Trams in China

Several cities in China had tram systems during the 20th century; however, by the end of the century, only Dalian and Changchun remained extant.[1] However the 21st century has seen a resurgence in tram transport systems as China attempts to combat with urban traffic congestion and pollution.

The first tram in Shanghai (1908)
Dalian historical tram. Its use is still preserved to date in limited area in the city.
Dalian modern tram. Tram type DL6WA, mark Dalianren (meaning "Dalian people") manufactured by Tram Factory of Dalian Public Transport Group. The blue one is manufactured in 2009, the other in 2001–2003.
Changchun Trams

List of historical tram systems

  • Beijing had the first tram system in China. It opened in 1899 and connected Majiapu Railway Station to the south gate of the city. Trams were phased out 1958 to 1959.
  • Fushun, Liaoning had a tram system circa 1902, operated by the Manchurian Railway Company with 26 trams.
  • Tianjin city, had a tram system that opened in 1906. By 1933 it had 9 miles of track and operated 116 tramcars. It was closed by 1972.
  • The Changchun tramway system started operations in 1942. By the 1950s the system covered 28 km (17 mi) with 98 cars. The system continues to operate today.
  • In Shanghai there were three tram systems - two operated by the colonial powers of Britain and France and one by a Chinese company. The British system opened in 1908 and was the largest of the three. It had 7 lines and ran 216 tramcars. The British system merged with Chinese system in 1952. The French system opened the same year and its 3 lines ran 60 tramcars. Like the British it merged into the Chinese system in 1953. The Chinese system opened in 1913 and operated 52 tramcars over 4 lines of some 23.5 km (14.6 mi) in length. The last tram services ended in 1975.
  • In Shenyang, Liaoning, a Japanese owned electric tramway opened in 1925 and replaced an earlier horse-drawn tram system that dated from around 1907.[2] By 1937 it had expanded to cover 12 km (7.5 mi) of track and ran 21 tramcars. It was finally closed in 1973.
  • Harbin, Heilongjiang had a system from 1927 with 8 lines and about 40 trams. The system closed in 1987.
  • The city of Anshan, Liaoning, had a single tram line from 1956 till the late 1990s and the track was dug up in 2006.
  • Dalian, Liaoning opened its first tram line on September 25, 1909. It was operated by South Manchuria Railway. By 1945, the system had 11 lines. Today 2 lines remain in operation covering 23.4 km (14.5 mi). The system is in the process up being updated with a mixture of old tram cars and new modern low floor cars in operation.

New tram systems

Tianjin and Shanghai have recently introduced rubber tired trams for their TEDA Modern Guided Rail Tram and Zhangjiang Tram respectively.

In 2011, Shenyang city decided to construct a new tram network to complement its new metro network. The first three lines of the new system were opened on August 15, 2013.[3][4] A year later, Nanjing opened the new Hexi trams just before the 2014 Youth Olympics. Since them new tram systems opened in a number of cities in China such as Qingdao, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Suzhou, Zhuhai, Wuhan, Huai'an and Beijing.

