Qingdao, a coastal city in Shandong province, plans to speed up its metro network construction with the aim of completing six metro lines with a total length of 268 kilometers in five years, according to Qingdao Metro Group on Feb 18.

The metro operator said that by the end of 2020, the passenger capacity of Qingdao metro per day will reach 2.3 million to 2.8 million, making up 26 percent of city public transportation.

The six lines include Line 3 connecting Qingdao Railway Station and Qingdao North Railway Station, Line 11 from Mount Laoshan to Blue Silicon in Jimo, Line 13 throughout the West Coast New Area, Line 1, Line 2 (first phrase) and Line 4.

In addition, Line 8 will start construction in 2016 and by the end of the year metro lines under construction will total 304 kilometers long with 25 kilometers in operation

Qingdao currently has one metro line in operation, with a planned total of 18 lines with 400 stations covering 800 kilometers. The 400 billion yuan ($61.2 billion) project will serve both urban and rural areas, according to city plans.

When the whole project is complete, the metro is expected to provide a driving force for the city’s overall development and economic growth.