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Tianjin (Tientsin, Tenshin, 9.3 million inhabitants) has always been an important inland harbour, situated 40 km from the Yellow Sea (Bohai Gulf) and 130 km from Beijing (Peking).

Tianjin was the second city in China to build an underground railway. Construction of the existing metro line started in 1970. It runs only 2-3 metres under the city's streets, partly using a driedout canal bed. There were only 1,000 full-time construction workers at that time; the others were volunteers from factories, schools and institutions all over the city. The average number of volunteer workers exceeded 2,000 a day. The construction was interrupted by the 1976 earthquake and was resumed and finished between 1979 and 1984. The line started at Xin Hua Road, and finished at the West Railway Station. The total length was 7.4 kilometres.

The Tianjin metro has 1435 mm gauge and it uses 825Vdc 3rd rail power supply. Most stations have side platforms.

The Tianjin metro closed on 9 Oct 2001 for reconstruction and extension. The extended line eventually opened in summer 2006. The northern section from Benxilu is above ground.

10 Aug 1980 - Line 1 (5.2 km) Xinanjiao - Xinhua Road
Dec. 1984 - Xinanjiao - West Railway Station (2.2 km)
9 Oct 2001 - Line 1 closed for reconstruction and extension

12 Jun 2006 - Line 1 - Liuyuan - Shuanglin trial operation (26.2 km)

East-west line initially operated in two sections, due to a construction accident on the central section. When completed in 2013, the line will be 23.5 km long with 19 stations.

01 July 2012: Caozhuang - Dongnanjiao (w/o Jieyuan Xidao) and Tianjinzhen - Konggangjingjiqu (trial operation)
18 Nov 2012: Jieyuan Xidao

North-south line, 22.3 km with 23 stations

01 Oct 2012: Xiaodian - Gaoxinqu

The TEDA (Tianjin Economic Developing Area) industrial zone has been Tianjin's fastest developing area. But commuting between downtown and TEDA has become a serious problem. Although there were already 3 express highways and 1 railway between them, a mass transit line was still required. With a sum of 5.92 billion Yuan (USD 0.71 billion) that was invested by the new established company named Binhai Mass Transit Developing, the construction started in 2001. And it was finished in late October 2003. The LRT Binhai line is 45.4km long with 19 stations (when completed), runs from Zhongshanmen to Kongzhizhongxin (Control Centre). The design works of the urban section of the whole Binhai line project has been completed. Construction began in early 2004.

28 March 2004: Binhai Line Zhongshanmen - Donghailu (trial operation: only 6 stations opened for public, plus two - Hujiayuan and Huizhanzhongxin - for special occasions only)
25 May 2004: Yihaoqiao station added
18 Oct 2004: Shiminguangchang station added
27 March 2005: Huizhanzhongxin fully opened
28 April 2005: Erhaoqiao station added, and Yihaoqiao closed; two stations renamed: Yanghuoshichang > Tanggu, Dongtinglu > TEDA
01 June 2006: Yihaoqiao station reopened and Hujiayuan fully opened; New Xinlizhen, Xiaodongzhuang and Junliangcheng stations added
01 May 2011: Zhongshanmen - Shiyijinglu
15 Oct 2012: Shiyijinglu - Tianjinzhan (Tianjin Railway Station)

 Projects

According to the Tianjin City Master Plan, Tianjin will have seven metro lines in 2010, and the total length will be 153.9 kilometres (see map below).

TJDT - Official Site

Tianjin Binhai Mass Transit Development Co. (LRT - Official Site)

Tianjin Metro at Wikipedia

Abe Osamu's Asia Page incl. Tianjin subway map

Carl Yiu's Subway's Future site includes details on Chinese metros

Tianjin Subway Map at Johomaps