Wei Jie claudiamente@hotmail.com ALTHOUGH it was a Saturday, Huang Zhixian arrived at his office in the Kexing Science Park in Nanshan District on Dec. 28, just like any other workday. What made that day different was his arrival well past his usual 9 a.m. start time. “I specifically waited until after 10: 18 a.m. to take the brand new Metro Line 13 to work,” said Huang, a programmer at a software company in Kexing, located in the central-northern part of the Shenzhen Hi-tech Industrial Park. Long-awaited line Like many other people working in Kexing, Huang had eagerly anticipated the opening of Line 13. Although only seven stations of the line are operational in this phase, Line 13 is expected to significantly ease traffic congestion in the neighborhood, which was previously accessible only via Metro Line 1 at Shenzhen University Station, located 1 kilometer away. The 20-something IT engineer has worked in Kexing for five years since graduating from college. Living in Bao’an District, Huang used to take Line 11 to Qianhaiwan, then transfer to Line 1 to reach Shenzhen University Station for his daily commute. “The station has been insanely crowded with the huge number of commuters working in Kexing and nearby office buildings,” said Huang. The Kexing Science Park alone houses 14 high-rise office buildings, home to over 400 high-tech companies that employ more than 40,000 people. Before the opening of Line 13, it reportedly took approximately 10 minutes to exit the Shenzhen University Station during peak morning and evening hours. “It is no exaggeration,” the programmer said. “From the moment you step off a Line 1 Metro train, you are pushed toward the exits by the crowd.” Driving is an even less appealing option in the area. Bill Zhang, who works for a fintech company in the Neptunus Galaxy Science Building, shared his experience of leaving the office at 8 p.m. on a typical workday, only to reach his home in Longhua District more than two hours later. Meanwhile, a colleague flew to Shanghai — some 1,300 kilometers away — at 8 p.m. the same day and landed within two hours. “It felt like a deadlock,” he noted. “Such heavy traffic is not uncommon around here.” High population density, reduced road space due to the Metro line construction, and a massive underground commercial facility spanning a 3.4 kilometers radius — covering Songping, Kexing, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen University East, and Keyuan Metro stations — often made commutes in the neighborhood a nightmare. Now, commuters like Huang can take Line 13 to Hi-tech Central Station, which is much closer to Kexing than Shenzhen University Station, significantly improving their daily commute. Line 13 is also the only Metro station serving the Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint, the sole land crossing to Hong Kong in western Shenzhen. Its operation has attracted many Hongkongers to visit Shenzhen on weekends. 20th anniversary Four new sections of Lines 3, 7, 11, and 12 also started service the same day as Line 13, bringing the total operational length of the Shenzhen Metro network’s 17 lines to 595 kilometers. Shenzhen has the fifth-largest subway system in China, following Shanghai (896 kilometers), Beijing (879 kilometers), Guangzhou (700 kilometers), and Chengdu (673 kilometers). Furthermore, Shenzhen Metro tops the country in terms of density, with 0.3 kilometers of track per square kilometer. The day also marked the 20th anniversary of Shenzhen Metro, which began with the launch of the first phases of Lines 1 and 4. On Dec. 28, 2004, around 20,000 local residents rode Shenzhen’s first-ever Metro train, which started at Luohu Station in Luohu District and traveled westward to Window of the World Station in Nanshan District. The winter chill did not deter enthusiastic crowds, who waited in long lines up to 1,000 meters long outside the Luohu Station an hour and a half before the official launch of the train. Among those eager to board the first train was a young lady surnamed Huang. “I came with my grandfather from Longgang District to take the Metro,” she said while waiting at Luohu Station for the opening, as seen in footage from Shenzhen TV News in 2004. As the train departed from the station, excited passengers onboard took photos to document the moment. When interviewed by local Chinese-language media, a young father holding his toddler in his arms proudly said, “When he grows up, I will show him the picture, reminding him that he rode Shenzhen’s inaugural Metro train.” The first phase of Line 4 also launched that day. It originally ran between Futian Checkpoint Station and Children’s Palace Station in Futian District, connecting with Line 1 at the Convention and Exhibition Center Station in the Futian CBD. The first phase of the Shenzhen Metro network extended 21.3 kilometers and included 20 stations, making Shenzhen the eighth city in China to have an underground rail system. Rapid expansion In the six years leading up to 2011, extensions of Lines 1 and 4, along with the