The Chongqing Rail Transit is the metro system that operates in the chinese city with the very same name. The system is commonly known as CRT. As funds for its construction came from Japanese Banks some of the technology used is also imported.
Rails are built along a very irregular surface, crossing hills and rivers. The depth of the stations made the construction of an all heavy rail tunnel system impractical. So some rails had to be heavy regular rails and others heavy capacity monorails. The monorail technology provides efficient climbing capabilities and can carry more weight than conventional rails.
Total track length of the metro is 168 kilometers (2015). The system connects 92 stations en route. The average daily ridership of this metro system was 1.1 million passengers in 2014. A monorail can transport 32,000 passengers per hour per direction
Lines and stations
The metro system currently has four lines. The Chongqing Rail Transit (Group) Limited Co is planning to expand the total coverage. Individual lines of Chongqing metro can be identified by its color.
- Line 1. Began operation in 2011. Connects Chaotianmen and Daxuecheng. Length of the line is 36.6 km. Connecting 23 stations. The line transports 36,000 passengers per hour
- Line 2. Began operation in 2005. Connects Jiaochangkou and Xinshancun. The length of the line is 19.2km. Connecting 18 stations. An extension of this line is under construction
- Line 3. This is the world’s largest single monorail line. Began operation in 2011. Connects Yudong and Jiangbei airport. The length of the line is 55.5km. Connecting 39 stations. An extension of this line on the north end is under construction
- Line 6. Began operation in 2012. Connects Wulidian and Yuelai Beibei. The length of this line is 56.7km. Connecting 18 stations. An extension on both ends of this line is under construction
- Line 7 to line 18 are currently under planning
CRT operation hours
The metro starts operation at 6:30 am in the morning and close at 11:30 pm, seven days a week.
Fares and tickets
The ticket fare in Chongqing metro system is based on the distance traveled. It usually ranges between 2 to 10 Yuan.
Single ticket
Single tickets can be purchased at any station in Chongqing metro. These tickets are valid only on the day of purchase for a single use. A single journey is within 180 minutes of travel. If a journey using a single ticket exceeds this time limit, the passenger will be charged with the highest one-way ticket fare.
- The fare is calculated as below:
- 2 Yuan a distance for a distance of 0-6 km
- 3 Yuan for 6-11 km
- 4 Yuan for 11-17 km
- 5 Yuan for 17-24 km
- 6 Yuan for 24-32 km
- 7 Yuan for 32-41 km
- 8 Yuan for 41-51 km
- 9 Yuan for 51-63 km
- 10 Yuan for 63 km and above.
Souvenir ticket
Souvenir tickets are specially designed tickets that are made available to the passengers on public holidays and festivals. Depends on different themes, the validity of this ticket changes. And, the fare is decided based on the number of days the activity is put up for.
Fixed journey ticket
Travelers can use this ticket to ride the subway for a pre-determined time. However, these tickets do have a validity period attached to it. The fare depends on the distance traveled.
Chongqing Public Transportation Card
The Chongqing metro provides passengers a facility to make pay fare in advance and use a ticket card to commute without hassle. With a Chongqing Public Transportation Card, daily commuters can avail a discount of 10% on the subway fares. These cards can also be used on the city buses as well.
Group tickets
Passengers using Chongqing metro can purchase group tickets to avail further discounts on the total fare. It is a good option for a group of any number of passengers.
Chongqing Rail Transit Park and Ride
Park and ride facilities are available for passengers in some of the metro stations, not all.
Rules and Tips for passengers
Smoking, drinking and eating are prohibited. Inflammable substances are also not allowed inside the metro. Passengers can get their small pets along provided the pets are inside carriers. The metro also has provision for transporting bicycles.
CRT curious information
Chongqing metro system has a very complex topography running through difficult terrains of the city. One curious fact is that the line 2 monorail at one stage is passing through a building. The rail was constructed in this way in order not to demolish homes. The ingenious planners also made room for a small station inside the building.
Chongqing Rail Transit Map
