The Chongqing Rail Transit (branded as CRT; also known as Chongqing Metro) is the rapid transit system in the city of Chongqing, China. Opened in 2004, it is the world's 6th-largest metro system by length, at , the largest monorail system, and holds the world records for the highest and deepest metro stations, both on the same line. The system serves all 8 central districts of the city as well as nearby suburbs. CRT consists of 12 heavy rail metro lines: 1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 18, the Loop line, Jiangtiao line, and Bitong line, while Lines 2 and 3 are high-capacity heavy monorails.
As of April 2026, 5 new metro lines (7, 15, 17, 24, 27) and 4 extensions are under construction with a combined additional length of 210 km.
The Chongqing Rail Transit is uniquely shaped by the city's steep, mountainous terrain and multiple river valleys carved by the Yangtze and Jialing rivers. Liziba station, a monorail station built inside a residential building, serves as one of its most iconic examples.
Two lines use heavy-monorail technology, leveraging the ability to negotiate steep grades and tight curves and rapid transit capacity. They are capable of transporting 32,000 passengers per hour per direction. However the busiest section of Line 3 reaches a peak passenger volume of 37,700 pphpd in 2019. At , the system's two monorail lines form the longest monorail system in the world, with Line 3 being the world's longest single monorail line. The length and the capacity of its monorail network both also make it the world's busiest monorail system, with a total of 94 million and 250 million rides in 2015 on Line 2 and Line 3, respectively. Line 3 is therefore the world's busiest single monorail line.
The extreme difference in elevation between the river valleys and the hilly plateaus of Chongqing poses a unique challenge in designing alignments for conventional rail transit lines. The network currently has the world's highest metro-only bridge, the Caijia Rail Transit Bridge of Line 6 spanning the Jialing River valley, with the bridge deck being approximately above the water. It holds the three deepest metro stations in China: Hongyancun (the deepest in the world), Hongtudi, and Liyuchi. While Hualongqiao, an elevated station where platforms are located 48 meters above ground, is the world's highest, surpassing Smith–Ninth Streets station in New York.
The Chongqing Rail Transit system possesses a number of extremely-long metro-only bridges. The long Egongyan Rail Transit Bridge carries the southern arc of the Loop line across the Yangtze River using a long suspension main span, making it the longest metro-only suspension bridge by main span in the world. The Nanjimen Bridge carries Line 10 trains across a cable-stayed bridge with a main span of , making it the longest metro-only cable-stayed bridge by main span in the world. The Gaojia Huayuan Jialing River Rail Transit Bridge carries the western arc of the Loop line over the Jialing River using a long bridge with a main span of . Additionally, Chongqing Rail Transit system has numerous double-deck bridges carrying vehicle and metro traffic, such as the Chaotianmen Bridge, which is the world's longest arch bridge.
Network
LineTerminus Commencement Newest extension Rolling stock Length(km) Stations Loop line 28 Dec 2018 20 Jan 2021 6A 51 33 28 Jul 2011 31 Dec 2020 6B 43.7 25 6 Nov 2004 30 Dec 2014 4/6/8HL 31.4 25 29 Sep 2011 28 Dec 2012 6/8HL 56.1 45 Line 3 – Konggang branch 28 Dec 2016 6HL 11.0 6 28 Dec 2018 10 Feb 2026 6A 58 32 28 Dec 2017 30 Nov 2023 6A 48.66 32 28 Sep 2012 27 Jun 2025 6B 70.1 31 Line 6 – International Expo branch 15 May 2013 31 Dec 2020 25.8 13 25 Jan 2022 18 Jan 2023 6A 40.1 29 28 Dec 2017 30 Nov 2023 6A 43.3 26 28 Dec 2023 6A 28.96 19 6 Aug 2022 6A 28.2 7 2 Jan 2025 4D 37.5 8 Total 574.12 324
Year-end urban-rail operating length reported for Chongqing by CAMET, separating the metro series from the all-mode city total where both are reported.
Raw operating-length data
Loop line (Line 0)
The Loop line (coded as "Line 0") is a rapid transit loop line. The northeastern section was opened on 28 December 2018. The southern section with the Egongyan Rail Transit Bridge opened on 30 December 2019. Three major railway stations in Chongqing are also linked by this line: Chongqing North railway station, Shapingba railway station, and Chongqing West railway station. Loop Line's color is yellow.
Line 1
Line 1 runs from Chaotianmen, in the central west, to Shapingba and then to Bishan with a total length of . It is the first heavy-rail subway line in Chongqing and the second in Western China. The passenger capacity is 36,000 passengers per hour in each way. The line serves as the system's backbone connecting the densest areas including the main Central Business Districts of Jiefangbei, Lianglukou, Daping, and Shapingba. It is the first conventional subway, running in a deep-bored tunnel below Yuzhong and Shapingba Districts.
Line 1 has transfer interchange stations with Line 6 at Xiaoshizi and Line 2 at Jiaochangkou in Jiefangbei CBD and at Daping and Line 3 at Lianglukou, which is near Chongqing railway station in central Yuzhong. Line 1 is also transferable with the Loop Line at Shapingba, although out-of-station transfer is currently needed due to construction setbacks on the interchange channel and concourse connecting the two subway lines.
In 1992, the Chongqing government signed a Build-Operate-Transfer agreement with a Hong Kong company and provided the land for the project, but work ceased in 1997 because of legal issues. Work resumed from Chaotianmen to Shapingba on 9 June 2009, and a limited opening occurred on 28 July 2011. Thales provided an operations control centre for the line. Line 1's color is red.
