The ten metro systems with the most annual trips, led by Shanghai's 3.77 billion, using the latest figure for each system in Wikipedia's List of metro systems (mostly 2024).
The Shanghai Metro is the busiest metro system in the world, with 3,773.8 million trips in 2024. The Beijing Subway is second at 3,621.3 million and the Guangzhou Metro third at 3,255.0 million. The ranking uses annual ridership in millions of trips from Wikipedia's List of metro systems, taking each system's latest reported year, which is 2024 for eight of the ten.
Five of the world's ten busiest metro systems are in mainland China, and a sixth is Hong Kong's MTR. Shanghai is first with 3,773.8 million trips in 2024, ahead of Beijing (3,621.3 million) and Guangzhou (3,255.0 million). Seoul, Tokyo Metro, Delhi and Moscow complete the non-Chinese part of the top ten. New York, Paris and London are not in it. This list ranks metro systems by annual ridership in millions of trips, using the most recent figure for each system in Wikipedia's List of metro systems. Most figures are for 2024; Delhi's is for 2025 and Moscow's for 2023.
The Shanghai Metro is the world's busiest metro system, with 3,773.8 million trips in 2024 (excluding the Pujiang line and the maglev). Its network is 889.96 km long with 415 stations.
Beijing's subway carried 3,621.3 million trips in 2024, a figure that includes the Xijiao and T1 tram lines. At 909 km it is the longest metro network in the source table.
Guangzhou Metro carried 3,255.0 million trips in 2024, counting the Guangfo line, on a 779.9 km network with 317 stations.
Shenzhen Metro carried 3,101.9 million trips in 2024 on a 642.02 km network with 339 stations.
The Seoul Metropolitan Subway carried 2,710.4 million trips in 2024. The source counts lines 1-9 and the Seoul Light Rapid Transit as one system, though several companies run them; the network is 358.46 km with 338 stations.
Tokyo Metro carried 2,496.8 million trips in fiscal year 2024 on just 195.1 km and 142 stations. That is only one of Tokyo's operators: the city-run Toei Subway carried another 963.9 million and is listed separately.
Delhi Metro recorded 2,358 million passenger journeys in 2025, the most of any metro outside East Asia in the source table. The network is 375.94 km with 243 stations (counting each interchange once).
Moscow Metro carried 2,288.5 million trips in 2023, the latest year in the source table. The network is 541.9 km with 251 stations.
Chengdu Metro carried 2,209.0 million trips in 2024 on a 716.37 km network with 363 stations.
Hong Kong's MTR carried 1,770 million trips in 2024, counting domestic services, the Airport Express and cross-boundary trains. Its network is 209.1 km with 99 stations.
| # | Name | city | country | data_year | stations | route_length_km |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shanghai Metro | Shanghai | China | 2024 | 415 | 889.96 |
| 2 | Beijing Subway | Beijing | China | 2024 | 409 | 909 |
| 3 | Guangzhou Metro | Guangzhou | China | 2024 | 317 | 779.9 |
| 4 | Shenzhen Metro | Shenzhen | China | 2024 | 339 | 642.02 |
| 5 | Seoul Metropolitan Subway | Seoul | South Korea | 2024 | 338 | 358.46 |
| 6 | Tokyo Metro | Tokyo | Japan | FY2024 | 142 | 195.1 |
| 7 | Delhi Metro | Delhi | India | 2025 | 243 | 375.94 |
| 8 | Moscow Metro | Moscow | Russia | 2023 | 251 | 541.9 |
| 9 | Chengdu Metro | Chengdu | China | 2024 | 363 | 716.37 |
| 10 | MTR (Mass Transit Railway) | Hong Kong | China | 2024 | 99 | 209.1 |
Systems are ranked by the annual ridership column (millions of trips) of the main table in Wikipedia's List of metro systems, which lists rapid transit only (no commuter rail, light rail or trams) and gives each system's latest reported year. Station counts and route lengths are from the same table. Data years differ: 2024 for eight systems (Tokyo Metro on a fiscal-year basis), 2025 for Delhi and 2023 for Moscow, the latest available for each. Operators count trips differently, especially transfers between lines, so close figures are not exact comparisons. Each operator is counted as its own system, as in the source table; Tokyo's Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway are listed separately.
The Shanghai Metro, with 3,773.8 million trips in 2024. Beijing Subway is second with 3,621.3 million and Guangzhou Metro third with 3,255.0 million.
Their ridership is below the tenth-place MTR's 1,770 million. The source table gives the Paris Metro 1,523 million trips (2025), the New York City Subway 1,282 million (2025) and the London Underground 1,216 million (2024).
Tokyo has two subway operators, and the source table lists them separately. Tokyo Metro alone carried 2,496.8 million trips in fiscal 2024, enough for sixth place. The Toei Subway carried 963.9 million.
Only roughly. Some operators count a transfer between lines as a new trip and others do not, and the data years range from 2023 to 2025. Small gaps, such as Delhi versus Moscow, should not be over-read.
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