CHINA: Trial passenger operation on the first phase of Dalian metro Line 2 started on April 30. Free services are limited to 5 000 passengers during a 2 h period in the morning and another in the afternoon of each day until May 8, and 10 000 per session until May 17, when revenue service is due to start. On the first day of operations 7 106 tickets were issued.
The 20·6 km line with 19 stations connects Haizhiyun in the east and Dalian International Airport in the northwest. Interchange is provided at Xi’anlu with the north-south Line 1 currently under construction.
The line uses overhead electrification at 1·5 kV. CNR Dalian has supplied 20 six-car Type B trainsets with a maximum speed of 80 km/h and capacity for 1 820 passengers. A further 18 trainsets will be used to operate Line 1.
Construction of Line 2 started in March 2010 and cost 18·7bn yuan. Non-passenger trials commenced on February 22.
A 16 km second phase would extend the line north from the airport to Dalian North railway station, adding nine stations.
