| Line 18 | |
|---|---|
| 18 | |
 | |
| Overview | |
| Status | In operation |
| Owner | Chengdu Rail Transit |
| Locale | Chengdu,Sichuan |
| Termini | |
| Stations | 12 (in operation) 18 (future) |
| Service | |
| Type | Rapid transit |
| System | Chengdu Metro |
| Operator(s) | Chengdu Rail Transit Corporation |
| Rolling stock | 8-car Type A |
| History | |
| Opened | 27 September 2020; 5 years ago (2020-09-27) (South Railway Station—Sancha)[1] |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 69.39 km (43.1 mi)[2] |
| Number of tracks | 2 main tracks |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) |
| Electrification | AC 25 kV,Overhead line |
| Operating speed | 140 km/h (Designed 160 km/h) |
Line 18 of theChengdu Metro (simplified Chinese:成都地铁18号线;traditional Chinese:成都地鐵18號線;pinyin:Chéngdū Dìtiě Shíbā Hào Xiàn) is an expressrapid transit line that connects the urban area ofChengdu withChengdu Tianfu International Airport. Line 18's color isteal. The Phase 1 & 2 of Line 18 is in total 69.39 km in length.[2] It is also the biggest PPP[clarification needed] project in China.[3] The section from South Railway Station to Tianfu International Airport North Station started operation on 18 December 2020.[1]
BetweenChengdu South Railway Station andWestern China International Expo City Station, the line runs adjacent toLine 1 essentially forming a four track subway. Line 18 runs express between the two stations, skipping a number of stops that Line 1 makes. The four track alignment with Line 1 will be extended to North Railway Station once Phase 3 of the line is completed.
Phase 1 and 2 of the line, which is currently in operation, start at Chengdu South Railway Station and end atChengdu Tianfu International Airport. The total length is 69.39 km (43.12 mi).[2]
The line officially started construction on August 16, 2016.[4] The section from South Railway Station to Sancha started operation on 27 September 2020.[1] The line will use 8-car Type A rolling stock. The rolling stock have features designed for medium distance travel, such as a 140 km/h maximum speed and wide station spacing.[5]
The line will also feature distinct express and local services using passing tracks at select stations with an express service stopping only at 4 intermediate stations,[6] and planned to complete a trip between Chengdu South Railway Station toChengdu Tianfu International Airport in 35 minutes. The local service will stop at all stations on Line 18 and will complete the trip in 40 to 50 minutes.[7]
On December 9, 2019, the Department of Ecology and Environment of Sichuan Province approved new extensions for Line 18. Line 18 Phase 3 includes North Extension, Linjiang Section, and South Extension. It is 16.715 kilometers long, all underground. In total, 6 underground stations (4 transfer stations), 1 reserved station, and 1 new depot will be built.[8]
Line 18 is planned to extend north toNorth Railway Station onLine 1 serving downtown Chengdu and providing full parallel express service along the core portion ofLine 1. The length of the extension is 10.985 kilometers with 4 new stations.[9]
Line 18 is also planned to extend south beyond Tianfu International Airport Terminals 1 & 2 Station to Guanyan,[10] adding 5.75 kilometers and 2 new underground stations and Linjiang Depot.[8] On June 18, 2020, the Government of Chengdu changed the name of Linjiang Station to Guanyan Station.[10]
Jianyang Housing and Urban Planning Bureau officially released the plan for Line 18 Phase 4 to be extended to Jianyang South Railway Station.[11]
Additionally, Line 18 will connect with the proposedLine S3 (Ziyang line) at Futian Station.[12][11][13]Line S3 (Ziyang line) is currently undergoing geological investigation in centralZiyang.
Public transportation inSichuan Province (SC) | |||||||
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  Chengdu Metro |
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 Guang'an Metro |
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| Yibin ART |
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 C-train |
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| Intercity rails |
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| Chengdu Trams |
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| Other rail transits |
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| Chengdu BRT |
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| Transportation hubs |
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| Line 18 |
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Note: Stations inItalic are under construction. ※only interchange service available, no entrance/exit | |
