After more than a decade of development, China now has 18 rail transit lines operating in 10 cities, their length adding up to 425 kilometers as compared with 40 kilometers subway in Beijing alone before the 1980s, said Wang Tiehong, chief engineer with the Ministry of Construction, at the "China, Chongqing Urban Single-Track Transit International Seminar" held recently in Chongqing.

China also sees rail transportation systems under construction in seven cities, with a total length topping 400 kilometers. According to construction plans of 15 domestic cities, by the year 2010, China will have newly built 1,300 kilometers rail transportation lines, at an estimated total cost of 500 billion yuan.

Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou plan to expand their respective rail transit systems at a speed of 40 kilometers per year, a speed rarely seen internationally. On top of a longer mileage, the nation's rail transit is also being diversified in form, such as shown in Beijing's subway, Dalian's high-speed light track, Chongqing's straddle monorail track and Shanghai's maglev.

By People's Daily Online