Shanghai South railway station

: "For information on the metro station of the same name, see Shanghai South Railway Station (Shanghai Metro)"

Shanghai South Railway Station, also Shanghai South Station (zh-cp|c=上海南站|p=Shànghăi Nánzhàn), is a railway station in the city of Shanghai. Located in the Xuhui District, its importance is second only to the Shanghai Railway Station. After extensive renovation that was finished in 2006, the station features a circular design, the first of its kind in the world.

Connections

Shanghai South Station serves most trains to cities of Zhejiang (including Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Ningbo, Jinhua and Wenzhou) and the Southern provinces of China, including the Shanghai-Hong Kong Route. The Shanghai-Kowloon Through Train serves this station.

History

Shanghai South Railway Station was originally constructed in 1908 as the terminus of the Shanghai-Hangzhou railway line.

An extensive redesign has been carried out until 2006 by [http://www.arep.fr AREP] (Paris), [http://www.ecadi.com ECADI] (Shanghai) and [http://www.map3.net MaP3] (structural engineer - Paris), making the new station the world's first circular railway station. With the reopening, two minor Shanghai railway stations have been closed: Shanghai West Railway Station in Putuo District and Meilong Station near Jinjiang Park. All railway connections of these stations have been moved to Shanghai South Railway Station, and according to estimates, up to 40% of passengers of Shanghai Railway Station will be diverted to the new station.

tation

The Station is located in the southwestern part of Xuhui District, occupying sixty hectares of land. Contrary to most Chinese railway stations, which are overcrowded and regarded as unsanitary and unpleasant by many, the new look of South Station has a very clean, airport-like look and feel. The station itself is elevated 47 meters above ground and has a diameter of some 270 meters. It is made out of polycarbonate and aluminium sunblades, and supported by 18 branch-shaped beams resting on 3 columns each. The steel structure weight is 6000 T, for 56 000 square meters, and a 150 m maximum span. The steel structure was built by Shanghai Jiangnan shipyard and erected by SMCC.

The trains arrive below the waiting areas, which are not interrupted by the structure itself, which is roughly divided into three levels. The mid-level contains the station platforms, at the same rough height as ground level, and contains thirteen tracks and six passenger platforms. The VIP waiting section and the Public Security Office is also on this level. In addition the mid-level has direct access to the northern and southern squares. The upper level is the departure level. With a circumference of over 800 meters, the waiting area can fit over 10,000 passengers at any given time. Passenger tickets are also validated in this area. The lower level is the arrivals level, which contains various tunnels to exit the station and the waiting area of the Line 1 and Line 3 in the Shanghai Metro system. In the future it will also contain a transfer tunnel to the newly opened L1 Line as well as access to long-distance bus transit and tourist groups. The underground of the North and South Squares has various commercial establishments and a parking lot.

The Soft Seat waiting area requires a Soft Class train ticket to access. The seating in the area is generally more comfortable, and it is an enclosed area, with security personnel on shift at the entrances. The regular waiting area is in the middle of the station, and can house thousands of passengers. The VIP waiting area is only accessible with special identification, such as diplomatic documents.

Metro connection

Shanghai South Railway Station is serviced by Shanghai Metro Line 1 or Line 3 via the interchange station of the same name, which is within walking distance of the train station. Transfer corridors in the station building allow indoor transfer between the train station and the metro station.

ources

* http://www.shanghai-star.com.cn/Shanghai_Delta/Shanghai_Delta_news.asp?lv1=1&lv2=3&newsid=1711&viewsid=1711&views=23
* http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200607/11/eng20060711_281824.html
* http://home.wangjianshuo.com/archives/20060623_shanghai_south_railway_station.htm