Shanghai metro fare overhaul set to raise average fares by about 1 Yuan

Two versions of proposals for optimizing Shanghai's metro fare were unveiled on Wednesday, seeking public input before a public hearing to be held on September 7, according to official sources.

The two proposals, varying in starting fares, starting intervals, and surcharge interval adjustments, both would raise average fares by about 1 yuan per trip, according to a Wednesday notice from the Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission.

The notice also disclosed the participants and detailed plan for the public hearing, adding that opinions and suggestions from all walks of life are welcome and that the public can submit their views via email or postal mail between August 19 and September 6.

Shanghai Shentong Metro Group Co Ltd, the operator of Shanghai metro, simultaneously introduced discounts for long-term commuters, particularly those traveling long distances, on Wednesday, according to Shanghai Observer.

Shanghai introduced its existing metro fare system in September 2005 with a starting cost fare of 3 yuan for traveling distance at and below 6 km, and an additional 1 yuan for every 10 km beyond. Public analysis showed average fare actually paid by passengers in Shanghai was 4.23 yuan per ride (including VAT).

The optimization plan is expected to raise average fare per ride 0.99 yuan under proposal 1, and by 0.97 yuan under proposal 2.

The Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission said existing revenue generated from fares covers only about 55 percent of costs, citing the continuous expansion of the metro network and rapidly rising costs such as labor, maintenance, and electricity.

Shanghai's metro network has expanded from 119 kilometers across five lines in 2005 to 818 kilometers across 19 lines as of 2025. Over the same period, average daily passenger volume has increased nearly fourfold, from 1.39 million passenger trips to 5.62 million passenger trips.

While Shanghai's metro network has grown dramatically in scale, ridership, and reach over the past two decades, revenue has failed to keep pace, a gap that has directly driven the push for fare optimization.