As a modern means of transportation, railway transit has been continuously extended in Chongqing, a land with a long history and culture of 3,000 years. By now, Chongqing Railway Transit has opened 11 lines. They are subways of CRT Line 1, Line 4, Line 5, Line 6, Line 9, Line 10, Loop Line and International Expo Line, monorails CRT Line 2 and Line 3 and Railway Jiangtiao Line.
The geographical conditions in the main urban area of Chongqing are complex, and the completed rail transit lines adopt the following two systems: straddle monorail and traditional steel wheel rail railway. The two systems are different in construction cost, suitable environment, noise control, speed and capacity. Chongqing Rail Transit Line 2, which started passenger operation on November 6, 2004, is not only the first straddle-type monorail line in China, but also the first urban rail transit line in Western China. Chongqing Rail Transit Line 1 is the first subway line opened and operated in the mountain city of Chongqing, and Chongqing Rail Transit Line 3 is the first urban rail transit line across the Yangtze River in China.
In fact, there is no light rail in Chongqing, CRT includes monorail and subway. Although we always call the light rail, but there is no light rail in Chongqing strictly. Maybe you will be confused of the differences between light rail, monorail and subway. And following is a table for you to distinguish them.
Tracks | Wheel | Capacity | Construction Cost | Speed | |
Light Rail | 2 | Steel wheel | moderate | minimum | slowest |
Monorail | 1 | Rubber wheel | moderate | moderate | moderate |
Subway | 2 | Steel wheel | large | maximum | fastest |
Xiaolongkan Station
Xiaolongkan Station is the most artistic station, it is the first graffiti art station in China. People describe it “green forest”. The platforms, station halls, entrances, exits and even the ceilings are all painted green by the designers, like a green trail. Standing in it is like being in the vibrant nature, breathing the fragrant grass.
Ciqikou Station
Ciqikou Station has the most typical Chongqing Folk Culture. It chooses Chongqing Yanzi, a representative of Chongqing, as the design element. With simple notes and vivid pictures, Yanzi Culture and Art Wall at Ciqikou Station shows the Chongqing’s characteristic dialect in a humorous way. As a landmark tourist spot in Chongqing, Ciqikou shows the Chongqing dialects(Chongqing Yanzi) on the walls, which makes the locals feel intimate and makes foreign tourists feel interesting. Foreign tourists will have a deeper understanding of Chongqing Yanzi and Chongqing culture.
Chongqing Xiaolongkan Station
Alongside the CRT Line 1, you can visit many attractions. Jiefangbei Square is a landmark of Chongqing, tourists and locals gather here since it is the central business street in Chongqing. And you can also enjoy the delicious food at Bayi Haochi Street. At Chaotianmen Wharf, you can experience the life of locals here, enjoying the beautiful view of Yangtze River and Jialing River. And the Yangtze River and Jialing River meet in front of Chaotianmen Wharf. At Ciqikou, an old town, you can experience the history and the miniature of Chongqing. You can walk around at Ciqikou and taste many kinds of snacks here. Taking Yangtze River Cableway, you can experience the charming river view of Chongqing and Chongqing three-dimensional traffic. At Hongyadong, you can experience the realistic version of Spirited Away. Tourists can’t miss the night view of Hongyadong. Standing on the Qiansimen Bridge, you can enjoy the unforgettable night view of Hongyadong.
Liziba Station
Liziba Station is the most famous station in Chongqing. It is located on the eighth floor of a residential building. What makes this building special is that the tracks and monorail pass through it. The photos of passing through the building at Liziba Station have repeatedly exploded on the Internet. Thousands of tourists take the CRT Line 2 to experience the monorail passing through the building. Also, they go to Liziba Viewing Platform to take photos while the monorail is passing through the building.
Chongqing Liziba Station
Ping’an Station
Ping’an Station has the biggest curvature in China. The railway’s curvature is near 90 degrees. This unique feeling of monorail turning can only be obtained in Chongqing. When you take CRT Line 2 and pass Ping’an Station, you will feel that you are riding the roller coaster. You can feel the charm of mountain city by taking CRT Line 2.
CRT Line 2
Take for a walk at Footpath of Mountain City, and feel the old Chongqing. At Three Gorges Museum, you can fully experience Bayu Culture, Three Gorges Culture and Anti-Japanese War Culture at this museum. Traffic Teahouse still remains the architectural style in the 1980s. Sit in the Traffic Teahouse, drink tea and experience the life of old Chongqing people. Sitting in the teahouse seems to see the past life of Chongqing people. The Graffiti Street outside Sichuan Fine Arts Institute is very famous in Chongqing. The Graffiti matches the buildings, with both aesthetic feeling and strong artistic flavor. In Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, you can see the Chongqing Art Museum, Chongqing Contemporary Art Center(Tank Warehouse) and the Schoolmates’ Wall with the names of the 35,000 students’ names from 1954 to 2010.
Niujiaotuo Station
Niujiaotuo Station is called Time Tunnel by local people. CRT Line 2 and Line 3 intersect vertically here. The transferring channel is a viewing corridor. Looking out from both sides of the corridor, one side is Jialing River, and another side are circling overpasses. Walking on the glass gallery, you can have a panoramic view of the river. Finding a suitable perspective, you can enjoy the beautiful view of Jialing River at day. At night, gorgeous lights and the city are reflected on the river, which is totally different with the scene of day. Some people choose Niujiaotuo Station to see the sunset and take photos.
Chongqing Niujiaotuo Station
Hongyan Village Station
Hongyan Village Station is the deepest subway station in China. The maximum embedded depth of the rail surface reaches 116 meters, which is equivalent to the height of a 39-storey building. From the platform to Exit 4, passengers need to take 8 elevators. Besides, the vertical height difference between Exit 2 and Exit 4, you can deeply experience the characteristics of mountain city here.
Chongqing CRT Line 9
Zengjiayan Station
Zengjiayan Station is the first subway station built on the bridge across the river. The station is built on the Jialing River Bridge. The view at the Zengjiayan Station is amazing, almost all the passengers stop to take photos here. At Zengjiayan Station, you can see Qiansimen Bridge, Huanghuayuan Bridge and Laifushi. You can even see 6 railways at the same time. From Exit 2 to Zengjiayan Bridge, you can photograph the monorail passing through the green forest on the S-shaped bend. You can experience the charm of Chongqing, city of mountains and waters here.
Chongqing CRT Line 10
Chongqing, a mountain city, shows its unique culture by its attractions and CRT. CRT not only gives the citizens and visitor great convenience, but also shows the charm of Chongqing. The mountain city endows the CRT Lines with the biggest characteristics and also becomes its biggest difference. The CRT Lines connect beautiful rivers and mountains, past and now, and urban and rural.