Ningbo Metro Map 2025 - Lines, Hours & How to Ride

About Ningbo Metro: Quick Facts

Ningbo Metro runs 5 lines (1-5), linking downtown, airports (Line 2 to Lishe), train stations, and major sights like Tianyi Square and Dongqian Lake.

*Check station signs for exact times.

Ningbo Metro Map 2025

Just Arrived?​​ Most travelers reach Ningbo by bullet train. Book your tickets early for better prices! ​​Check China bullet train below:

Ningbo Metro Hours, Timetable & Schedule

Ningbo metro runs early enough for morning markets and late enough for night snacks. ​​But timings vary by line​​, so here’s the breakdown:

Ningbo Metro ​​General Schedule​ ​

• ​​First Trains​​: Start between ​​5:55 AM​​ (Line 4) and ​​6:00 AM​​ (Lines 1–5).
• ​​Last Trains​​: Most end by ​​10:30–11:00 PM​​ (Line 5’s Zhenhai Avenue ends at ​​11:00 PM​​).
• ​​Weekends​​: No major changes except Line 1’s last train runs ​​10 mins later​​ on Fridays/Saturdays.

Ningbo Metro ​Frequency​​

• ​​Lines 1 & 2​​: Trains every ​​4–5 mins​​ (peak), ​​6–8 mins​​ (off-peak).
• ​​Lines 3, 4 & 5​​: Every ​​6–8 mins​​ (peak), ​​8–10 mins​​ (off-peak).
• ​​After 9 PM​​: All lines run every ​​10–12 mins​​.

Ningbo Metro ​Timetable (Key Stations)

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Ningbo Metro Ticket Price

Pay by distance:

Ningbo Metro Ticket Types

• Single Ride
• Buy at: Vending machines (cash/QR).
• Note: Feed it into the exit gate after use.
• QR Code
  
• Use: Alipay/WeChat (Ningbo Public Transport Code).
• Foreigners: Register with passport.
• Collector Tickets
  
• Find: Gulou, Tianyi Square stations.
• Cool stuff: Seasonal designs (holidays/events).
• Passes
  
• 1-Day: ¥15 (ride all day).
• 3-Day: ¥30 (72hr freedom).
• Monthly: ¥100 (50 rides) – commuter hack.
• Yongcheng Transport Card
• 5% discount, works on buses/ferries. Requires deposit.

How to Ride Ningbo Metro - Step by Step

1. Plan Your Route​​

​​Use Apps​​:

• Open China Map App like​​ Amap (高德地图) or Apple Maps​​ → Search destination → Tap “Public Transport” → Follow metro directions.
  ​​Pro Tip​​: Screenshot your route—underground signals can vanish, but you can try China eSIM.

​​2. Enter the Station​​

• Look for signs like ​​宁波地铁​​ (Ningbo Metro) with colored line numbers (e.g., red for Line 1).
• Escalators/elevators lead down to the station hall.

I used Shanghai for reference, Ningbo is the same to get QR code

​​3. Buy Tickets or Scan QR Codes​​

​​For QR Codes​​:

• Alipay/WeChat → "Transport" → Search “Transport.Ningbo” → Tap "Metro", Activate Code → Scan at gates.
  ​​For Physical Tickets​​:
• Machines near entrances → Tap English → Select station → Pay via cash/QR → Get token (keep it to exit!).
  ​​Pro Tip​​: Get a ​​Ningbo Transport Card​​ (~10% fare discount) at ticket counters if staying longer.

​​4. Security Check​​

• ​​All bags go through X-ray​​.
• ​​Banned items​​: Lighters, knives, alcohol >50%, pets (unless caged).
• ​​Luggage?​​ Avoid rush hours (7:30–9 AM / 5–7 PM) if hauling big suitcases.

​​5. Find Your Train​​

• Follow signs for your line (e.g., “Line 1 → Xiapu”).
• Check direction using the ​​final stop name​​ (apps tell you this).
• Wait behind yellow lines. Trains come every ​​2–8 mins​​.

​​6. Boarding & Riding​​

• Let passengers exit first.
• Priority seats (marked ♿) → Offer to elderly/pregnant travelers.
• Listen for English announcements (e.g., “Next stop: Gulou”).

​​7. Transfers​​

• Follow colored signs (e.g., “Line 3 → Transfer this way”).
• Transfers usually take 3–5 mins.

​​8. Exiting​​

• ​​QR users​​: Scan again at exit gates.
• ​​Token users​​: Insert into slot.
• Choose exits wisely (e.g., ​​Dongmenkou Exit B​​ for the Bund, Ningbo).

​​Ningbo Metro Lines & Stops: Attractions to Go by Metro

​

​​Romon U-Park

Let’s cut to the chase—here’s how to use Ningbo’s metro to hit the best spots without wasting time:

🚇Line 1 (Red Line)​​ – ​​CORE ROUTE​​

​​Gulou Station​​ (鼓楼)

• ​​Major Attraction​​: ​​Tianyi Pavilion Museum (天一阁)​​
  – China’s oldest private library (450+ years old). Stroll gardens, ancient manuscripts, and stone carvings.
  – 10-min walk from exit B.
• ​​Ningbo Tangyuan​​ at the alley next to Gulou Tower (sweet rice balls – get the black sesame filling!).

​​Dongmenkou​​ (东门口)

• ​​Ningbo Bund​​: Nighttime river views, neon-lit bridges, hole-in-the-wall seafood joints (smoked eel is iconic).

​​Gaoqiao West​​

• ​​Romon U-Park​​ 🛍️ – Shopping/eats hub with neon-lit ferris wheel. Local teens flock here for K-pop merch and Jap-Korean BBQ.

🚇​​Line 2 (Orange Line)​​

​​Liyuan Park​​ (梨园公园)

• ​​Ningbo Museum​​: Free entry, architecture inspired by ship hulls (don’t miss the 2,000-year-old Hemudu relics).

​​Waitan Dajie​​ (外滩大街)

• ​​Laowaitan (老外滩)​​: Former colonial port turned nightlife strip. Dive bars like 1988 Club have ¥10 beers.

Xikou-Tengtou Scenic Area

​​🚇Line 3 (Blue Line)​​ – ​​DAY TRIPPER’S LINE​​

​​Yinzhou Govt Station​​

• ​​Bus to Xikou-Tengtou Scenic Area​​ (1hr ride): Bamboo forests, tea fields, and Buddhist temples. (No direct metro – take Exit D for buses)

​​Academic Center Station​​

• ​​Jiang Family Hometown Scenic Area​​ (蒋氏故居): Chiang Kai-shek’s ancestral home. Take Exit C → Bus 987 (40 mins).

🚇​​Line 4 (Green Line)​​ – ​​ANCIENT CHINA VIBES​​

​​Cicheng Station​​

• ​​Cicheng Ancient Town​​: Tang Dynasty streets, blue-dyed cloth workshops, and sticky niangao rice cakes.

🚇​​Line 5 (Purple Line)​​

​​Zhenhai Avenue Station​​

• ​​End-of-the-line night markets​​: ¥15 malatang (DIY spicy soup) and knockoff branded hoodies. Trainers fake, but tasty AF.

Hotels near Ningbo Metro Stations