This list of metro systems includes electrified rapid transit train systems worldwide. In some parts of the world, metro systems are referred to as subways, undergrounds, tubes, mass rapid transit (MRT), metrô or U-Bahn. As of 22 December 2024, [update] 204 cities in 65 countries operate 890 metro lines.
The London Underground first opened as an underground railway in 1863 and its first electrified underground line, the City and South London Railway, opened in 1890, [1] making it the world's first deep-level electric metro system. [2] The Budapest Millennium Underground Railway, which opened in 1896, was the world's first electric underground railway specifically designed for urban transportation and is still in operation today. [3] The Shanghai Metro is both the world's longest metro network at 896 kilometres (557 mi) and the busiest with the highest annual ridership reaching approximately 2.83 billion passenger trips. [4] [5] The New York City Subway has the greatest number of stations, with 472. As of 2024, [update] the country with the most metro systems is China, with 54 in operation, including 11 of the 12 longest networks in the world.
The International Association of Public Transport (L'Union Internationale des Transports Publics, or UITP) defines metro systems as urban passenger transport systems, "operated on their own right of way and segregated from general road and pedestrian traffic". [6] [7] The terms heavy rail (mainly in North America) and heavy urban rail are essentially synonymous with the term "metro". [8] [9] [10] Heavy rail systems are also specifically defined as an "electric railway". [8] [9]
The dividing line between the metro and other modes of public transport, such as light rail [8] [9] and commuter rail, [8] [9] is not always clear. The UITP only makes distinctions between "metros" and "light rail", whereas [6] the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) distinguish all three modes. [8] [9] A common way to distinguish metro from light rail is by their separation from other traffic. While light rail systems may share roads with car traffic or use sections of track with level crossings across roads, metro systems tend to run on a grade-separated exclusive right-of-way with no access for other traffic.
In contrast to commuter rail or light rail, metro systems are primarily used for transport within a city, and have higher service frequencies and substantially higher passenger volume capacities. Most metro systems do not share tracks with freight trains or inter-city rail services. It is not relevant whether the system runs on steel wheels or rubber tyres, or if the power supply is from a third rail or overhead line.
The name of the system is not a criterion for inclusion or exclusion. Some cities use "metro" as a brand name for a transit line with no component of rapid transit whatsoever. Similarly, there are systems branded "light rail" that meet every criterion for being a rapid transit system. Some systems also incorporate light metro or light rail lines as part of the larger system under a common name. These are listed, but the light rail lines are not counted in the provided network data.
Certain transit networks may match the service standards of metro systems, but reach far out of the city and are sometimes known as S-Bahn, suburban, regional or commuter rail. These are not included in this list. Neither are funicular systems, or people movers, such as amusement park, ski resort and airport transport systems.
This list counts metros separately when multiple metros in one city or metropolitan area have separate owners or operating companies. This list expressly does not aim at representing the size and scope of the total rapid transit network of a certain city or metropolitan area. The data in this list should not be used to infer the size of a city's, region's, or country's urban rail transit systems, or to establish a ranking.
