Chinese Pinyin - Commuting by subway is far from convenient

CITYLIFE / Hip & New






Commuting by subway is far from convenient

By Zhang Xi (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2007-04-25 17:26






Passengers wait on the platform as a subway train approaches at a Beijing
subway station in this March 5, 2007 photo. [newsphoto]
Beijing resident Ms. Zhang travels on the Batong subway line everyday
between home and work to avoid the traffic jam above ground. However, she
has to face another problem during her daily trip -- how to get on the
crowded train.

"Sometimes I have to wait for the next train to get on, but it's the same
situation," she sighed. "Many people are waiting on the platform, and
people in the train have trouble getting out. To avoid being late, I have
to push others to get into the coach. Even after I successfully get on
the train, I am squeezed next to others and I can't touch any handrails.
What's worse is that the air is smelly due to so many people on the
train. Although I'm only on the train for a short time, I feel frustrated
and exhausted every time," Ms. Zhang said resignedly.

She is not the only Beijing local who experiences a tough time commuting
every weekday. With the development of the subway system, more and more
Beijingers choose to travel by subway rather than bus or taxi to escape
the traffic jam.

For example Batong line is connected to subway Line 1, the longest
east-west subway line in Beijing. And many people choose to live near the
Batong line because it's in the outskirts of the city where people can
commute into the city. But it's an uphill battle to get to and from work
everyday.

Crowed coaches and terrible air quality cause quarrels, even fights on
the train. "I witnessed an argument between a young woman and a man; she
claimed she was almost suffocating due to the pushing and poor air
quality," Ms. Zhang explained. "But you cannot blame the man. It was not
his fault. There were too many passengers."

According to a survey by Beijing based newspaper Star Daily, on weekday
morning, some coaches may hold over 300 and up to 400 people and this is
nearly the same amount of passengers waiting on the platform at the next
station. At the interchange station, passengers push their way up the
stairs to transfer to Line 1. It takes them 5 minutes just to leave the
junction station.

To solve the problem of overcrowding, the Beijing metro Corp plans to
shorten the intervals between departures during rush hour from 5 minutes
to 4 minutes by the end of this year. Though many passengers have
suggested adding more coaches to the trains, the Beijing metro Corp said
this is not possible due to technical reasons.










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