introduction of lines 2, 3, and 5, came into service, resulting in a “four-horizontal-route-and-three-vertical-route network." During this period, the city’s subway introduced a distance-based fare system, aligning with the practices of most subway systems in other East Asian cities. In 2016, three new Metro lines — 7, 9, and 11 — started operation, increasing the city’s total rail length to 107.58 kilometers. Line 11 stood out as the city’s first express route, which was capable of reaching a top speed of 120 kilometers per hour and featured fewer stops. Originally starting at Futian Station in the Futian CBD, the express line travels westward before turning north in Bao’an District, connecting passengers to the Shenzhen airport in less than 30 minutes. Notably, Line 11 is also the only Metro line to offer business cars. With the opening of the newest section further east, Line 11 seamlessly connects to 12 other Metro lines, namely 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, and 20. This extensive connectivity allows for efficient commuting along the city’s east-west development axis in 60 minutes. Line 9 features several cross-platform transfers, facilitating easier and more efficient connections with other lines. Zigzagging through the three urban districts of Nanshan, Futian, and Luohu, Line 9 provides riders with cross-platform transfer options, including at Nanyou Station with Line 12, Hongshuwan South Station with Line 11, and Chegongmiao Station with Line 7. Line 14, which started running Oct. 28, 2022, is another express line. Dubbed the eastern express line of Shenzhen Metro, Line 14 was engineered to operate at a top speed of 120 kilometers per hour, linking Gangxia North in the Futian CBD with Pingshan District in the northeastern part of Shenzhen. In 2020, six new Metro lines and extensions, including lines 6 and 10, with a total length of 107 kilometers, were added to further expand the operational network into more distant districts like Guangming, Longhua, and Longgang. Line 16, the other line that opened in 2022, primarily services the expansive districts of Longgang and Pingshan in northeastern Shenzhen. Over the past 20 years, Shenzhen Metro has evolved from a simple cross-shaped network to a dense network that radiates outward from the city’s center. This network has driven the city forward like a powerful engine and has handled a total of 20.6 billion rides to date. Hi-tech features The development of Shenzhen Metro exemplifies the innovative spirit and technological strength “China’s Silicon Valley.” Line 20, the world’s first fully automatic subway when it opened on Dec. 28, 2021, connects the Shenzhen airport with the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center in Bao’an District. The unmanned line is equipped with autonomous driving technology and features security functions like obstacle detection, train-collision avoidance, and derailment detection. It also features an off-board computer that monitors all trains on the line, enabling them to be spaced more closely compared to manually controlled lines. Following Line 20, lines 12, 13, and 14 also adopted autonomous technology. Trains on lines 12 and 14 provide wireless mobile phone charging, while other smart technologies enhance user-friendliness — facial and hand recognition systems at turnstiles facilitate intelligent payments and interactive audiovisual services are provided at intelligent customer service pavilions. On Line 11, some LCD screens on the platforms are equipped with the Inter-cart Congestion Intelligent Display System, which collects real-time data on a train’s location and the number of passengers in each car, helping riders choose the least crowded options. In addition to these innovative high-tech services, Shenzhen Metro has implemented various user-friendly features, such as temperature control in each train car, the availability of restrooms and nursing tables, and AEDs and emergency kits at stations. Large lockers have been installed at 25 stations located near transport hubs like the airport and high-speed railway stations, providing space to store about 700 pieces of bulky luggage. Green efforts Line 12 features a green, low-carbon permanent magnet traction system, which results in lower carbon emissions and sustainable energy consumption. The Huangmugang Comprehensive Transport Hub, located in Futian District, has adopted a photovoltaic power generation system that can generate 379,600 kWh annually and reduce 378.4 metric tons of carbon emissions, saving the equivalent of 152 metric tons of standard coal. Additionally, Shenzhen Metro has implemented an “Intelligent Environmental Control System” in its Phase 4 project, which oversees the entirety of the subways’ ventilation and air conditioning systems. This advanced system automatically develops energy-saving operational strategies, achieving energy savings of over 30%. It reduces carbon emissions by approximately 1.9 tons annually and saves around 17 million yuan (US$2.32 million) in electricity costs. | 