Recent ridership figures, particularly for 2020, will have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Country | Systems | Length | Lines | Stations | Annual ridership / km (millions) | Inauguration |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | 47 | 10,187.84 km (6,330.43 mi) | 306 | 5,988 | 2.10 (2020) [R Nb 29] | 1971 |
![]() | 16 | 1,389.4 km (863.3 mi) | 71 | 1,000 | 1.66 (2022) | 1892 |
![]() | 17 | 1000 km (621.5 mi) | 39 | 717 | 3.70 (2021) [R Nb 30] | 1984 [449] [450] |
![]() | 20 [R Nb 18] | 897.5 km (557.7 mi) | 54 | 774 | 8.19 (2019) | 1927 |
![]() | 6 | 753.93 km (468.47 mi) | 35 | 683 | 3.87 (2019) | 1974 |
![]() | 7 | 663.7 km (412.4 mi) | 29 | 426 | 4.62 (2022) | 1935 |
![]() | 3 | 467.3 km (290.4 mi) | 23 | 539 | 1.43 (2019) | 1919 |
![]() | 3 | 446.4 km (277.4 mi) | 19 | 332 | 2.11 (2022) | 1863 |
![]() | 6 | 398.3 km (247.5 mi) | 28 | 517 | 3.70 (2019–20) | 1900 |
![]() | 5 | 391.2 km (243.1 mi) | 18 | 280 | 1.94 (2019–20) [R Nb 31] | 1989 |
![]() | 4 | 386.8 km (240.3 mi) | 24 | 413 | 3.59 (2019) | 1902 |
![]() | 8 | 374.3 km (232.6 mi) | 20 | 266 | 3.45 (2018–20) | 1974 |
![]() | 6 | 338.5 km (210.3 mi) | 17 | 262 | 4.08 (2018) [R Nb 32] | 1999 |
![]() | 3 | 287.5 km (178.6 mi) | 18 | 283 | 4.37 (2020) [R Nb 33] | 1969 |
![]() | 5 | 258.7 km (160.7 mi) | 11 | 231 | 3.26 (2019–20) [R Nb 34] | 1996 |
![]() | 7 | 244.9 km (152.2 mi) | 15 | 288 | 3.73 (2018–19) | 1955 |
![]() | 4 | 243.3 km (151.2 mi) | 12 | 201 | 2.64 (2022) | 1954 |
![]() | 1 | 242.6 km (150.7 mi) | 6 | 142 | 3.41 (2020) | 1987 |
![]() | 1 | 210.4 km (130.7 mi) | 6 | 149 | 1.60 (2023) | 1996 |
![]() | 1 | 209.1 km (129.9 mi) | 10 | 99 | 7.59 (2023) | 1979 |
![]() | 2 | 205.95 km (127.97 mi) | 7 | 171 | 2.11 (2023) | 1999 |
![]() | 1 | 176 km (109 mi) | 3 | 84 | n/a | 2024 |
![]() | 1 | 149 km (93 mi) | 7 | 143 | 1.88 (2020) | 1975 |
![]() | 2 | 143.5 km (89.2 mi) | 10 | 109 | 1.48 (2019) | 1968 |
![]() | 3 | 114.2 km (71.0 mi) | 7 | 88 | 6.43 (2022) | 1960 |
![]() | 1 | 108 km (67 mi) | 7 | 100 | 3.10 (2018) | 1950 |
![]() | 1 | 106.8 km (66.4 mi) | 3 | 84 | 7.45 (2020) | 1987 |
![]() | 2 | 101.3 km (62.9 mi) | 4 | 79 | 2.92 (2018) | 1904 |
![]() | 1 | 89.5 km (55.6 mi) | 3 | 53 | 1.26 (2020) | 2009 |
![]() | 4 | 89.4 km (55.6 mi) | 5 | 50 | 0.63 (2020) | 2018 |
![]() | 1 | 85 km (53 mi) | 5 | 101 | 0.87 (2020) | 1966 |
![]() | 1 | 83.3 km (51.8 mi) | 5 | 109 | 5.51 (2019) | 1978 |
![]() | 1 | 80.1 km (49.8 mi) | 5 | 64 | 1.6 (2023) | 1979 |
![]() | 1 | 76 km (47 mi) | 3 | 37 | n/a | 2019 |
![]() | 2 | 67.2 km (41.8 mi) | 5 | 49 | 5.32 (2017) | 1983 |
![]() | 1 | 66.5 km (41.3 mi) | 4 | 43 | 2.32 (2022) | 1977 |
![]() | 1 | 65.4 km (40.6 mi) | 3 | 61 | 3.85 (2020) | 1974 |
![]() | 2 | 60.2 km (37.4 mi) | 3 | 51 | 5.82 (2019) | 1984 |
![]() | 1 | 56.7 km (35.2 mi) | 7 | 104 | 4.16 (2022) | 1913 |
![]() | 1 | 52 km (32 mi) | 1 | 21 | n/a | 2019 |
![]() | 1 | 52 km (32 mi) | 4 | 47 | 1.79 (2018) | 1998 |
![]() | 1 | 44.2 km (27.5 mi) | 4 | 56 | 1.93 (2020) | 1959 |
![]() | 1 | 43 km (27 mi) | 2 | 30 | 1.84 (2023) | 1982 |
![]() | 2 | 41.3 km (25.7 mi) | 3 | 34 | 0.82 (2023) | 2021 |
![]() | 1 | 41.2 km (25.6 mi) | 2 | 34 | 5.50 (2019) | 1995 |
![]() | 1 | 40.8 km (25.4 mi) | 3 | 33 | 5.54 (2022) | 1984 |
![]() | 1 | 40.7 km (25.3 mi) | 3 | 27 | 4.98 (2022) | 1967 |
![]() | 1 | 40 km (25 mi) | 2 | 13 | n/a | 2023 |
