THE first of 35 new-style trains set to run on Metro lines 3 and 4 has arrived in Shanghai for testing, but it will be some time before it goes into service.

The new models are 20 percent lighter than the trains currently running in the city and should, therefore, be more energy-efficient. The first 10 should be ready to go into service next year — though an exact date has not been provided — while the rest have yet to be built.

It is expected that eight of the new trains will run on Line 3 and the rest on Line 4. Currently, the two routes are served by 28 trains, the majority of which are full to capacity most of the day, and especially during the rush hour.