The current rapid transit system was first announced in 2009, with construction scheduled to start later that year.

Chenggong District has been the site of a recent construction boom, although most new developments were still unoccupied without adequate transit connections.

[4] Thus, the Kunming Metro served the dual purpose of alleviating traffic problems in the city's core and encouraging growth in the southeast.

The trains of Line 6 were manufactured by China South Locomotive & Rolling Stock Corporation Ltd (CSR, now CRRC) in Zhuzhou.

CSR met journalists in October 2011 to discuss the safety concerns arising from operating trains at such speeds.

Line 1 and 2 trains feature a physical route map made with LED lights.

A 5.3 km long branch line to Kunming South railway station was opened on 26 December 2016.

The northwest extension will be dug underground along the west side of Kunming's city center.

After Phase 2 opens, Line 2 will run from North Coach Station to Haidong Park.

Line 2's route currently consists of a short elevated section from North Coach Station to Longtou Street and an underground section beneath Beijing Road until the line's current terminus at South Ring Road.

Phase 2 will be dug beneath Guannan Avenue and Fubao Road towards Haidong Park.

Phase 2 opened on 23 September 2020, extending the line to Tangzixiang station just south of Kunming's city center.