SHANGHAI, Dec. 27 -- A new metro line linking Shanghai's Pudong and Hongqiao airports opened on Friday, bringing the city's total operational mileage of rail transit network to 896 km.

According to Shanghai Metro, with an operational mileage of 59 km, the newly added suburban airport line begins at Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2 in the west and extends to Pudong International Airport Terminal 1 & 2 in the east.

With a designed speed of 160 km/h, the trains operated on the new line could link the two major airports in 40 minutes.

The total length of the new line reaches 68.6 km with a total of nine stations, regarded as a critical east-west backbone of the city's regional metro network.

The line will connect with the city's railway stations and extend towards neighboring Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, according to the Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission.

"This line is also available for the operation of high-speed trains and will further enhance Shanghai's connectivity to the Yangtze River Delta region," said Du Feng, deputy general manager of Shanghai Shen-Tie Investment Co., Ltd.

Beijing and Shanghai, two of China's most populous cities, boast urban rail transit networks spanning 879 km and 896 km, respectively, making them among the largest in the country.