Suzhou Metro Line 11, linked to Shanghai subway, launches trial operation
Shot by Sun Minjie. Edited by Yu Wenhao. Subtitles by Wang Xinzhou.
Line 11 of Suzhou Metro, which connects with Shanghai's Metro Line 11 at Huaqiao Station, started trial operation without passengers on Wednesday.
The 41.27-kilometer Suzhou line has 28 stops between Weiting in Suzhou Industrial Park and Huaqiao in Kunshan, a county-level city near Shanghai.
Between Suzhou and Shanghai, the line runs through Kunshan's downtown area, economic center and technological zone as well as the Yangcheng Lake area. The lake is popular for its hairy crabs.
It also connects to Suzhou Metro Line 3, which runs across the city.
Passengers can change to the Shanghai Metro at Huaqiao, which is the Shanghai Line 11's terminal station at one end. At the other end, Line 11 terminates at Shanghai Disney Resort.
Line 11 of Suzhou Metro, which connects Huaqiao Station on Shanghai Metro Line 11 and Weiting in Suzhou Industrial Park, started its test run on Wednesday.
After completion, people in Shanghai will be able to take the subway to Suzhou in the neighboring Jiangsu Province, while Suzhou residents will be able to go straight to Shanghai Disney Resort.
The transfer station has two hall floors with three corridors for transfer, and sign boards have already been put up.
"We have designed a no-safety-check path for transfer," said Zhou Li, chairman of the Suzhou Metro Line 11 operating company. "It means passengers are able to change subway between the two lines within 5 minutes."
Final construction of the station is now under way, with some basic facilities, such as elevators, turnstile gates as well as ticket-vending machines, being tested.
The inside look of the carriage of the train being used for the trial run.
The testing period, which started on Wednesday, will run for three months in three phases, according to Suzhou Metro.
During the term, the availability, safety, and reliability of various technical parameters of Metro trains will have repeated checks and be adjusted accordingly.
The train is equipped with digital screens on the carriage walls.
Starting in 2018, the Suzhou Line 11 project has lasted more than four years, with construction of all stations on the line completed in 2021.
"The tunnels traverse beneath 61 rivers, 41 bridges, 115 buildings, six railways, four highways, three gas pipelines and the large part of Yangcheng Lake for the first time," said Guo Lei, general manager assistant of the Suzhou Line 11 operator.
The line is expected to officially open to the public in June. The ticket fee charging mode between Shanghai and Suzhou as well as metro card interconnection work are being worked out, according to the company.
Also, whether it is possible to transfer between the two lines by using mobile phone payment is still under consideration and needs to be confirmed.
Ticket-vending machines at Huaqiao Station of the Suzhou Metro Line 11 are being tested.
The running tunnel of the Suzhou Metro Line 11.
