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Changsha - capital of Hunan Province; 7 million inhabitants

North-south line, 33.5 km, 25 stations

28 June 2016: Kaifu District Government - Shangshuangtang (23.6 km)

28 June 2024: Kaifu District Government - Jinpenqiu (9.9 km)

East-west line, 26.6 km, serving both major railway stations

29 April 2014: Wangchengpo - Guangda (22 km)
28 Dec 2015: Wangchengpo - West Meixi Lake (4.6 km)

Southwest to northeast line, 36.4 km - at the southern end linked operationally to the Xihuan Line, 17.3 km (7.1 km lying in Xiangtan municipality):

28 June 2020: Shantang – Guangsheng (36.4 km)
28 June 2023: Shantang – Xiangtan North Railway Station (17.3 km)

East-west line, 33.5 km, 25 stations

26 May 2019: Guanziling - Dujiaping (33.5 km)

North-south line, 22.5 km

28 June 2020: Shuiduhe – Maozhutang (22.5 km)

East-west line

28 June 2022: Xiejiaqiao – Huanghua Airport T1&T2 (48.1 km)

 S2 - Maglev Line

An 18.5 km maglev line started revenue service between Changsha South Railway Station and Huanghua Airport on 6 May 2016.

 S1 - Changsha–Zhuzhou–Xiangtan Intercity Railway (Changzhutan Intercity Railway)

95.5 km regional express line operating mostly underground through Changsha

Driverless elevated people mover serving several tourist attractions in the southwest of Changsha; special fares apply.

09 May 2023: Shantang – Guanyingang (8.3 km)

Changsha Metro Group (Official Website)

Changsha Metro at Wikipedia

Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Intercity Railway at Wikipedia

In June 2019, Craig Moore reports from Changsha:

Changsha Metro had quite basic, formulaic beginnings, but with network expansion and design enhancements, it has become an impressive system, and along with additional non-metro rail provision, the Hunan capital now has an interesting urban rail footprint.

Metro
The backbone of rail provision in the city is the three-line Metro, operated by CMC. The 84.0 revenue km network has 62 stations and operates from 0630-2300 with 8/9min base headways, 1435 gauge and overhead power supply. Fares are distance-based and cost between 2-6 Yuan. Line 1 runs north-south from the Keifu area, via the main central corridor to the southern terminal at Shangshuangtang. This line (23.6km/20 stations/41mins) houses the only elevated section (1.2km) and above ground station (Shangshuangtang) on the metro, with the portal immediately to the south of Zhongxin Sq station. Although opened in 2016, when many metros were experimenting with bold design features, Changsha Metro chose prevailing design standards for this line and the infrastructure is very much of the orthodox Chinese model with standard street entrances, basic rectangular mezzanines, island platforms with white pillars (Shangshuangtang, Wiyu Sq and Zhongxin Square have side platforms), full platform screens (half screens at the elevated Shangshuangtang station), and standard furnishings. Line 2 (26.0km/23 stations/49mins) is the original line (2014) and runs from Meixi Lake in the west, under the mighty Xiang and west through the centre (interchange to Line 1 at the large Wiyu Square station in the heart of the city) to Changsha Station, and then southeast to Changsha Nan (for CRH services/airport Maglev). The last section has parallel running with the new Line 4 to the terminus at Guangda (isolated platforms with no cross platform transfer between lines). Like the later Line 1, this line uses standard stuctures, but is more busy and has slightly shorter headways. The similarity between the two original lines is sharply contrasted with the latest offer, Line 4, which is an impressive line. It is the longest line on the system (34.4km/25 stations/1h04mins) and runs from Guanziling down the west bank of the Xiang, serving the universities/Mt Yuelu before crossing the river and heading through the southern built up area to Changsha Nan and the Dujiapinguelu area. Whilst some of the stations on earlier lines look a little stale now, Line 4 offers some bright, bold design features despite having similar station layouts. There is interest throughout, but the pick of the stations are Hunan University, with its wall art and distinctive pillar design (Light Trees), and Shumuling’s decorative ceiling.

