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), métro or U-Bahn. As of 16 May 2026, [update] 214 cities in 63 countries operate 965 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, making it the world's oldest metro system. [1] [2] 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 and the 4 systems with the highest annual ridership numbers.
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". [3] [4] The terms heavy rail (mainly in North America) and heavy urban rail are essentially synonymous with the term "metro". [5] [6] [7] Heavy rail systems are also specifically defined as an "electric railway". [5] [6]
The dividing line between the metro and other modes of public transport, such as light rail [5] [6] and commuter rail, [5] [6] is not always clear. The UITP only makes distinctions between "metros" and "light rail", whereas [3] the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) distinguish all three modes. [5] [6] 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.
The year the metro system was opened for commercial service at metro standards. In other words, parts of the system may be older, but as parts of a former light rail or commuter rail network, so the year that the system obtained metro standards (most notably electrification) is the one listed.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18.5 km (11.5 mi) | 1 | 19 | 2.40 (2019) | 2011 | |
| 1 | 56.7 km (35.2 mi) | 7 | 104 | 4.16 (2022) | 1913 | |
| 1 | 13.4 km (8.3 mi) | 1 | 10 | 1.93 (2022) | 1981 | |
| 1 | 65 km (40 mi) | 1 | 31 | 1.38 (2025) [473] | 2019 | |
| 1 | 83.3 km (51.8 mi) | 5 | 109 | 5.51 (2019) | 1978 | |
| 1 | 40.7 km (25.3 mi) | 3 | 27 | 4.98 (2022) | 1967 | |
| 1 | 21.3 km (13.2 mi) | 1 | 16 | n/a | 2022 | |
| 1 | 44.9 km (27.9 mi) | 3 | 36 | 5.54 (2022) | 1984 | |
| 1 | 39.9 km (24.8 mi) | 4 | 59 | 2.19 (2020) | 1976 | |
| 8 | 391.2 km (243.1 mi) | 22 | 284 | 3.45 (2018–20) | 1974 | |
| 1 | 55 km (34 mi) | 4 | 50 | 1.79 (2018) | 1998 | |
| | 4 | 283.3 km (176.0 mi) | 11 | 215 | 3.01 (2024) | 1954 |
| 1 | 149 km (93 mi) | 7 | 143 | 1.88 (2020) | 1975 | |
| | 47 | 12,385.316 km (7,695.879 mi) | 336 | 6,589 | 2.10 (2020) [R Nb 24] | 1971 |
| 1 | 31.3 km (19.4 mi) | 2 | 27 | 6.47 (2025) | 1995 | |
| 1 | 65.4 km (40.6 mi) | 3 | 61 | 3.85 (2020) | 1974 | |
| 1 | 43.3 km (26.9 mi) | 4 | 44 | 3.13 (2023) | 2002 | |
| 1 | 38.6 km (24.0 mi) | 2 | 38 | 1.60 (2020) | 2009 | |
| 1 | 22.6 km (14.0 mi) | 1 | 15 | n/a | 2023 | |
| 1 | 106.8 km (66.4 mi) | 3 | 84 | 7.45 (2020) | 1987 | |
| 1 | 43 km (27 mi) | 2 | 30 | 1.84 (2023) | 1982 | |
| 6 | 398.3 km (247.5 mi) | 28 | 517 | 3.70 (2019–20) | 1900 | |
| 1 | 27.3 km (17.0 mi) | 2 | 23 | 2.74 (2022) | 1966 | |
| 4 | 386.8 km (240.3 mi) | 24 | 413 | 3.59 (2019) | 1902 | |
| 2 | 105.8 km (65.7 mi) | 5 | 84 | 2.92 (2018) | 1904 | |
| 1 | 39.4 km (24.5 mi) | 4 | 48 | 9.71 (2023) | 1896 | |
| | 21 | 1,199.64 km (745.42 mi) | 49 | 883 | 3.70 (2021) [R Nb 25] | 1984 [474] [475] |
| 4 | 95.8 km (59.5 mi) | 5 | 55 | 0.63 (2020) | 2018 | |
| 6 | 348.3 km (216.4 mi) | 18 | 266 | 4.08 (2018) [R Nb 26] | 1999 | |
| 7 | 257.1 km (159.8 mi) | 16 | 292 | 3.73 (2018–19) | 1955 | |
| 21 [R Nb 14] | 905.9 km (562.9 mi) | 55 | 749 | 8.19 (2019) | 1927 | |
| 2 | 35.8 km (22.2 mi) | 2 | 29 | 1.27 (2022) | 2011 | |
| 1 | 241.6 km (150.1 mi) | 7 | 159 | 1.60 (2023) | 1996 | |
| 3 | 287.5 km (178.6 mi) | 18 | 283 | 4.37 (2020) [R Nb 27] | 1969 | |
| 2 | 143.5 km (89.2 mi) | 10 | 109 | 1.48 (2019) | 1968 | |
| 1 | 13 km (8.1 mi) | 1 | 5 | n/a | 2023 | |
| 1 | 22 km (14 mi) | 2 | 16 | 1.63 (2009) | 1973 | |
| 1 | 85 km (53 mi) | 5 | 101 | 0.87 (2020) | 1966 | |
| 1 | 27.1 km (16.8 mi) | 1 | 26 | 0.74 (2020–2021) | 2020 | |
| 1 | 41.2 km (25.6 mi) | 2 | 33 | 1.38 (2020) | 2014 | |
| 1 | 39.4 km (24.5 mi) | 2 | 31 | 3.19 (2018) | 2011 | |
| 2 | 60.2 km (37.4 mi) | 3 | 51 | 5.82 (2019) | 1984 | |
