The Transrapid de Shangai (in Mandarin: 上海磁浮示范运营线, Shànghǎi Cífú Shìfàn Yùnyíng Xiàn, literally Ligne with magnetic lift of operational demonstration of Shanghai ) is the first line Maglev with regular commercial practice of the world. It connects the new international airport of Pu Dong to the station Longyang Road on line 2 of the Métro of Shanghai. The construction of the line with begun in March 2001, for a commercial startup on January 1st 2004.

Transrapid connects the airport to the station of Longyang Road in 7 minutes 20 for a course of 30,5 kilometers, that is to say a mean velocity of 245,5 km/h and a maximum speed of 431 km/h and a capacity to be accelerated from 0 to 350 km/h in 2 minutes. The November 12th 2003 an oar reached during a test the speed of 501 km/h, thus circulating with the more high speed ever reached by a Transrapid. The construction of this line cost 10 billion Yuan, that is to say 1,2 billion dollars.

The line is for the moment a commercial failure, because of the high cost from the ticket, 50 yuan thesimple one, that is to say 5 euros, and of the site of the terminus of the line, in Longyand Road, on Right Bank of Hang Pu, far from the historical center of Shanghai. However, the Chinese authorities announced their wish to see the line prolonged since Longyang Road until the Aéroport of Hongqiao via the new station of Shanghai, with a prolongation to the town of Hangzhou, and this by 2010, date of the World Fair of Shanghai.

Accidents

• the August 11th 2006, a compartment of the train took fire to 14:40 (local time) after having left the airport. The accident, due to an electric problem, did not make any victim.

External bonds

• International Maglev Board: Information, Photographs of Transrapid of Shanghai

• Station of Maglev-Wikimapia
• Lines of Maglev of L airport-Wikimapia
• Photographs and infos on Transrapid in Shanghai