Beijing South loses its luster for travelers

Efforts made

To tackle the problems at Beijing South, joint efforts are clearly needed.

According to the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport, one of the subway lines at the station, Line 4, will extend its operating hours to 12:10 am from Friday. This late-night service will operate on Fridays, Sundays and during holidays.

The station has installed 14 air conditioners and glass fences at taxi-waiting zones, and is allowing more hailed cars and online booking for taxis after 9 pm to cater to demand. An LED screen has been installed to display real-time information about the taxi line, including estimated waiting time, Liang Zhaoyu, a spokesman for the station, said on Monday.

The station will also install fans and renovate the roof in the taxi waiting area to make passengers more comfortable. The project will be completed by the end of this month.

From Sunday, passengers will be able to order buses leaving from the station at night.

The transportation authority will release nighttime train arrival information through Beijing Transport Radio and the taxi dispatch center, encouraging more taxi drivers to pick up passengers late at night. It will also encourage cab companies to send more taxis to the station.

Transport, public security and other departments will make joint efforts to clear the nearby area and keep illegal taxis off the streets.

On hearing news of the extended subway operating times at the station, Liu, from the World Resources Institute, praised the prompt efforts made by the government.

Kuai, the passenger, said, "People coming to Beijing, China's capital, for business and travel should find it convenient to get around."

Shen, the commuter, said, "Most outsiders get their first impression of the capital from Beijing South, which provides them with an image of the world's second-largest economy."

Yang Zekun contributed to this story.