| 1 | 41.2 km (25.6 mi) | 2 | 34 | 5.50 (2019) | 1995 | |
| 1 | 44.2 km (27.5 mi) | 4 | 56 | 1.93 (2020) | 1959 | |
| 1 | 76 km (47 mi) | 3 | 37 | n/a | 2019 | |
| 1 | 80.1 km (49.8 mi) | 5 | 64 | 1.6 (2023) | 1979 | |
| 7 | 753.1 km (468.0 mi) | 30 | 376 | 4.62 (2022) | 1935 | |
| 2 | 194.1 km (120.6 mi) | 7 | 94 | 1.87 (2025) | 2010 | |
| 1 | 246.6 km (153.2 mi) | 8 | 146 | 3.41 (2024) | 1987 | |
| 6 | 760.7 km (472.7 mi) | 38 | 686 | 3.87 (2019) | 1974 | |
| 4 | 527.88 km (328.01 mi) | 23 | 539 | 1.43 (2019) | 1919 | |
| 1 | 108 km (67 mi) | 7 | 100 | 3.10 (2018) | 1950 | |
| 1 | 5.9 km (3.7 mi) | 1 [R Nb 28] | 14 | 5.55 (2019) | 2008 | |
| 5 | 274.39 km (170.50 mi) | 12 | 244 | 3.26 (2019–20) [R Nb 29] | 1996 | |
| 2 | 203.05 km (126.17 mi) | 7 | 173 | 2.11 (2023) | 1999 | |
| 5 | 413.1 km (256.7 mi) | 18 | 289 | 1.94 (2019–20) [R Nb 30] | 1989 | |
| 3 | 114.2 km (71.0 mi) | 7 | 88 | 6.43 (2022) | 1960 | |
| 1 | 89.5 km (55.6 mi) | 3 | 53 | 1.26 (2020) | 2009 | |
| 3 | 446.4 km (277.4 mi) | 19 | 332 | 2.11 (2022) | 1863 | |
| 16 | 1,395.71 km (867.25 mi) | 71 | 1,083 | 1.66 (2022) | 1892 | |
| 1 | 70.8 km (44.0 mi) | 4 | 50 | 2.32 (2022) | 1977 | |
| 2 | 67.2 km (41.8 mi) | 5 | 49 | 5.32 (2017) | 1983 | |
| 2 | 41.3 km (25.7 mi) | 3 | 34 | 0.99 (2025) | 2021 |
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 Ivory Coast, Israel, and Serbia are currently constructing their first ever metro systems.
| Name | City | Country | Construction started | Projected opening |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suburban Rail Loop | Melbourne | 2022 | 2035 | |
| Bogotá Metro | Bogotá | 2020 [476] | 2028 | |
| Alexandria Metro | Alexandria | 2020 | 2027 [477] | |
| Surat Metro | Surat | 2021 [478] | 2026 [479] | |
| Thane Metro | Thane | 2025 | 2029 | |
| Ahvaz Metro | Ahvaz | 2004 | 2028 [480] | |
| Qom Urban Railway | Qom [481] | 2009 | 2026 [482] | |
| Tel Aviv Metro | Tel Aviv | 2025 | 2032 | |
| Abidjan Metro | Abidjan | 2017 | 2028 [483] | |
| Mutiara LRT | George Town | 2025 [484] | 2031 [484] | |
| Rapid Transit System Link | Johor Bahru Singapore | 2020 [485] | 2027 [486] | |
| Cluj-Napoca Metro | Cluj-Napoca | 2024 [487] [488] | 2031 [487] [488] | |
| Belgrade Metro | Belgrade | 2021 [489] | 2033 [490] | |
| İzmit Metro (Körfezray) | İzmit | 2024 | 2028 | |
| Gebze Metro | Gebze | 2018 | 2026 |
As for the station opened after the end of 2017, see Perazzolo, Anna; Mayr, Christian (18 January 2026). "Geisterstationen und Geheimtunnel: Die dunkle Welt der Wiener U-Bahn" [Ghost stations and secret tunnels: The dark world of the Vienna U-Bahn]. Kurier (in German). Kurier-Zeitungsverlag und Druckerei GmbH. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
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.
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{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)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 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.
Loke said that appointed contractors for the Malaysia side of the project are striving for the project to be completed by Dec 31, 2026 and commence operations from January 2027 [...] The RTS Link, which will stretch 4km from Singapore's Woodlands North station to Johor's Bukit Chagar station, is expected to begin service by the start of 2027.
This ridership figure is the sum of those quoted for the rapid transit lines
This ridership figure is derived from the sum of the twelve monthly subtotals for 2024
The ridership figure includes system-wide ridership.
This ridership figure is derived from the sum of the twelve monthly subtotals for 2025
This ridership figure is derived from the sum of the twelve monthly subtotals for 2025
This ridership figure is derived from the sum of the twelve monthly subtotals for 2025.
This ridership figure is derived from the sum of the twelve monthly subtotals for 2025