(ECNS) -- All 489 metro stations in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, have opened public cooling and rest areas in their concourses, offering free summer services to residents and tourists as the city endures a stretch of high temperatures, the Chengdu Rail Transit Group said on Tuesday.
Chengdu Metro first introduced the cooling areas in 2022, the first such move in China's urban rail transit sector. The operator has designated rest zones according to each station's layout, passenger volume and movement patterns, balancing travel efficiency against the need for heat relief while keeping safety in mind.
At elevated stations, which are exposed to direct sunlight and see high platform temperatures, Chengdu Metro has installed air-conditioned waiting rooms with seating where feasible to make waiting more bearable in hot weather.
All of its trains also offer temperature-controlled carriages with strong, medium and mild cooling settings, catering to passengers of different ages and physical conditions.
Beyond the basic cooling areas, major transport hubs including Incubation Park, Chengdu South Railway Station, Century City and Chengdu East Railway Station have opened full "metro service stations" with public reading areas, temporary workspaces and rest facilities for longer stays.
Operational data show that ordinary stations serve about 100 visitors a day on average, while the busiest hubs can serve several hundred.
Going forward, the Chengdu Rail Transit Group said it would keep refining its summer services in line with weather forecasts and public feedback to further improve the travel experience.
(By Tang Yuxian)
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