My video would go something like this:
I was on Line 1 the other day... Ugh, Guomao... I hate Guomao... I get off at Dongsishitiao and walk... I hate Line 1... You have to take Line 1? I'm sorry... I'm on Line 10... Oh, I love Line 10... I can't wait until they open Line 6... It's at Guomao? Then I'm not going... Never cross Tienanmen at 5, ever... I hate Line 1.
And so on. (If you need help understanding the meme, go Google "Sh*t Portlanders Say", I'll be here when you get back.)
Imagine my joy when I moved away from Line 1 and closer to Line 10. Line 10 is a no-change trip to Sanlitun or Liangmaqiao (home of the Fat Burger and Home Plate BBQ). Line 10 goes to the Airport Express, also without a transfer. And besides the aforementioned Guomao (which is the absolute worst station in the entire Beijing subway system), Line 10 is a relative sea of calm and tranquility (and breathing room) in the horrifying mass of the great unwashed and untoothbrushed that is Beijing public transportation.
All until Line 6.
You see, Line 1 had been an absolute nightmare of crowds because it was the only line that ran east-west through the middle of the city. There was never a time that Line 1 was not packed. First train? Last train? Extra packed. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner train. Weekend train. All of them: packed, packed, packed. I've been pushed onto the train and pulled off. I've gotten stuck on the train while the doors closed in my face. I've seen passengers pressed against the glass like Han Solo encased in carbonite, staring passively and forlornly at the (relative) personal space available on the platform.
But, Beijing is on a massive subway-building kick. While the subways are crowded, at least they move. Something that cannot be said about traffic on any of the ring roads. More public transportation might mean less traffic. (And a reduction in air pollution? One can only hope. Although even I am not that optimistic.)
Plans include a new line traveling east-west, basically parallel to Line 1, completion of the Line 10 loop, and an extension of a couple of other lines, finally bringing Houhai Lake and Beijing West Railway Station into the subway family.
And it seems the disembodied voice was right: If you build it, they will come.
After a pre-Christmas cold and Christmas visit to the States and a post-Christmas recuperation, I was ready to go back out. I made arrangements to meet up with a friend who also lives on Line 10 and head over to Sow Boat Brewery for some pre-Spring Festival drinks.
I got a text on my way. Line 10 was crowded. Packed. What?
I got to the terminal and saw... something that looked a lot like Line 1: there were people queued up even as the train was pulling out of the station. I called E to confirm her exact location. She was shoe-horned into the very carriage in the train that was arriving. I pushed my way to the end of the train. I pushed onto the train: I could see her bright red jacket! She was there! And we then had a conversation with a good five Chinese commuters between us giving us the "Ugh, laowai" stare the entire time.
Good times.
And yet, Line 10 still goes good places. It still goes to Liangmaqiao and Sanlitun. And, it now even hooks up with Line 1 at Wanshoulou, greatly reducing the amount of time it takes to get from my new place to my old place. But damn.
Now it's nothing but Line 1 with a 0.
- Do you really care this was posted using BlogPress from my iPad?
Location:Line 10, Beijing, China
No comments:
Post a Comment