Line 5 (Shanghai Metro)

Line 5 was originally built under the direction of Minhang District, and remains the only line in Shanghai Metro system that was originally built only under the supervision of a county-level government.[2]

In 1998, Minhang District authorities signed a contract with Shanghai Jiushi Group to build the line.[3] In 2000, Shanghai Jiushi Group signed a contract between Alstom to purchase trains[3] and started its construction.[4] In 2002, Shanghai Modern Rail Transit Incorporated, a subsidiary of former Shanghai Bashi (Group), was given management of the line. The line entered passenger operations on 25 November 2003, on an initial segment between Xinzhuang and Minhang Development Zone stations, entirely within Minhang District.[5]

Prior to integration with the rest of the Shanghai Metro network, it used its own ticketing system. In 2005, it was integrated with Shanghai Metro's ticketing system, which enabled an in-station interchange to Line 1 at Xinzhuang station. At the same time, management and operation of the line was taken over by Shanghai No. 1 Metro Operation Co. Ltd.[6]

Phase two of the line, which would extend the line further south into Fengxian District, began construction on 30 July 2014. On 1 April 2015, a feasibility study for the upgrade of Line 5 platforms and signals to support the use of higher-capacity six-car trains was approved.[7] Due to these system upgrades, service on the existing line was cut back from Minhang Development Zone station to Jinping Road on 20 August 2018. Full service was restored on 20 October 2018. At the same time, the line began to operate as two separate services, being split at Dongchuan Road station, due to the anticipated opening of the phase two extension of Line 5, which would create two branches of the line. Six-car trains began to run on the service between Xinzhuang and Dongchuan Road station. Passengers wishing to travel the entire length of the line needed to interchange at Dongchuan Road station.[8][9]

On 30 December 2018, the extension from Dongchuan Road station to Fengxian Xincheng station opened, becoming the first Shanghai Metro line to provide access to Fengxian District. The extension crosses the Huangpu River using the Minpu Second Bridge, the first Shanghai Metro line which crosses the river by bridge. The total length of the extension is 19.505 kilometres (12.120 mi) in length, with 7.74 kilometres (4.81 mi) underground and the remainder being elevated.[10] As a result of the extension, the segment of Line 5 between Dongchuan Road and Minhang Development Zone stations was designated as a branch service, while the main service ran from Xinzhuang to Fengxian Xincheng stations. The branch line was operated as a separate service from the main line, thus still necessitating a transfer at Dongchuan Road station. This was due to the fact that four-car trains ran on the branch line service, while six-car trains ran on the main line. This arrangement ended in 26 December 2020, and now service on the branch line continues straight through to Xinzhuang. four-car and six-car trains run in mixed operation in the section between Xinzhuang and Dongchuan Road stations.[11][12]

There is currently a reserved and unopened station on the phase two extension of the line, which would be named Pingzhuang Highway station, located south of the current terminus at Fengxian Xincheng station. A further expansion of the second phase may see the line extended further south to Haiwan town.

The branch line between Dongchuan Road and Minhang Development Zone stations is expected to be incorporated into Line 23 in the future, which would see it detached from Line 5 completely and operate as a separate line, extending to Shanghai Indoor Stadium station.[14]

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  05C01 train
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  05C02 train