An industry source in this Metrofans thread reveals that internal estimates for the opening date of Metro Line 8 (M8) have moved up to October 31st from the previous estimate of December 28.

Line 8 is a north-south line with all but two stops in Puxi. The stops are expected to be named as follows:

▸ 市光路站、嫩江路站、翔殷路站、黄兴公园站、延吉中路站、黄兴路站、江浦路站、鞍山新村站、四平路站、曲阳路站、虹口足球场站、西藏北路站、中兴路站、曲阜路站、人民广场站、大世界站、老西门站、陆家浜路站、西藏南路站、周家渡站、耀华路站

▸ Shiguang Rd (northern terminal station), Nenjiang Rd, Xiangyan Rd, Huangxing Park, Yanji Middle Rd, Jiangpu Rd, Anshan New Estate, Siping Rd, Quyang Rd, Hongkou Football Stadium, Tibet North Rd, Zhongxing Rd, Qufu Rd, People's Square, Great World, Lao Ximen, Lujiabang Rd, Tibet South Rd, Zhoujiadu, Yaohua Rd (acting southern terminal station)

When the blue line opens it will start with 15 trains in operation and trains will arrive 10-15 minutes apart, similar to Line 4's schedule.

Notable about Line 8 is that it completes what will be a triangle interchange at People's Square between Lines 1, 2 and 8, long in the planning; the Zhoujiadu stop will be an entry point for the World Expo site; and a southern extension that goes further into Pudong is planned to open at a later date. Line 8 has also been central to the advertising campaigns of many residential apartment complexes being built in Shanghai's late-to-develop Yangpu District, and finally puts a metro line through the populous but hard-to-access old city in the Huangpu district.

Line 8 is one of three new metro lines slated to open this year, along with Lines 6 and 9. See this map for an idea of how all the lines will be laid out.

This post was cross-posted at the Shanghai Public Transportation weblog.