This marks the ninth year of producing the Rail Transit Rankings.
This year, we have made important adjustments to our statistical methodology. After extensive discussion, we finalized a year-end summary using a hybrid statistics format of "Metropolitan Area Data + Single City Data (within administrative boundaries)", which better reflects actual urban development. (Note: The real-time rankings within the MetroMan App currently retain the "Single City Data" format.)
Ranking Methodology: Metropolitan Area Integration
With the gradual expansion and integration of rail transit networks within metropolitan areas, more and more cities are breaking through administrative boundaries to achieve interconnection with surrounding cities. Some cities have formed a "cluster development" trend, making it difficult to list them separately as before.
Currently, the major metropolitan areas involved include:
- Integrated: Guangzhou Metro Area (includes Foshan; future links to Dongguan, Zhuhai, etc.), Nanjing Metro Area (includes Zhenjiang Jurong; future links to Ma'anshan, Chuzhou, Yangzhou), Hangzhou Metro Area (includes Shaoxing, Jiaxing Haining; future links to Huzhou Deqing), Taipei Metro Area (includes New Taipei, Taoyuan; future links to Keelung).
- In Process of Integration: Xi'an-Xianyang.
- Network Expanding: Beijing Metro Area (Langfang, Xiong'an), Zhengzhou Metro Area (Xuchang, etc.), Chengdu Metro Area (Ziyang, etc.), Shenzhen Metro Area (Dongguan, Huizhou), Xiamen Metro Area (Zhangzhou, Quanzhou).
2021 Data Highlights
During the statistical period (Feb 12, 2021 – Jan 31, 2022), a total of 34 cities added new rail transit lines.
- New Cities: Shaoxing, Haining, Jurong, Wuhu, Luoyang, Taichung.
- Total: The number of cities with operating rail transit nationwide rose to 51.
Special Annual Awards
- Annual Breakthrough Award: Harbin
- Rose 9 places in the rankings, added 47km of mileage, reaching a total of 80km.
- Collaborative Development Award: Guangzhou & Foshan
- The two cities have been interconnected and operating together for 12 years.
- Regional Expansion Award: Hangzhou & Taipei
- Both successfully connected with two surrounding cities to achieve interconnected operations (Hangzhou-Shaoxing/Haining; Taipei-New Taipei/Taoyuan).
- Best Newcomer Award: Luoyang & Wuhu
- Achieved a leap from 0 to a 2-line network within a single year.
- Consecutive Champion Award: Shanghai
- Has consistently held the number one spot since the inception of these rankings.
Note: As in previous years, the cutoff for the rankings is the Lunar New Year. Data is rounded to the nearest whole number. Statistics exclude trams, light rail, and suburban railways without independent right-of-way.
Detailed Rankings List
Data Visualization Charts
