How China’s metro takes us on a journey through time and technology
China boasts the world’s longest metros, in Beijing and Shanghai, serving millions daily with advanced technology and plans for future expansion.
Difficulty: Explorer (Level 1)
How often do you ride the metro? A lot of engineering knowledge is needed to build the trains. China is home to the world’s longest metro systems: Beijing and Shanghai.
Beijing’s subway opened in 1971 and is the oldest metro system in China. It carries about 10 million passengers every day.
The Shanghai metro system also carries a similar number of daily passengers. But it is much newer, having opened in 1993. Both of these cities also have maglev trains, which use special technology to create faster and smoother rides.
Hong Kong’s MTR also has a long history, beginning in 1979 with passenger service. The 11 lines cover 271km and serve about 4.6 million passengers every day.
In Shenzhen, there is a huge underground network of trains. Its 16 lines cover a distance of 567km. They serve up to 9.33 million passengers daily.
By 2035, Shenzhen plans for its metro to cover over 1,000km.
Design your own metro line
Materials
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coloured pencils or watercolour pens
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paper
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regular pencils and erasers
Instructions
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Start by listing out all of the places in Hong Kong that you want to get to more quickly. Use the internet to help you label them on the map. Draw a bigger label for your home.
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Next, draw lines to connect all these locations. Find the most direct route that goes between all of them.
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Once you’ve finished, you can print a bigger version of the map and indicate the stops with stickers, glitter or other decorations.
Crossword puzzle
Fill in the answers using the information from this page. One question will require you to do online research on your own. You can check your answers at the bottom of the page!
Across
3. Beijing and _____ have the world’s longest metro systems.
5. a type of train that uses electromagnetic force
6. What city has China’s oldest metro system?
Down
1. The world’s oldest metro system is located in _____.
2. Shenzhen’s metro system has _____ more lines than Hong Kong does.
4. Of the four metro systems mentioned in the paragraph, this city has the fewest daily passengers.
Answers: 1. London; 2. five; 3. Shanghai; 4. Hong Kong (spell it as one word); 5. maglev; 6. Beijing