As China witnesses a rapid growth in the past few decades, many major cities have kept expanding; more and more people flew into these cities to realize their dreams. Under these circumstances, some cities with a population of over 5 millions began to consider the construction of Subway or light rail system to ease the pressure of massive public transport.

Up to now (2005), there are 7 cities in China with a subway system: Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Nanjing Hong Kong and Taipei (Taiwan). In a couple of years, 3-4 more cities like Wuhan, Hangzhou, Qingdao are going to join the “subway Club”. And 15 more cities are on the waiting list of State Development Planning Commission to expect the approval of constructions of their own subway or light rail systems.

Basic info of subways in each city:
	Beijing Subway: First built in 1969 for military use, it was turned to civil use after reform, which made Beijing the first city in China to have a subway. The total length of Subway is 114km with 70 stations. At present, the whole subway system transports 1.5 million passengers a day. In 2008, it will reach a length of 200km including the light rail.

Hong Kong:

Since the opening of the first line in 1979, the HK MTR (Massive Transit Railway) has been providing a safe, reliable and efficient service to passengers. Apart from the Airport Express Line, the current system comprises 6 lines - the Kwun Tong, Tsuen Wan, Island, Tung Chung, Tseung Kwan O and Disneyland Resort Lines, running over 83.7km through 51 stations. Today it keeps over 2.4 million people on the move every weekday, making it one of the most heavily utilized mass transit systems in the world.

Taipei:
	Taipei Mass Rapid Transit System was first put into operation in 1996. There are 6 lines right now with a total length of 67.2 km, transferring 950,000 passengers per day.

Shanghai:
	At the moment, Shanghai Metro runs 5 lines with a length of 116 km. Line 1 was opened in 1993, marking the metro existence in the largest metropolis of China. Besides, in 2002 Shanghai built the first Maglev (magnetic levitation) train for practical use in the world with the help of their German colleagues, which rockets to 300km/hour in two minutes.

Guangzhou:
	There are 2 lines of subway with a length of 36.64km completed in Guangzhou right now. They totally transport an average 470,000 passengers a day. Other 4 lines are under construction.

Shenzhen:
	In December 2004 the first phase of Shenzhen Subway project was put into operation. It totals 21.866 km with an investment of RMB11.55 billion (US$1.44billion), transporting an average 200,500 passengers a day.

Nanjing:
	Starting from Olympic Center to Mai Gao Bridge, the first subway in Nanjing totals 21.7km with an investment of RMB8.48 billion (US$1.06billion). There are 16 stations along. Up to now, it is the subway project with the lowest cost and most wide use of domestic technology.