One and half year ago, I posted Century Ave Station Opens on Oct 28. In that post, I described how the future of the Century Avenue Station will look like when it is fully completed. Below is the diagram I used:
The Line #6 goes on the top at B1 level. Line #2, and Line #4 go in the B2 level, cross the Line #6. Line #9 (partly opened on December 29, 2007) will run deeper on level B3. After one and half years, the station is finally ready, and I went there to send the first hand report to my readers.
The Station Diagram
Below is a more professional diagram of Metro Line #6, #2, and #4.
The Relationship of the Lines
Below is the Line #6.
The train is running on the left, and on the right are three big hallway leading to 3 different lines. The photo on the left shows the glass gates, and on the right shows the hallways. On the right photo, you can only see one, but there are two other in the distance.
This is how the hallway looks like looking from the glass doors.
The two hallways leads to two different lines. You may notice that the ceiling of the lines are painted the same color as the identification color of the corresponding lines. I love this design very much. The best design is the design that doesn’t require directions or signs.
Above: the ceiling of the entrance.
Below: the direction to the transition lines.
It is pretty clear, isn’t it?
Future Expansion
Just like the other tunnels, the third one leading to Metro Line #9 will open when the Line #9 is ready. Now it is closed by some big rolling gates.
Interested what’s behind the gate? Here you are:
Transition from Line #2, #4 to #6?
Here is how it looks like for passengers who want to transit from #2, #4 to #6.
Below is the photo taken from the end of the elevator. On this photo, you can see the platforms of both Line #2 and Line #6. The top rail is for #6, and the below rail is for #2.
Getting up to B1 using the elevator, and you are only about 10 steps away from the line #6. Pretty efficient.
When there are many people, the transition looks like this:
Two Sides of the Rail
Metro Line #6 Century Avenue Station is maybe the only underground Metro Station that have platforms for the two direction arranged on different side of the rail. All the other underground stations put the platform in the middle and two railways on the opposite sides.
This brings some challenge for passengers – if they arrived at the wrong side, they have to get back to the platform of either line #2, or line #4, and the get to the Line #6 using the elevators and stairs on the other side.
Model of the Station
In People’s Square Station, I found out a model of the Century Avenue Station.
Conclusion
In terms of convenience of transition and clarify of the design, this is the best designed stations in Shanghai. Compared to the "short transition path" and the "long transition path", this is a very big improvement. This station will also be the largest transition station (4 lines) in near future.
Welcome to this brand new station!