Preliminary studies of urban rail transit systems were prompted by the city shortly after a
Belgian Railways delegation visit in 1984. Following the demolition of the old
Beijing-Hankou Railway, the city of Wuhan planned to utilize the corridor to construct the city's first rapid transit rail line. In September 1992, the
Wuhan Metro Construction Group was established by
Wuhan Municipal Construction Commission and a supervision group, led by the mayor
Qian Yunlu, was subsequently formed in 1993 to facilitate the project's funding, planning, logistics, and organization. It took seven years before the city was able to fund construction. In October 1999, the
National Planning Commission (predecessor of the National Development and Reform Commission) approved the Wuhan "Light Rail" project (Line 1, phase 1), signalling the start of serious work on the rail transit project. On October 2, 2000, the
Wuhan Municipal Government ratified the establishment of
Wuhan Rail Transit Co., Ltd., and contracted construction, operation, administration and related real estate development to the corporation. In December 2000, the National Planning Commission accepted a feasibility report on the project and approved construction on phase 1 of Line 1. On December 23, 2000, the project broke ground and comprehensive construction began. In 2002, with the anticipation of an economic boom and increasing demand for urban rail transit, Wuhan Municipal Government approved the city's first long-term rail transit master plan. On July 28, 2004, the ten-station long "light rail" line was opened to the public and entered revenue service in August. However, low ridership discouraged the city from funding the extension project, for which ground had been broken on December 15, 2005, and a 4-year delay in construction ensued. In April 2006, the
NDRC ratified a six-year construction/operation plan, but it was not until a year later on April 9, 2007, that NDRC accepted the feasibility report for line 1, phase 2 (the extension project) and approved construction on the project. In the interim, construction began on
Fanhu station of the fully underground Line 2 on November 16, 2006, as a response to the six-year plan adopted by NDRC earlier. Construction also began on the underground line 4 stations of
Wuchang railway station in June, and
Wuhan railway station in September, as parts of the integral capital project to revamp and construct the
Wuhan Railway Hub. In May 2007, the
Hubei Provincial Development and Reform Commission (HDRC) approved preliminary designs on Line 1, phase 2, and comprehensive construction subsequently commenced in June. On May 15, the city government approved the establishment of Wuhan Metro Group Co., Ltd., which would replace the Wuhan Rail Transit Co., Ltd and assume its responsibilities and benefits. On September 12, 2007, the NDRC accepted the feasibility report to Line 2, phase 1, and preliminary designs were approved by the HDRC in December 2007. However, it was not until September 2008 that land purchases and funding were facilitated and comprehensive construction began to take place. In October 2009, drilling of the
Yangtze River tunnel started. On March 13, 2009, the NDRC accepted a feasibility report to Line 4, phase 1. On May 13, 2009, the HDRC ratified preliminary designs on Line 4, phase 1. Comprehensive construction ensued on the
Wuchang segment of Line 4. A more ambitious urban rapid transit plan was submitted for NDRC review in October 2009, and in late November, on-site panel investigations were conducted by
China International Engineering Consulting Corporation. In February 2010, Wuhan Metro's first commercial property was topped out in
Hanxi 1st Road station. On July 29, Line 1 phase 2 entered revenue service from
Dijiao to
Dongwu Boulevard. Despite plans to extend the westernmost terminus to
Jinshan Avenue in
Dongxihu District, the station was never built. A short stub with crossover tracks was constructed behind Dongwu Boulevard.
Zhuyehai, a station in
Qiaokou District, remained non-operational in spite of the existence of complete platforms. Neither exits nor staircases had been built yet. It was due to open when the Wuhan
IKEA store was completed in late 2014. A revised and more detailed construction plan was accepted by the NDRC on January 31, 2011. The plan specified the city's plan to complete construction on Line 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8 before 2017. Beginning on March 1, Line 1 subdivided its fare zones from 3 to 5 and lowered maximum fare per ride from 5
CNY to 4 CNY.
Wuhan Tong cardholders will receive a 20 percent discount on single ride fares. On April 9, Line 1 welcomed its 100,000,000th customer, who was awarded a one-year pass to the Metro. On September 9, preliminary designs on Line 4, phase 2 (
Hanyang segment) was approved by HDRC. On February 17, 2012, the NDRC accepted a feasibility report on Line 3, phase 1, the fourth line in Wuhan Metro's grid and the first to cross the
Han River, connecting the boroughs of
Hankou and
Hanyang. A feasibility report to Line 6—the second Hankou-Hanyang connection—was also approved by the NDRC on December 21, 2012. Seven days later, Line 2 entered revenue service, connecting some of the most populated areas of Hankou, Wuchang, and the
Optics Valley. On April 12, 2013, the NDRC granted acceptance to a feasibility report of Line 8, phase 1, which connects Hankou and Wuchang via the
Second Yangtze River Bridge corridor. Construction began in June 2013 and was completed in December 2017. On 23 January 2020, the entire metro network was shut down, along with all other public transport in the city, including national railway and air travel, in an effort to control the spread of the
COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei. On 28 March 2020, six lines (Line 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7) resumed operations, after a two-month
lockdown. On 8 April 2020, Line 8 Phase 1 resumed operations. On 22 April 2020, Line 8 Phase 3, Line 11, Yangluo line resumed operations. ==Lines==