Shanghai Daily News

The northern extension of Rail Transport No. 1, which links downtown to Baoshan District, will open by the year's end, officials announced yesterday.

The extension covers a total distance of 12.43 kilometers and will start from the Shanghai Railway Station of RT No. 1 and move north to the final stop at Gongfu Station.

About two thirds of the extended line will be built on the middle layer of an elevated road - the country's first combined elevated road of its kind. The project cost 3.6 billion yuan (US$433.7 million).

Residents in relatively remote Zhabei and Baoshan districts have anxiously awaited the project's completion as the extention line will provide easy access to downtown areas.