The rolling stock is CSR on line 1/2 and CRRC on Line 4. It is all solid stuff, with similar interiors, but Line 1 and Line 4 stock have interesting dynamic strip maps, as opposed to the flat dot progression of Line 2. Line 4 stock also has a fresher feel and little design enhancements such as colour coded handle casements at doors. The exteriors also have different colour schemes with Line 4 having bolder violet and black flashes.

This is a well-used system and offers easy transfer and good coverage. Using the system is very easy with wayfinding, directional signs and audio announcements in Mandarin and English. Maps now have some style and are more conspicuous across the system. Changsha has also now produced hard copy information/maps, although these only appear to be available at certain stations. Like several other systems in China, Changsha has matured into an appealing and useful system.

Maglev
This 18.6km line began operations in 2016 and is an independent operation (GRG). It runs from Changsha Nan CRH station north easterly to Huanghua Airport, and includes one intervening station at Langli which is not well used. The Nan Station is at the East Square of the huge CRH mainline station and is 600m from the Metro station as you pass through the middle of the cavernous CRH station lobby where small signs directing passengers to the Maglev are difficult to spot amongst other signage. Transfer at the Airport is equally lengthy with approx. 500m between the Maglev station and the departure hall of the main terminal. Ticket halls have security (including facial scan) and ticket machines that drop RFID tokens (a relatively expensive 20RMB each way), and gates. Platforms have full screens and are quite short, but deep with passengers queuing at designated, cordoned zones. The three car CRRC stock (the first Maglev line to be built domestically) has a white and red exterior with a black window band, whilst the interior has a cramped feel and uses paired seating. There is a dynamic strip map and audio is in Mandarin and English.

This is not a fast Maglev (58kph), and is indeed very slow on tight corners, with the journey taking 20mins. Headways are 12/15mins (0700-2100 operations) and there is quite a languid feel to operations. Doors are slow to open, alighting passenger doors open first and there are long dwell times - it certainly doesn’t have the buzz of a metro. Given the long transfer time required at either terminus, the relative slowness of the service and the average headways, it is important to build in time to get to your destination.

Changzhutan Intercity Railway
The high-speed suburban/commuter rail service between Changshaxi, Changsha station and Zhuzhou/Xiangtan began in 2016. The entire line is 95.5km (24 stations/12 underground) in total (approx. 35km in Changsha proper) and utilises two significant tunnels under the built up area of Changsha (24.8km in total), only being grade for a short stretch at Changsha station. There is connection to metro services at three stations and these offer quite easy, well signed transfer. Services run from 0600-2300 and use 8-car CRH6F trains built by CRRC with paired seating. Services do not run clockface but have approx. 2/3 services per hour.

The underground stations have large street entrances and banks of automated ticket machines (only usable with Chinese ID card) and a small staffed ticket office. Given the complexity of CNR ticket purchase in China, this is not a turn up and go suburban rail type provision. Passengers wait in large seating areas until an announcement is made for the imminent arrival of the train. Queues form at the barriers where the national ID card is scanned and matched with the face scan on the barrier (tickets are not shown). This causes problems for passengers who do not have national ID cards (i.e all foreigners) and whilst at main stations there are staff to show passports to gain access, these suburban stations are not well staffed and so it is wise to seek staff beforehand, otherwise you can’t open the barriers. The underground platforms are deep and accessed by long slow escalators. The platforms are stark white in island form and are long (8 car high speed sets are long trains!) and narrow with high ceilings. These huge spaces have a desolate feel and this is not helped by the low patronage. Full screens have a basic strip map and there are audio announcements. Interestingly, the platforms advance 2 metres beyond the platform screens and I can only assume this is to limit stress on the panels when non-stop/express trains speed pass through the stations - even with the wider space, the screens a buffeted by the air as trains pass. The ride within the main area of Changsha is quite slow and there are also long dwell times at stations, especially at Changsha Station where there is a 4min wait. This is a long way from being an intensive suburban rail service.