Wang Yuanyuan
I took the first train on purpose to see how fast I could get to Buji Checkpoint and I was so amazed that the journey now takes less than 40 minutes, said Ou, 35, who lives in Longcheng Square.
Having lived in Shenzhen for about five years, Ou rarely went to downtown because of the distance and traffic congestion. It was not easy for us to go shopping in Dongmen or go to scenic spots, because it was too far away and took hours to get there by bus. I felt like I was not living in Shenzhen, she said.
But with the new Metro line, everything has changed. Now I can change buses at the checkpoint to go anywhere I want in Shenzhen in a much shorter time. In the past, it took me about two and half hours to get to Dongmen and much longer if the traffic was bad. But it s like living much closer to downtown Shenzhen now, she said.
Ou also planned to take her son to the Children s Palace and Lianhua Hill in Futian District after the entire line opens. We ve never been there before because it s too far away and I think he will enjoy it after hearing so much about these two places, she said.
Ou was also amazed by the view along the elevated section on Line 3. Normally the Metro is underground and you can see nothing but the dark wall. I think it s great that we can enjoy the view outside the window. The rail is built very high, so it s the first time we have been able to have a bird s-eye view of Longgang District, she said.
Ou thought, however, the fare could be a little expensive for many migrant workers living in Longgang District. Seven yuan (US$1.05) for a Metro fare is quite a lot for us. It costs at least 10 yuan to reach places like Dongmen and perhaps more if we want to go to Futian District. That s a lot of money for many people like us living in Longcheng because we make only about 1,500 yuan a month. I hope the government can allow some discounts on the fares so more people in Longgang can truly benefit from the Metro, she said.
The elevated section of Metro Line 3 runs 25 kilometers from Shuanglong in Longgang District to Caopu Station in Luohu District passing 16 stations. The fare for the whole journey is 7 yuan.
It will operate between 8:30 a.m and 9 p.m. at 10-minute intervals in rush hours between 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. and at 15-minute intervals during off-peak hours.
