A metro station in Hangzhou is crowded with passengers. [Photo/WeChat account: hangzhou-metro]

During the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, the city's metro system achieved a milestone by operating a total of 88,957 trains accommodating 687.69 million passengers, ensuring a safe, comfortable, and efficient travel experience for everyone.

On Sept 28, the metro recorded its highest single-day ridership, surpassing 5 million passengers for the first time and reaching a total of 5.03 million passengers.

Hangzhou Metro adopted various measures to enhance efficiency, including increasing train frequency, reducing headways between trains, and adding additional trains to meet demand.

For example, on Sept 28, the entire metro network operated at capacity, with 436 trains running simultaneously, and the shortest headway between trains was reduced to just 2 minutes and 15 seconds. Additionally, to accommodate events that ended late in the evening, the metro system extended its service hours, providing an additional 28 late-night services.

Four key metro stations located near the Olympic Sports Center, Expo Center, Huanglongdong Station, and Huanglong Sports Center collectively served over 2 million passengers traveling to and from these venues during the Games. The Olympic Sports Center Station alone recorded 1 million passenger entries and exits, with the highest daily ridership reaching 174,700 passengers on Oct 3.

Metro staff and volunteers went above and beyond to ensure smooth passenger flow and assist passengers during the event. The service hotline (96600) received a total of 8,668 phone calls during the event, averaging approximately 565 calls per day, representing a 30-percent increase in calls compared to regular days.

A metro staff helps a passenger solve her problems. [Photo/WeChat account: hangzhou-metro]