![]() | 1 | 39.9 km (24.8 mi) | 4 | 59 | 2.19 (2020) | 1976 |
![]() | 1 | 39.4 km (24.5 mi) | 4 | 48 | 9.71 (2023) | 1896 |
![]() | 1 | 39.4 km (24.5 mi) | 2 | 31 | 3.19 (2018) | 2011 |
![]() | 1 | 38.2 km (23.7 mi) | 4 | 39 | 3.13 (2023) | 2002 |
![]() | 1 | 37.8 km (23.5 mi) | 2 | 29 | 1.38 (2020) | 2014 |
![]() | 1 | 31.3 km (19.4 mi) | 2 | 27 | 7.16 (2023) | 1995 |
![]() | 1 | 31 km (19 mi) | 2 | 34 | 1.60 (2020) | 2009 |
![]() | 1 | 27.3 km (17.0 mi) | 2 | 23 | 2.74 (2022) | 1966 |
![]() | 1 | 27.1 km (16.8 mi) | 1 | 26 | 0.74 (2020–2021) | 2020 |
![]() | 1 | 22.6 km (14.0 mi) | 1 | 15 | n/a | 2023 |
![]() | 1 | 22 km (14 mi) | 2 | 16 | 1.63 (2009) | 1973 |
![]() | 1 | 20.1 km (12.5 mi) | 1 | 16 | n/a | 2022 |
![]() | 1 | 18.5 km (11.5 mi) | 1 | 19 | 2.40 (2019) | 2011 |
![]() | 1 | 16.3 km (10.1 mi) | 3 | 15 | 0.20 (2023) | 2019 |
![]() | 1 | 13.4 km (8.3 mi) | 1 | 11 | 1.27 (2022) | 2011 |
![]() | 1 | 12.1 km (7.5 mi) | 1 | 10 | 1.93 (2022) | 1981 |
![]() | 1 | 5.9 km (3.7 mi) | 1 [R Nb 35] | 14 | 5.55 (2019) | 2008 |
The following is a list of new worldwide metro systems that are currently actively under construction. In some cases it is not clear if the system will be considered a full metro system once it begins operational service. Only metro systems under construction are listed where there are no metro systems currently in operation in the same city.
The countries of Iraq, Mongolia, Israel, Ivory Coast and Serbia are currently constructing their first ever metro systems.
City | Country | Name | Construction started | Projected opening | Lines | Stations | Length by first opening |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Melbourne | ![]() | Metro Tunnel (including Sunbury-Dandenong Line Corridor) | 2017 | 2025 | 1 | 5 | 9 km (5.6 mi) |
Suburban Rail Loop | 2022 | 2035 | 1 | 6 | 26 km (16 mi) | ||
Alexandria | ![]() | Alexandria Metro | 2020 | 2026 [451] | 1 | 20 | 217 km (135 mi) |
Bogotá | ![]() | Bogotá Metro | 2020 [452] | 2028 | 1 | 16 | 24 km (15 mi) |
Bhopal | ![]() | Bhopal Metro | 2018 | 2025 [453] | 2 | 29 | 27.9 km (17.3 mi) |
Bhubaneswar | Bhubaneswar Metro | 2024 [454] | 2028 [455] | 1 | 20 | 26 km (16 mi) | |
Indore | Indore Metro | 2018 | 2025 [456] | 1 | 29 | 33.5 km (20.8 mi) | |
Meerut | Meerut Metro | 2019 [457] | 2025 | 1 | 13 | 23.6 km | |
Patna | Patna Metro | 2020 | 2027 | 2 | 26 | 32.9 km (20.5 mi) | |
Surat | Surat Metro | 2021 | 2027 | 2 | 38 | 40.3 km (25 mi) | |
Denpasar [458] | ![]() | Bali Mass Rapid Transit | 2024 | 2028 [459] | 2 | 5 | 29.5 km (18.3 mi) |
Ahvaz | ![]() | Ahvaz Metro | 2004 | 2025 [460] | 1 | 24 | 23 km (14.3 mi) |
Qom [461] | Qom Urban Railway | 2009 | 2025 [462] | 1 | 14 | 14 km (8.7 mi) | |
Baghdad | ![]() | Baghdad Metro | 2024 [463] | 2029 | 7 | 64 | 148 km (92 mi) |
Ulaanbaatar | ![]() | Ulaanbaatar Metro | 2024 | 2028 | 1 | 14 | 17,7 km (11 mi) |
Tel Aviv | ![]() | Tel Aviv Metro | 2025 | 2032 | 3 | 109 | 150 km (93 mi) |
Abidjan | ![]() | Abidjan Metro | 2017 | 2028 [464] | 1 | 18 | 37.5 km (23.3 mi) |
Astana | ![]() | Astana Metro | 1988 | 2025 | 1 | 18 | 21.5 km (13.4 mi) |
George Town | ![]() | Mutiara LRT | 2025 [465] | 2031 [465] | 1 | 21 | 29.5 km (18.3 mi) |
Johor Bahru Singapore | ![]() ![]() | Rapid Transit System Link | 2020 [466] | 2026 | 1 | 2 | 4 km (2.5 mi) |
