Feasibility studies for Shanghai’s Metro Line 19 have just concluded, as the city pushes ahead with the expansion of the world’s largest subway network.

The construction of Line 19, linking Minhang District in the south with Baoshan District in the north and passing through six Shanghai districts, is scheduled to take six years.

With 32 underground stations, the line will provide a direct route for residents in Minhang and Baoshan to travel downtown, with planned stations at Shanghai International Studies University, Tilanqiao, Shangcheng Road, Houtan and the Oriental Sports Center.

It’s one of nine Metro and urban railway lines planned for the period between 2018 and 2023, with a total investment of 298 billion yuan (US$46 billion) and 286 kilometers of overall length.

The other routes planned are Metro Line 20 from Jinchang Road to Gongqing Forest Park; Line 21 from Chuansha Road to Dongjin Road; Line 23 from Minhang Development Zone to Shanghai Stadium; the west extension of Line 13 from Jinyun Road to Zhuguang Road; the west extension of Line 1 from Xinzhuang to N. Xinzhuang; the Airport Line linking Hongqiao transport hub and Shanghai East Railway Station; the Jiading-Minhang Line from N. Jiading to N. Xinzhuang; and the Chongming Line from Jinji Road to Yu’an Road.

Most of the planned lines are in suburban areas.

The transportation commission is soliciting public opinions on the planning of Metro Line 17’s western extension.

According to the plan, Line 17 will travel along Dianshan Lake with a new elevated station in Xicen beyond the current terminal station at Shanghai Oriental Land.

Government officials in Qingpu District, where the new station will be located, said Line 17 will eventually be extended further to connect to Metro lines in the cities of Suzhou and Jiaxing.

In urban areas, all but one station on Line 15 are expected to open before Spring Festival, with the last station scheduled to open by the end of June. Line 15 will run from Gucun Park in the north to Zizhu Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone in the south. The line will have 30 stations, serving Baoshan, Putuo, Changning, Xuhui and Minhang districts.

Including Metro Line 15, the Shanghai Metro network will have 459 stations and 771km of rail lines. The 7,000th train was recently added to the Metro fleet, making it the largest subway fleet in the world.