Out with the old at Shanghai's Metro stations

Zhu Yuting
Passengers have mixed feelings about the new benches with some welcoming the change while others raise safety concerns as the old ones are gradually replaced.
Zhu Yuting

New benches in some Shanghai Metro stations have triggered heated discussion.

Compared with original chair-style seats, the new black benches are wider and backless.

Some passengers like the new ones as they are "warmer" than the previous seats which are made of stainless steel. "The new benches are better than before," said a woman surnamed Xia. "The original ones are too cold to sit on, especially when the air conditioning working in summer."

Other passengers said the original seats were old, and some even would make noise when sitting down.

Out with the old at Shanghai's Metro stations
Zhu Yuting / SHINE

Benches in Hanzhong Road Station are the black and backless style.

Out with the old at Shanghai's Metro stations
Zhu Yuting / SHINE

The original benches are more like chairs with backs.

However, some passengers believe the old ones are more conformable.

"I prefer the old ones with the back," a man, surnamed Lu, told Shanghai Daily.

Lu said he always waited for his girlfriend at the Hanzhong Road Station (Line 1) to go home together.

"Sometimes, I may wait for over half an hour," he said. "The previous bench seems more friendly to me."

Some passengers said the new bench had four sharp corners, which posed a safety hazard.

"Children may bump onto the sharp corners of the bench," a passenger said.

Some passengers said they didn't care if there were benches in Metro stations.

"The interval is only a few minutes, there is no need to put a seat here," said a man surnamed Ma.

The benches have been replaced in some stations along Line 8, Line 13 and Line 1.

The Metro operator said the old-style benches at other stations would be replaced gradually.

Replacing old benches will facilitate station layout, the operator said, and Shanghai Metro will increase or decrease benches appropriately at each station based on passenger feedback in the future.

As for the safety concern, the operator said the new benches meet the relevant safety standards, according to a Jiefang Daily report.


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