Shenzhen Metro ridership hits record levels in 2026
Shenzhen Metro recorded 2.477 billion passenger trips in the first nine months of 2026, marking a 5.2% year-on-year increase as transit infrastructure expansion continues.
Shenzhen Metro reported a total ridership of 2.477 billion passengers through the first three quarters of 2026, reflecting a 5.2% increase compared to the same period last year. The transit system maintained the highest ridership intensity among major mainland Chinese cities for 33 consecutive months, according to municipal data.
Operational volume reached a peak during the summer months, with daily ridership averaging 10.09 million passengers. For the first time in its history, the system exceeded a daily volume of 10 million passengers 86 times this year, with 18 instances surpassing the 11 million threshold. August saw the network rank first nationwide in both total passenger volume and station entries.
The increase in traffic follows the ongoing expansion of the city's rail network. With the opening of the northern extension of Line 13 in June, the network now spans 653.7 kilometers across 18 lines. The operator, Shenzhen Metro Group, continues construction on an additional 558 kilometers of rail, metro, and intercity infrastructure to further integrate the metropolitan region.