Dec 29 is a big day for Shanghai Metro. 58 New Metro Stations were put into operation on the same day. Yes. It is not a typo. It IS 58 stations. This afternoon, I prepared my camera and coat and wanted to take photos of the new Metro Stations and metro trains, but it was really too cold and windy today. So I decided to turn to flickr to find some photos, and then do a report with these photos.
Photo by a_laubner
Photo by a_laubner
The new Metro exit of Line #8
Photo by a_laubner
This is the new complete map of the Metro System in Shanghai:
Photo by YGGG
Here is a post about the opening of Line 8 near his/her home.
People’s Square Station
Credit: Keke
Credit: Keke
Credit: Keke
Credit: Keke
Credit: Keke
Credit: Keke
Credit: Keke
Expecting my Metro Trip
I am expecting my Metro Trip in the next few days. I will take more pictures of the Transition Hall of People’s Square Station, the new Line 6, and the Line 4. I prefer to use my own photos in my blog, and I try to avoid to write about something without being there myself. Shanghai Metro is an exception since it is so important to be missed. I will take more photos next time I take a ride.
It’s so interesting to hear what is happening in China, especially Shanghai these days!
Despite the fact that I am Chinese myself and Shanghainese, I had no idea about the underground stations. I’ve only recently found your blog, through some excessive googling around, I think I was googling for Valentine’s Day in Shanghai, since I was wondering is it really that big of an event.
It’s so sad that I know less about Shanghai than some foreigners or tourists! It hink I’ve only been to Shanghai 10-13 times out of my whole life. Though I love how when I visit there it always changes! It keeps on fascinating me. On the other hand I’ve lived my whole life in Helsinki, this small city up in the north, the capital of Finland. Though Shanghai is beautiful, modern and everything else exciting. I have no interest in actually residing in the city. I don’t think it’s that good of a place for children to grow up in. There is a very… how should I say stern social hierarchy, of course this is based utterly on my own opinion. The vast difference of poor and rich is so ridiculous, but I guess this is the case of all large cities.
I’m excited to try out the Metro system myself. My favorite 2 metro systems in the world are the Paris Metro and the Hong Kong MTR. My wife and I went to Paris for our honeymoon when we were young and poor, just out of college. The Paris Metro was incredibly convenient, with stations everywhere, and frequent trains. Everything was old but had a lot of charm. The Hong Kong MTR, on the other hand, is a model of efficiency, with incredibly well thought out interchange stations that can handle massive volume between lines (transfer between Island Line and Kowloon (Tseun Wan) Line at Admiralty at rush hour is an awesome experience). I hope that interchanges will be far improved with these new lines!
Now the bus lines finally have some serious competition. The latest lines have created a grid that makes moving from one side of town to another very convenient, even if one needs to jump off and catch another train. What is funny is that what really makes the metro convenient is the metro maps. It’s easy to figure out where the stations are in regards of where your destination is. If the bus companies would ever consider showing where their busses are going, they would win a lot of riders. I think the people who design those routes are so familiar with them that they’d rather leave even the bus stop signs out. They figure that when you take the bus once you know where it goes. Real people will often take a particular bus only once and if there is a metro station nearby it wins them over, even if they need to walk a bit more. So if you are a nerd and carry a laptop or iPhone, it’s possible to find the bus routes on the web, but for a regular person the metro nerds have designed a good system for you.
i heard on the news that Metro has to do something about the traffic to avoid any stampede. The opening on the new line has caused high influx of passengers.
Exactly. The high traffic of line #6 really caused some problem.
I can imagine the confusions and chaos of a sudden addition of 58 stations with a few days and some new Metro lines during the last several months. From personal experience, I was often at a loss which exits I should take once getting off the trains. It would be very helpful for the Metro station to post many more maps throughout the stations or even posting big maps outside the entrances so people can check their routes prior to even entering the stations.
I have been to many big cities in the world that have subways, some cities do excellent jobs offering information to riders. I particularly like those in Tokyo, Paris, London As in many other glabal cities that have subways to print small pamphlets showing the lines and their connection stations, Shanghai city ought to do this too in both Chinese and in English. Shanghai is not a tourists-friendly city. It’s very difficult to ask for directions from people on the street or inside the stations. Having an information desk within each major stations such as People Square, Jingan Temple can be great helps for passenger who are not local. Perhaps the Shanghai city ought to hire helpers or recruit volunteers who can direct people where to go.
TW
@TW, I tend to agree with you on this part. However, I have more patience about the development in China. Most of the time, hardware can be easily improved, as proved in the Shanghai Metro construction, but software, as in the issue of directions, takes much longer to improve. The good thing is, the current direction is at least much better than No. 1 just opened.
I still wonder about the planning involved in this system. The new line 9 does not seem to connect to anything else. Went past there at 7.30am this morning and nobody seemed to be using it, not surprising if they have to take a bus to connect to the rest of the system.
The new People’s Square arrangement is however so much better than before. They have finally planned for capacity with three escalators in each direction between lines 1 and 2.
@SC, Line 9 is a very long line, and goes to the East Side of Pudong. They just didn’t have the enough time to construct the site. A broken Line #9 is better than holding it for another several years.
There is a station being built at the corner of Madang Lu and Xujiahui lu. Does anyone know the what station that will be? What line? Est date of completion?
There is also one being built at Takang Lu, Ruijin lu,ZhaojiaBang lu bloc. Same questions fas above for this one although I did hear 2009 as the completion date. BUt I am not sure the name or what line it will be. Cany anyone help with this?
Hmmm… There are still many lines to be built, and many of them are along the Zhaojiabang Rd.
The one near Madang Road, and Xujiahui Rd. should be Madang Road Station of Metro Line #9. The current #9 is just the west section, and the line will continue to run along the Xujiahui Road, go to Pudong, and in far future, winds up to Chongming Island.
I am not sure about the second station. It may be Dapuqiao Station of Metro Line #9.
Line #9 will be completed in 2009.
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