Suzhou Rail Transit inaugurated metro Line 8, adding 35·6 km and serving 28 stations. 

The line opened only 2½ months after metro Line 6 had entered service. Running from Xijinqiao on Line 3 to the west of the city center, Line 8 loops north then east via interchanges with lines 6, 4 and 2 before meeting Line 3 at two interchange stations on the city's northeast side. The line then continues south crossing lines 1, 6, 5 and 2 to terminate at Chefang in the southeast, where the line’s depot is located. Line 6 had opened from Suzhou Xinqu in the northwest to Sangtiandao in the east, adding 35·2 km and 30 stations. Its depot is at Xushuguan in the northwest, beyond the Xinqu terminus. Both lines are operated by Type B trainsets built by CRRC Nanjing Puzhen: Line 6 has 40 six-car trainsets and Line 8 has 41 of the same length.