First, statistics on the operational lines and mileage of urban rail transit in China are conducted. The results show that, as of Dec. 31, 2025, there were 60 cities with urban rail transit in operation nationwide, with a total operational mileage of approximately 12 837.8 km (excluding the electronic guideway rubber-tired system, there were 57 cities, with a total operational mileage of 12 651.6 km). The metro system dominates, while low-capacity systems exhibit a multi-modal development pattern. Subsequently, the characteristics of China′s urban rail transit industry development are analyzed, indicating that: (1) It should closely align with the theme of urban intensive development, promote quality improvement and efficiency enhancement of existing lines, and focus on the supporting role of initial passenger flow for new line construction, multi-network integration, and economic and financial sustainability. (2) Significant innovative achievements have been made in safety resilience, green and low-carbon development, intelligent construction, and digital transformation. Finally, development recommendations for the "15th Five-Year Plan" period are proposed: promoting cost reduction and efficiency improvement in the rail transit industry, enhancing the operational efficiency of existing networks, continuously exploring railway services for urban commuting, strengthening external exchanges, and driving the "going global" strategy of the urban rail transit industry.