Initial Plan

In 2008, Nanchang was approved to build a rail transit system by the State Council,^[17] and Nanchang Rail Transit Group Co., Ltd. was incorporated on 16 October 2008 to construct and operate Nanchang Metro.^[18] On 15 September, the planned 5 routes were notified to the public,^{[4][19][20][21]} which was approved by the State Council in July 2009.^[22][23] On 29 July 2009, the construction of Nanchang City Rapid Rail Transit officially began,^[24][25] and also on the same day the detailed route and construction plan of the five lines was proclaimed at the press conference.^[26] In July 2010, the National Development and Reform Commission approved the feasibility study report of the first phase of Nanchang Metro Line 1.^[27]

Construction of Line 1 has started on 29 July 2009,^[24] and the line opened on December 26, 2015.^[28][29]

In April 2013, the Government planned to acquire approval for all 5 lines by 2014, start constructing all planned lines from 2015, and plan Line 6 to Line 10 to complement the existing network.^[30][31]

As of August 2013, the construction of Line 2 also started with the first section opening on August 18, 2017.^[32] The construction was planned for Line 3 to start in September 2014, and Line 4 will be constructed as soon as September 2015.^[33][34]

Phase 2

On 31 May 2013, Nanchang Government submitted three candidate plans for the Phase 2 construction (2014-2020) to the expert panel,^[35][36] which chose the compromising Plan 2.^[33][37] According to the plan, Line 2 will be extended to both directions from 2014, Line 1 from 2016;

Line 1 north and Line 2 east extension both started construction on September 2021.^[7][8] The project will extend Line 1 north from Shuanggang Station to Changbei Airport. The extension is 16.62 km (10.33 mi) in length, including 11.86 km (7.37 mi) underground and 3.23 km (2.01 mi) elevated.^[6] Line 2 will be extended from Xinjia'an Station to Nanchang East railway station, the extension is 10.52 km (6.54 mi) in length and fully underground.^[6]