Shenyang Metro

The Shenyang Metro is a rapid transit system serving the city of Shenyang, Liaoning, China. It's the seventh operational subway system in Mainland China and the first in Northeast China.

The system connects with the Shenyang Modern Tram system in the southern part of the city.

Overview
The Shenyang Metro consists of Line 1 (east-west), opened on September 27, 2010, with 27.8 km of track and 22 stations, and Line 2 (north-south), opened on January 9, 2012, with 27.16 km of track and 22 stations. Line 9 opened on May 25, 2019. The line is 28.996 km in length. Line 10 opened on April 29, 2020.

The construction of Line 1 started on November 18, 2005. Trial service not open to the public started in September 2009, with the line fully operational in September 2010. The total cost of Line 1 was 8.88 billion yuan (USD 1.1 billion).

The construction on Line 2 started on November 18, 2006, with 19 stations and 19.3 km and became operational on January 9, 2012.

A Line 2 extension to Hangkonghangtiandaxue station opened on December 30, 2013. Another extension to Putianlu station opened on April 8, 2018.

The original loop line is broken into two L-shaped lines, Line 9 and Line 10, that intersect twice to form a loop. Line 9 opened on May 25, 2019. The line is 28.996 km in length. Line 10 opened on April 29, 2020. Line 4 opened on September 29, 2023.

History
Shenyang was one of the first Chinese cities with a metro plan. The initial plan of building a metro system in Shenyang was proposed as early as 1940, during the Manchukuo era with an Osaka-based company proposing a 52 km metro network. However, chaos caused by the Second Sino-Japanese War and Chinese Civil Wars meant the plan was not implemented.

After the wars, the metro program was revived again when the Chinese government decided that the four biggest cities at that time, Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Shenyang should build metro systems for transportation and military purposes. The subway was envisioned to also function as an air raid shelter in an event of war.

Construction in of the metro started in 1965 but was stopped shortly after due to the turmoil from the Cultural Revolution. Only the initial sections of the Beijing Subway and Tianjin Metro managed to be completed. Construction was restarted in 1974, on a line following today's Line 1. In 1978 with government personnel from Harbin, Tianjin and Shanghai visiting to Shenyang to learn about the subway construction experience.

In 1982, subway construction was halted due to lack of funds and resources. The approximately 3 km long half completed tunnel was abandoned and filled with water. While the Shanghai Metro was put into service in 1995, the economic decline of Shenyang during the 1980s-1990s meant that there was no capital available for subway construction and the program was continually postponed.

A light rail system was designed in the early 1990s as a cheaper alternative, however this plan was also abandoned after a national suspension of subway projects was declared due to worries of high cost and financial debt.

Shenyang's economy revived in 2000, and with it growing traffic congestion and pollution caused by the expanding urban population. This prompted the Chinese central government to approve the subway proposal on November 8, 2005. Construction of the first phase of Line 1 started on November 18, 2005, with the entire phase opened on September 27, 2010, after trial operation in September 2009. The line have 22 stations and went from Shisanhaojie to Limingguangchang station. Line 2 started trail operation on December 30, 2011 and was fully opened on January 9, 2012. Line 2 extended three times in 2013, 2018 and 2023, currently has 33 stations, connecting the downtown Shenyang and Taoxian Airport. Line 9 opened on May 25, 2019. Line 10 opened on April 29, 2020. Line 4 opened on September 29, 2023.

Future development
There are five lines/extensions under construction.