Shangwan Road Station.

About 58 minutes for one way

The reporter learned that Phase I of Chongqing Rail Transit Line 9 (Gaotanyan Station - Xingke Avenue Station) is marked in purple and red, with As-type trains and a maximum running speed of 100km/h. At the beginning of operation, the trains will be grouped in 6 units with a maximum capacity of 2,300 passengers.

The initial operating hours are 7:30-20:30, about 58 minutes for one way, with a total of 14 trains available and a peak capacity of 10,700 passengers per hour. Fares are in accordance with the standard fares for rail transit lines already in operation.

Five more rail transit lines to be opened this year

According to Ma Lingfeng, deputy head of the Rail Transit Construction Promotion Group of Chongqing Municipal Housing and Urban-rural Development Commission, by the end of 2022, a large number of rail transit lines of concern to the public will be completed and opened to the public, namely Phase II of Line 4 from Tangjiatuo to Shichuan, Phase II of Line 10 from Liyuchi to Nanbin Road, Phase II of Line 9 from Huixing to Huashigou, the northern extension of Line 5 from Garden Expo Park to Yuegang Avenue, and the Jiangjin-Tiaodeng Line from Jiangjin to Tiaodeng, which will further strengthen the metropolitan area links in the main districts.

At the same time, the construction of rail transit lines such as East Railway Station Extension of Line 6, Phase I of Line 7 and Phase I of Line 17 in the main districts will commence, and the construction of an express rail transit line from the main districts to the main new area. Efforts will be made to have the Chongqing’s urban rail transit mileage open to traffic and under construction exceed 850km by the end of 2022.