During the 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair, known as the Canton Fair, Guangzhou Metro Line 8 and Line 4 will deploy additional trains to enhance transport capacity during peak hours.
This year, Guangzhou Metro will optimize payment services for foreign passengers by introducing currency exchange machines at Xingangdong Station, and by installing 10 overseas card POS (Point of Sale) machines at eight stations including Pazhou, Xingangdong, Guangzhou Railway Station, Guangzhou East Railway Station, Guangzhou South Railway Station, Shitan, Airport South, and Airport North. These changes will be implemented gradually during the Canton Fair.
Special timetable introduced to increase transportation capabilities
During the first and second phases of the Canton Fair, Lines 4 and 8 will operate on a special exhibition schedule, while the last phase, coinciding with the Labour Day holiday, will follow the holiday timetable.
During this time, Line 8 will operate with a maximum of 41 trains on weekdays, with an increase of one and two trains during morning and evening peak hours respectively, and four trains during mid-peak hours. On weekends, Line 8 will introduce four and eight additional trains during peak and mid-peak hours respectively, reaching a maximum of 35 trains.
Similarly, Line 4 will operate 47 and 38 trains on weekdays and weekends respectively. From Monday to Thursday, four more trains will operate during mid-peak hours, remaining consistent on Fridays. On Saturdays and Sundays, there will be a short-duration peak period from 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM with an additional five trains operating between Xinzao and Huangcun.
In addition, in the event of sudden massive passenger flow or excessive transportation pressure during the dispersal period of the Canton Fair, Guangzhou Metro will ease the traffic by flexibly putting the reserved trains into service, arranging early trains to run from Pazhou Station in the direction of Wanshengwei to Jiaoxin Station.
Smart devices upgraded, with Chinese and English language options
In terms of intelligence services, new software functions such as Chinese and English service interfaces and travel instructions have been added, and the information query function has been expanded. Additionally, the special inquiry database of the intelligent customer service center has been improved for the Canton Fair, covering the frequently asked questions of the visitors in a more comprehensive way.
Additionally, Guangzhou Metro has replaced the screens of automatic ticket vending machines at Pazhou Station and Xingangdong Station, improving the touchscreen responsiveness to facilitate foreign passengers using cash for ticket purchases. Moreover, Guangzhou Metro has set up QR codes at metro rides promotion service points in the exhibition hall, Airport North Station, and Guangzhou South Railway Station to provide convenient service to passengers.
During this Canton Fair, in addition to providing routine multilingual consultation services, Guangzhou Metro will also focus on introducing measures for foreign passengers to optimize travel payment and provide friendly services to foreign merchants in an all-round way.
To facilitate self-service travel for international passengers, Guangzhou Metro has taken several measures. On one hand, it has made pamphlets available, such as the Payment Service Handbook for Overseas Visitors to Guangzhou, at key exhibition and hub stations including Pazhou, Xingangdong, Guangzhou South Railway Station, Airport South, Airport North, Guangzhou East Railway Station, Shitan, and Guangzhou Railway Station for passengers to pick up.
On the other hand, Guangzhou Metro has introduced a foreign currency exchange machine at Xingangdong and installed 10 overseas card POS machines across eight stations: Pazhou, Xingangdong, Guangzhou Railway Station, Guangzhou East Railway Station, Guangzhou South Railway Station, Shitan, Airport South, and Airport North.
Furthermore, Pazhou and Xingangdong stations, located near the exhibition venues, will continue to offer services associated with the Canton Fair. These services include on-site consultation, foreign language translation, ticket guidance, the distribution of service pamphlets, and so on. Volunteers equipped with simultaneous interpretation devices will offer consultation in multiple languages for international passengers.
Reporter | Hannah Zhou, Zhi Zhucheng (Intern), Huang Chen (Intern), Chen Jinqing (Intern), Xie Chunhong (Intern), Feng Zhichao (Intern)
Editor | Nan, Abby, James
Photos provided to GDToday
