You can now binge-watch White Lotus in ultra-HD, mid-commute, underground, from anywhere in the Shanghai Metro – and honestly, it's kind of a flex.

This year, many global events have opened unexpected windows into life in China for people around the world, only to turn their preconceptions upside down. It was just in January when American TikTok refugees were seeing videos of Shanghai on Xiaohongshu (Red Note), where they'd exclaim, "China is living in 2050."

Kind of, mind-boggling being an expat in Shanghai, living in this part of history, innit?

Context: Shanghai Does Infrastructure Like Nobody Else

In case you didn't know: Shanghai has built the largest metro system in the world in just over 30 years (this cool article my colleague Melo wrote last year dives deep into this). It now hauls over 10 million passengers daily, and is still expanding. Add full 5G coverage into that mix, and it's another shiny feather in the city's smart-city cap.

The Network Coverage is Something to Write Home About, Seriously

As of this month, Shanghai's entire subway network – all 21 lines, 517 stations, and 896 kilometers of track – is officially wired up with public 5G signal coverage. That makes Shanghai the first city in the world to blanket its entire metro system in high-speed, low-lag 5G coverage. Other major cities (London, Paris, New York, Hong Kong, Toronto) are advancing toward full 5G integration in their subway systems, but... I'll repeat it once more for #citypride: Shanghai is currently the only city with complete 5G coverage across its entire metro network.​

Not just "we've got 5G sometimes just in the stations." We're talking full, stable, tunnel-to-platform coverage with average download speeds north of 600 Mbps, and peak speeds tested over 3,000 Mbps in stations like Hanzhong Road. That's about 30x faster than most people's home WiFi.

Some Nerdy (But Cool) Numbers:

• 80% of metro sections already upgraded to 5G-A (Advanced) – that's the juiced-up version of 5G.
  
• 1.3 Gbps measured on a moving train between Xinzha Road and Hanzhong Road.
  
• 3.0 Gbps+ recorded standing on the platform.
  
• New "four-cable" signal deployment tech gives a 30% speed boost over older two-cable systems.
  
• 5G inspection robots at train depots can now handle 80% of routine inspections with 98% accuracy. Not kidding.
  

Rapid Fire Metro Updates in the last Year:

• Foreign bank cards can now be used to ride the metro
• A new metro link between Pudong and Hongqiao airport
• How to use the new luggage lockers at SH's metro
• Metro Line 17 to Jiangnan water towns to open soon
• Metro to Chongming Island under construction
• Metro line 20 opens extension to the north of Shanghai

The 5G Coverage Isn't Just About Streaming

This is 2050 stuff. Behind the scenes, Shanghai's metro isn't just riding the 5G wave for entertainment. There's a second, private-facing 5G network – a sort of "shadow net" – now being trialed to run high-tech train operations. Think real-time diagnostics, live high-def video feeds for maintenance teams, and AI-backed predictive maintenance that can tell if something's about to break... before it breaks.

The private 5G system is quietly revolutionizing how the world's longest metro system is managed. This new system allows engineers to monitor train systems remotely, inspect high-def video from underneath train cars in real-time, and even do remote troubleshooting during breakdowns – like a high-speed FaceTime with the guy driving your train.

There's also a 5G-powered "solo unit system," allowing remote supervisors to monitor emergency crews via body-worn cameras. This is the sort of tech that will vastly improve Shanghai's metro crews to respond to various scenarios, including emergencies.

Enjoy the Ride Shanghai!

You can now scroll, stream, doomscroll, or join your 9am Zoom call (headphones please) as the Line 2 train hurtles beneath Nanjing Road. And the experience isn't just passable – it's smooth. This will be a lifesaver for anyone wanting to head down to Linggang for lake surfing.

Meanwhile, subway WiFi in New York City is still slow on the platforms, cuts out in the tunnels, and forces you to reconnect at each stop.