The ten largest urban rapid transit networks in the world by route length, led by China's Shanghai Metro and stretching to Santiago's expanding system.
Quick answer: 1. Shanghai Metro, 2. Beijing Subway, 3. Guangzhou Metro, 4. Shenzhen Metro, 5. Chengdu Metro, 6. London Underground, 7. Seoul Metro, 8. Moscow Metro, 9. New Delhi Metro, 10. Santiago Metro.
These are the ten longest metro systems in the world by total route length, ranked from Shanghai's sprawling 800 km network to Santiago's 150 km system. Rapid urbanisation in China has driven an unprecedented boom in metro construction over the past two decades: six of the ten longest systems are in Chinese cities, and the Shanghai Metro alone carries over 2.8 billion passengers annually. The list uses total route length (track distance in revenue service, double-track counted once) as the ranking metric. This differs from station count, line count, or annual ridership — other common ways to measure a metro system's size.
The world's longest metro system, with 20 lines and an annual ridership exceeding 2.8 billion. It opened in 1993 and has grown at a pace unmatched anywhere in the world, adding over 40 km of new track per year in its busiest expansion period.
China's second-largest metro and a critical artery for the nation's capital. It opened in 1969 as the first metro in mainland China and has since expanded into a 27-line network that handled 3.4 billion rides in 2023.
The rapid transit system serving Guangzhou and the Pearl River Delta. It has expanded aggressively since its 1997 debut and now connects to Foshan via cross-city lines, forming a regional network.
One of the world's fastest-growing metro systems, Shenzhen's network grew from its first line in 2004 to over 500 km by the early 2020s. It serves the tech-hub city of over 17 million people.
The rapid expansion of Chengdu's metro reflects the city's growth as a western Chinese economic powerhouse. Its 14-line network opened in 2010 and now rivals much older systems in length.
The world's first underground railway, opened in 1863. Its 11 lines span 272 stations across a 402 km network, with the deep-level Tube lines alongside the subsurface sub-surface routes.
The backbone of South Korea's capital region, the Seoul Metro system carries over 2.8 billion passengers annually on its 23 lines. It is one of the most heavily-used metro systems in the world.
The busiest metro system in Europe and one of the world's most iconic, famous for its palatial station architecture. Its 263 stations stretch across a 15-line network that has been expanding since 1935.
India's largest and busiest metro system, serving Delhi and the National Capital Region. It opened in 2002 and has grown rapidly in both route length and ridership, with a mix of underground, elevated, and surface sections.
The longest metro system in South America and the backbone of Santiago's public transport. It opened in 1975 and was substantially expanded in the 2010s.
| # | Name | City | Opened | Lines | Stations | Annual Ridership |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shanghai Metro | Shanghai, China | 1993 | 20 | 508 | 2.83 billion |
| 2 | Beijing Subway | Beijing, China | 1969 | 27 | 490 | 3.40 billion |
| 3 | Guangzhou Metro | Guangzhou, China | 1997 | 16 | 302 | 2.56 billion |
| 4 | Shenzhen Metro | Shenzhen, China | 2004 | 16 | 307 | 2.01 billion |
| 5 | Chengdu Metro | Chengdu, China | 2010 | 14 | 373 | 1.97 billion |
| 6 | London Underground | London, UK | 1863 | 11 | 272 | 1.26 billion |
| 7 | Seoul Metro | Seoul, South Korea | 1974 | 23 | 337 | 2.87 billion |
| 8 | Moscow Metro | Moscow, Russia | 1935 | 15 | 263 | 2.46 billion |
| 9 | New Delhi Metro | New Delhi, India | 2002 | 10 | 255 | 1.84 billion |
| 10 | Santiago Metro | Santiago, Chile | 1975 | 7 | 136 | 0.69 billion |
Metro systems are ranked by total revenue route length in kilometres, defined as the sum of distances of all lines in regular passenger service, counting double-track once. Only fully grade-separated urban rapid transit systems — universally called metro, subway, or underground — are included. Light rail, tram, commuter rail, and hybrid S-Bahn systems are excluded unless they operate with full grade separation on their core lines. Lengths are sourced from each system's official operator reports, the UITP (International Association of Public Transport) database, and cross-checked against transit industry references. Rank 1 is the longest route length.
The Shanghai Metro is the longest metro system in the world by route length, at 831 km (516 mi) across 20 lines. It opened in 1993 and has been the fastest-growing metro network of the 21st century.
The London Underground, opened in 1863, is the world's oldest underground railway system. It runs 402 km of track across 11 lines and 272 stations, carrying about 1.26 billion passengers per year.
Route length measures the total distance of passenger-carrying lines, counting double-track once. Track length measures the total amount of rail installed, which counts each track separately. A two-track metro line 10 km long has a route length of 10 km and a track length of 20 km.
The Beijing Subway leads in annual ridership, carrying more than 3.4 billion passengers in 2023 — an average of over 9 million per day. The Shanghai Metro (2.8 billion) and Guangzhou Metro (2.6 billion) are second and third by ridership.