Light rail/Tram systems

Legend

  - In operation.
  - Under test run.
  - Out of service

Lines
Line (not services)SystemLocaleLengthStationsOpened
Xijiao lineBeijing Subway*Beijing08.8 km (5.5 mi)62017-12-30
Yizhuang T1 lineBeijing Subway*Beijing11.9 km (7.4 mi)142020-12-31
54Changchun TramChangchun07.6 km (4.7 mi)16 (10 shared)1941-11-01
55Changchun TramChangchun09.6 km (6.0 mi)19 (10 shared)1941-11-01
Line 3Changchun Subway*Changchun31.9 km (19.8 mi)322002-10-30
Line 2Chengdu Metro*Chengdu39.3 km (24.4 mi)352018-12-26
201Dalian TramDalian11.6 km (7.2 mi)181909-??-??
202Dalian TramDalian12.6 km (7.8 mi)191909-??-??
Line 1Delingha Modern TramDujiangyan17.3 km (10.7 mi)172024-05-15
Line 2Delingha Modern TramDujiangyan17.3 km (10.7 mi)132024-05-15
Gaoming Tram (TGM1)Foshan Gaoming TramFoshan6.57 km (4.08 mi)[5]102019-12-30[5]
Nanhai Tram Line 1 (TNH1)Foshan Nanhai TramFoshan14.4 km (8.9 mi)[6]152021-08-18[6]
Haizhu Tram (THZ1)Guangzhou Modern TramGuangzhou07.7 km (4.8 mi)112014-12-31
Huangpu Tram Line 1Guangzhou Modern TramGuangzhou14.3 km (8.9 mi)[7]192020-07-01[7]
5XX, 6XX, 7XXMTRHong Kong36.2 km (22.5 mi)681988-09-18[a][b]
Hong Kong TramwaysHong Kong TramwaysHong Kong30.0 km (18.6 mi)1201904-07-30[c]
Line 1Honghe Modern TramMengzi13.3 km (8.3 mi)152020-10-01
Line 1Huai'an Modern TramHuai'an20.0 km (12.4 mi)232015-12-28
Huangshi Tram Line 1Huangshi TramHuangshi26.8 km (16.7 mi)302021-12-30
Line 1Jiaxing TramJiaxing11.2 km (7.0 mi)[8]12[8]2021-06-25
Taipa LineMacau Light Rapid TransitMacau9.3 km (5.8 mi)[9]11[9]2019-12-10[9]
Hexi lineNanjing Hexi Modern TramNanjing07.6 km (4.7 mi)132014-08-01
Qilin lineNanjing Qilin Modern TramNanjing08.9 km (5.5 mi)132017-10-31
Chengyang lineQingdao Modern TramQingdao08.7 km (5.4 mi)122016-03-05
Line T1Sanya Modern TramSanya8.37 km (5.20 mi)[10]152019-01-01
Line T1Shanghai Songjiang Modern TramShanghai2019-08-10
Line T2Shanghai Songjiang Modern TramShanghai13.9 km (8.6 mi)202018-12-26
Line 1Shenyang Hunnan Modern TramShenyang12.2 km (7.6 mi)27 (17 shared)2013-08-31
Line 2Shenyang Hunnan Modern TramShenyang14.8 km (9.2 mi)18 (12 shared)2013-08-31
Line 3Shenyang Hunnan Modern TramShenyang11.3 km (7.0 mi)18 (5 shared)2015-06-29
Line 4Shenyang Hunnan Modern TramShenyang2019-01-05
Line 5Shenyang Hunnan Modern TramShenyang21.4 km (13.3 mi)252013-08-31
Line 6Shenyang Hunnan Modern TramShenyang2019-01-05
Longhua lineShenzhen Modern TramShenzhen11.7 km (7.3 mi)202017-10-28
Line 1Suzhou New District Modern TramSuzhou25.7 km (16.0 mi)152014-10-26
Line 2Suzhou New District Modern TramSuzhou18.6 km (11.6 mi)132018-08-31
Line 1Tianshui TramTianshui12.926 km (8.0 mi)122020-05-01[11]
Line 4Wenshan TramQiubei13.96 km (8.7 mi)[12]102021-05-15
Line T1Wuhan Auto-city Modern TramWuhan16.8 km (10.4 mi)222017-07-28
Line T1Wuhan Optics Valley Modern TramWuhan12.5 km (7.8 mi)17 (3 shared)2018-04-01
Line T2Wuhan Optics Valley Modern TramWuhan19.2 km (11.9 mi)25 (3 shared)2018-04-01
Line 1Wuyi TramWuyi New Area (Nanping)26.185 km (16.271 mi)[13]62022-01-01[13]
Line 1[14]Zhuhai Modern TramZhuhai08.9 km (5.5 mi)142017-06-13
Line 1Shanghai Zhangjiang Modern TramShanghai09.8 km (6.1 mi)152010-01-01
TEDA lineTEDA Modern TramTianjin07.8 km (4.8 mi)142007-05-10

Under construction

Suspended

Lanzhou New Area planned a 5-line modern tram network[19] but construction was halted in 2017 due to newly imposed restraints on borrowing.[20]

Planned

  • Nanjing
    • Nanjing Jiangxinzhou Tram (南京江心洲有轨电车)
  • Tianjin (Xiqing Tram T2)[21]
  • Zhuzhou Tram (株洲有轨电车)

Lhasa,[22] Haikou, Quanzhou,[23] Zhengzhou, Kunshan,[24] Baotou, Korla,[24] Anshun,[24] Hangzhou,[25] Changzhou,[25] Taizhou[26] and Huangshan[27] are planning tram networks for the future.

See also

Notes

References