鉄道

In the  13th issue of our (irregularly updated) weekly report, we proudly present you with the following list of projects: So the opening boom around the new year has been over and we don't have new photos for each issue either, hence a list of projects currently under construction, aimed to provide detailed information for a more accurate prediction. (Please ignore my awful editing...some of the words are split from inside...) The first issue of the new year and another busy year. We, of course, wish all of our readers have enjoyed this one, even just for one second, and that this report has brought you some fun for more than one second. We'll see each other in the next issue!

Concerning Guanggu Trams in Wuhan Wuhan's Guanggu trams opened yesterday on the 18th for a free trial operation (meaning that the operation suspends today). Basically a test ride. Further information has not been reported, although the transportation bureau did promise that T1 would be finished at least by the 28th and T2 by the 6th Feb. A sad story.  Here are some notable comments from local riders: extremely crowded too slow (hardly comparable to walking) confusing train indications (seems like I'm not the only one struggling with these operation modes...) This crowded on the first day and you can understand how important it means to this area. We'll keep following the latest information and provide you with the correct date of the opening.

Breaking News! Guanggu Trams in Wuhan are officially announced to open on the 18th January! (Right now it's still in trial operation.) So, Wuhan is now basically the second city to have two tram systems operating in different districts, succeeding Nanjing. The Guanggu District (translated as optical valley) is a huge business district composed of shopping malls,  company HQs, research facilities as well as residential area, as its name suggests. It is therefore no surprise that this tiny system of simply two lines can have the highest daily ridership of the nation in the future.  Another peculiar thing about this system is that, although shown in map as T1 and T2, it is actually operated into 6 modes!  So basically, mode 1 from A to D, mode 2 from A to B, mode 3 from A to C, mode 4 from C to D, mode 5 from C to B, and mode 6 from D to B.  Moreover, this confusing system is shown exactly the same on the ticket machines as on the map above with...

(Certainly not Easter now, but it's just a name, right?) A monorail line named Yungui has commenced its commercial operation yesterday on the 10th January in Yinchuan , a rather remote city in the northwest of China . The 5.67 km line, providing a shuttle service in the Expo Garden , serves predominantly as an experimental line for the promotion of high-end monorail technologies throughout the nation. BYD, developer of this technology, states to have contracted with another dozen cities and planning their construction sites over 20 more cities in China .  So this is the train. As for how advanced technologies are used, I extracted a few examples from the press conference: Automatic operated trains (equipped with UTO system, not ATO ) Facial recognition system at ticket gates, replacing ticket vending machines Full Wi-Fi coverage over the line You can pay your ride online in advance and only have to pass the gate. Technical informations: 8 stations (...

Breaking News! I declare hereby that Line 4 south extension in Hangzhou  has gone into operation  today ! The memorable first line to open this year!

Breaking News! Line 4 south extension in Hangzhou is officially announced to open tomorrow on the  9th January ! The section opening is Jinjiang - Puyan, without Lianzhuang. I will do a follow-up report tomorrow just for sure. Looks like the first one to cross out on the new list!

First of all, happy new year to all of my visitors today! I would like to present my sincere greets of the new year and thank all of you for your support over the last year.  So this year, my blog of urban rail transit in the "idyllic metropolises" will provide you with the most up-to-date and the most accurate informations about openings as well as my own experience with (mainly) rail lines in China as usual. As some of the openings are scheduled to take place in this month, I pasted a list down there for you.  So, after spending a thrilling time checking and updating the openings over the last few weeks, I'm sure that all of you have witnessed how rapid this network is expanding in China, what I refer to as the "metro boom". This boom is expected to continue for at least 3 years (?) until 2020, so still a lot of work load ahead. As I didn't do any report on Xiamen, I figure I can compensate for that with this photo: One of the most beautiful me...