Cluj-Napoca | ![]() | Cluj-Napoca Metro | 2024 [467] | 2031 [467] | 1 | 19 [467] | 21 km (13 mi) |
Jeddah | ![]() | Jeddah Metro | 2014 [ citation needed ] | 2025 | 3 | 46 | 108 km (67 mi) |
Belgrade | ![]() | Belgrade Metro | 2021 [468] | 2030 [469] | 2 | 43 | 40.5 km (25.2 mi) |
New Taipei | ![]() | New Taipei Metro | 2016 | 2025 | 1 | 12 | 14.3 km (8.9 mi) |
Konya | ![]() | Konya Metro | 2020 [470] | 2025 [471] | 1 | 22 | 21.1 km (13.1 mi) |
Gebze | Gebze Metro | 2018 | 2026 | 1 | 12 | 15.4 km (9.6 mi) | |
Mersin | Mersin Metro | 2022 [472] | 2026 | 1 | 11 | 13.4 km (8.3 mi) |
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value: checksum (help)As for the station opened after the end of 2019, see "Estação Estrada Parque começa a funcionar na segunda-feira" [Estrada Parque station starts operating on Monday]. Correio Braziliense (in Brazilian Portuguese). Diários Associados. 3 January 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
将于本月25日开通运营体育会展站、东界站、洪坑站、翔安市民公园站
As for the section opened after the end of 2017, see "Ce que va permettre le prolongement de la ligne 14 du métro à Paris" [What the extension of metro line 14 in Paris will allow]. L'Express (in French). Altice Europe N.V. 14 December 2020. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
As for the section opened after the end of 2009, see Fender, Keith (4 December 2020). "Berlin U5 extension opens" . International Railway Journal. Simmons-Boardman Publishing Inc. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
As for the latest extension, see "'CMRL likely to handle up to 3.5L daily commuters soon'". The Times of India. Chennai: The Times Group - Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. 14 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
As for the section opened after the end of 2019, see Roy, Subhajoy (14 February 2020). "First phase of East-West Metro unveiled". The Telegraph . Ananda Bazar Patrika (ABP) Group. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
As for the latest extension, see "L'estació de Zona Franca de la línia 10 Sud de metro obrirà les portes dissabte a les 3 de la tarda". Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB). 30 January 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
As for the latest extension, see "La Comunidad abre la estación de metro Arroyofresno al público tras 20 años" [The Community of Madrid opens Arroyofresno metro station to the public after 20 years]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Grupo Godó. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
London Underground, better known as the Tube, has 11 lines covering 402km and serving 272 stations.
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(help)This ridership figure is the sum of those quoted for the rapid transit lines
Annual ridership figure is calculated from the 209662 passenger daily average quoted.
The ridership figure includes system-wide ridership.
This ridership figure is derived from the sum of the twelve monthly subtotals for 2020
This ridership figure is derived from the sum of the twelve monthly subtotals for 2020
This ridership figure is derived from the sum of the twelve monthly subtotals for 2019
This ridership figure is derived from the sum of the twelve monthly subtotals for 2020.
This ridership figure is derived from the sum of the twelve monthly subtotals for 2019