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Report reveals growth in world’s busiest metro networks

Posted: 5 November 2015 | Katie Sadler, Digital Content Producer, Intelligent Transport

According to a report commissioned by UITP, the International Association of Public Transport, Asian cities rank top in possessing the world’s largest and busiest metro networks. The UITP report entitled ‘World Metro Figures’ observes the current state of the World’s metro networks and highlights potential future developments. The report shows that in 2014, 156 cities […]

Asian cities top world’s busiest metro networks

According to a report commissioned by UITP, the International Association of Public Transport, Asian cities rank top in possessing the world’s largest and busiest metro networks.

Asian cities top world’s busiest metro networks

The UITP report entitled ‘World Metro Figures’ observes the current state of the World’s metro networks and highlights potential future developments. The report shows that in 2014, 156 cities around the world had a metro system in operation, nearly two thirds of which were in Asia and Europe.  

156 cities around the world have metro networks, two thirds of which are located in Asia and Europe

The world’s busiest metro network is the Tokyo metropolitan area, with almost 3.6 billion passenger journeys per year, a 10 percent increase compared to 2012. Chinese metro systems have also enjoyed significant growth with Beijing (3.4billion, +39 percent) and Shanghai (2.8 billion, +25 percent) ranking 2nd and 3rd respectively. The top five busiest metro networks also included Seoul with an increase of 8 percent reaching 2.6 billion and Moscow reporting 2.4 billion journeys.

500km of new metro lines were added in cities around the world

Asian cities are also on top when it comes to the world’s longest metro networks, with the Chinese cities of Shanghai and Beijing boasting 548km and 527km of lines respectively, while London completes the top three with 436km. In 2014 alone, more than 500km of new lines were added in cities around the world.

The report also suggests that nearly a quarter of the world’s metro systems have at least one fully automated metro line. In total there are 732km of automated metro lines in 35 cities around the world, with Dubai (80km), Vancouver (68km) and Singapore (65km) at the forefront in terms of infrastructure length.

The growth of automated metro lines has accelerated since the system was first introduced 40 years ago with development in the last 10 year particularly rapid. Current forecasts predict the total to exceed 2,200km by 2025, with the MENA region and Asia spearheading this growth. 
UITP Secretary General, Alain Flausch, commented on the association’s findings: Cities have always been at the core of growth and development and will continue to be the main engine of economic activity, entrepreneurship and creativity. To fully reach this potential, we need to make sure people move seamlessly and can both access and contribute to the wellbeing of their cities. Metros play an instrumental role in helping cities to achieve their potential in today’s fast-changing world”. 

Asian cities top world’s busiest metro networks

UITP’S full report on World Metro figures can be viewed here.

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