Line 18 is a north–south Shanghai Metro line running from South Changjiang Road station in the city's Baoshan District to Hangtou station in Pudong, with a length of 36.13 km (22.45 mi).[1] The line was originally scheduled to open by the end of 2020.[2] However, officials announced that only the initial segment of eight stations in Pudong started test runs in September 2020.[3] The 14.5 km (9.0 mi) southern section opened for passenger operations on December 26, 2020.[4][5] The remainder of the line was opened on 30 December 2021. The line is 36.5 km (22.7 mi) long with 26 stations.[6] The line is one of Shanghai Metro's new batch of high capacity fully automated and driverless lines along with Lines 14 and 15.[7][3] The line is colored earth yellow on system maps.
History
The line began construction on 12 May 2016.[8] An eight-station segment in Pudong, running from Yuqiao station in the north to Hangtou station in the south, underwent testing in September 2020 and opened on 26 December 2020. This initial segment connects to line 11 at Yuqiao station. The remaining section of the first phase opened a year later connecting it north to South Changjiang Road on line 3.
Shanghai metro line 18 opening history
Segment
Commenced
Opened
Length
Station(s)
Name
Investment
Hangtou - Yuqiao
12 May 2016
26 Dec 2020
15.05 km (9.4 mi)
8
Phase 1 (initial section)
Yuqiao - South Changjiang Road
12 May 2016
30 Dec 2021
21.45 km (13.3 mi)
18
Phase 1 (northern section)
South Changjiang Road - Dakang Road
28 Jun 2021
u/c
8.1 km (5.0 mi)
6
Phase 2
Controversy
During the planning of Line 18, large amounts of controversy was generated among local residents when the initial alignment of the southern section of Line 18 was shifted from Kangshen Road westwards 1 km (0.62 mi) to follow the S122 Hunan Highway instead. The new alignment, instead of directly serving the densely populated Kangshen Road axis of Zhoupu town, now merely serves the western edge of Zhoupu. Planners received uncharacteristically large volume of feedback on the decision, with 300 calls and 3000 e-mails received pertaining to the change in alignment. Industry insiders have noted that the change in alignment was a compromise between local and regional transport demands. In addition, they noted the increased difficulty and cost of constructing a subway under the narrow Kangshen Road and that there is more land open to new development along the wider Hunan Highway.[9]
The second phase of line 18 has undergone a planning change, adding a station at West Changjiang Road, going into a large heavy industrial zone, intersecting Line 1 at Hulan Road station instead of Tonghe Xincun and ending at Dakang Road instead of Kangding Road. The second phase has been under construction since 28 June 2021 and will add six stations and 8.1 km (5.0 mi).[12] Proposals to extend the line further west to Line 7 are under consideration.
^乘车指南 > Station信息. 上海地铁 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2015-12-22. Retrieved 2015-12-17. Instructions: 点击相应线路，选择Station，点击"站层图"可查看相应Station的站台结构。
^10号线二期、18号线一期南段12月26日起开通试运营 [Phase 2 of Line 10 and Phase 1 (South Section) of Line 18 opens on December 26]. 上海地铁 (in Chinese). 2020-12-24. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
Rapid transit
Shanghai Metro
