Track-laying has begun on Shanghai Metro Line 22, the city's first subway route to cross beneath the Yangtze River. The launch marks a key milestone in the development of this major infrastructure project.
Spanning 42.3 kilometers, Line 22 will connect Jinji Road Station in Pudong New Area with Yu'an Station on Chongming Island.
As the first metro line to serve the district, it will include eight underground stations, with transfer options at Jinji Road on Line 9 and Shenjiang Road on Line 12.
The route will cross the Yangtze River twice via Changxing Island, posing technical challenges due to extended inter-station distances, complex tunnel construction, and high standards for river-crossing design.
The main line will require about 83.9 kilometers of track, including 15.5 kilometers for the southern section between Pudong and Changxing Island, and 18 kilometers for the northern segment linking Changxing Island to Chongming.
Track-laying has started on the southern section, while construction on the northern portion will begin in September. These two stretches are the longest along the entire line.
The river-crossing tunnels — measuring 7 kilometers and 9 kilometers in length for the southern and northern sections— were completed in March 2025.
Once in service, Line 22 will be fully integrated into the Shanghai Metro network, significantly reducing travel time between Chongming and central Shanghai. The new connection is expected to provide faster, direct, access to the city's celebrated ecological island.