Line 2
Line 2, a monorail line, runs and has 25 stations. It begins as a subway under downtown Jiefangbei, then runs west along the southern bank of Jialing River on an elevated line, and then turns south into the southwestern inner suburbs, looping back east, to terminate at Yudong, in Ba'nan District. It runs mostly elevated, but a section is underground, including three of its 18 stations in the Jiefangbei CBD and central Daping areas in the extremely-dense area of Yuzhong District. Line 2 runs through four administrative districts in the central city (Yuzhong, Jiulongpo, Dadukou, and Ba'nan). In 2010, Line 2 served 45 million passengers. It also runs through Daping CBD, Yangjiaping CBD in Jiulongpo District, and Chongqing Zoo at. Most trains have four cars, and six-car trains began to operate in September 2012. Line 2 is the first rapid transit line to open in the Interior West of China, in 2005. In 2013, six-car trains are being implemented because of overcrowding and increasing demand. Line 2's color is green.
Liziba station on Line 2 has become a tourist attraction for its distinctive design, with trains running through the sixth to eighth floors of a residential building.
Line 3
Line 3 is the longest and busiest monorail in the world. It runs from north to south and links the districts separated by the Yangtze (Chang Jiang) and the Jialing Rivers. The initial segment, from Lianglukou to Yuanyang (18 stations, ), opened on 29 September 2011, with a northern extension, from Yuanyang to Jiangbei Airport, opening on 30 December 2011. A southern extension, from Ertang to Yudong, opened on 28 December 2012.
Most trains have six cars, more than on the older Line 2. The line started to equip eight-car trains in 2014, which are now in operation. There are interchange stations in the Yuzhong district with Line 1, at Lianglukou (Caiyuanba Intercity Railway/Coach Station), and with Line 2, at . Line 3's color is indigo.
Line 4
Line 4 is a rapid transit line. In June 2018, debugging of the first segment of Phase I commenced. The line began operating on 28 December that year. Line 4's color is orange. The Western extension from Shimahelijiao to Jiazhoulu opened on 10 February 2026 at 2:00 pm (Shimahelijiao to Shunshuisi Park not opened).
Line 5
Line 5 is a northeast–southwest heavy-rail line crossing the centre, and the line has opened its northern and southern sections of phase 1 and northern extension. It will connect Yubei, Jiangbei, Yuzhong, Jiulongpo, Shapingba and Dadukou districts. New six-car trains were introduced on the line. Line 5's color is light blue.
Line 6
Line 6 is the second heavy-rail subway line of Chongqing. Opened on 28 September 2012, it connects Nan'an, Yuzhong, Jiangbei and Yubei districts in central Chongqing. The line features the Caijia Rail Transit Bridge, the highest metro-only brige in the world, on which it crosses the Jialing River.
A 5 station, long northern branch from Lijia to Beibei, in the district of the same name, was opened on 31 December 2013. The line was extended to Chayuan in 2014. A branch to Shaheba, known as the International Expo branch, was opened in 2020. Thales provided an operations control centre for the line. Line 6's color is pink.
Line 9
The first phase of Line 9 opened on 25 January 2022. It connects Huashigou in Yubei District to Gaotanyan in Shapingba District. The line's route also serves Yuzhong District and Jiangbei District. Line 9 crosses the Jialing River on a bridge parallel to . It also features the deepest metro station in the world, Hongyancun station, at 116 meters deep. Line 9's colour is crimson.
Line 10
The line serves the North Railway station and the airport terminals. The first phase (Liyuchi to Wangjiazhuang) opened on 28 December 2017, and the second phase will connect Yuzhong and Nan'an districts by crossing the Jialing and the Yangtze rivers. Two new bridges, Zengjiayan Jialing River Bridge and Nanjimen Rail Transit Bridge, are under construction for train services to the south. Line 10's color is purple.
Line 18
Opened in 2023, Line 18 connects in Dadukou District to Fuhualu in Yuzhong District. The line crosses the Yangtze river on a 660-meter span cable-stayed bridge. The line's second phase, currently under construction, is projected to cross Yuzhong District and terminate at Xiaoshizi. Line 18's color is turquoise.
Jiangtiao line
The Jiangtiao line is a suburban rapid transit line connecting Jiangjin District with the metropolitan area at Tiaodeng. There is through service between Line 5 and the Jiangtiao line since 2023. Jiangtiao line's color is blue.
Bitong line
The Bitong line is a suburban rapid transit line connecting Tongliang District with the metropolitan area at Bishan. There will be through service between Line 27 and the Bitong line in the future.
Ticketing
Transport cards CRT accepts Life & Transport Card (Chongqing Universal Card, released by Chongqing City Card Payment Co., Ltd.) and its compatible cards, released by partner companies in other cities of China. There is a 10% discount applied to the Regular Card if it is used on public transit in the city. The higher price is paid for transfers between the bus and the metro within 1 hour (not including metro-to-metro, according to the paying time). The Regular Card can be purchased at any CRT station, and a deposit can be recovered when the card is returned with its receipt. In addition the card can be used in many shops, cinemas, restaurants, etc. in Chongqing. The Students' Card and the Elders' Card can not be directly used on the metro since their monthly fee covers only buses unless a cash sub-account, which allows a 50% discount, is added to the cards for free at the service points.
Time limit All trips must be completed in 3 hours upon entering the fare-paid area, or the highest ticket price in the system will be charged in addition.
Operation