Chongqing- "In the past, I had to walk 20 minutes to reach the office after getting out of the Chongqing Rail Transit (CRT) station. Now I can take the No.133 bus from the station to directly reach the office, which is very convenient," said Ms. Liu, a local citizen, on September 29. It is only the epitome of the integrated development of public transportation operations in Chongqing.

One of the most pressing challenges facing the world of public transportation today is the "First and Last Mile Problem," which is the distance a commuter needs to travel from a transit stop to their destination or vice versa.

Of course, using new technologies like ridesharing and micro-transit will be critical to confronting this problem. For example, while rail and bus transit improvements are a priority in Los Angeles, alternative modes of travel, such as bike and car-sharing services, are becoming increasingly available.

In recent years, Chongqing has seamlessly integrated CRT, bus, airport, and high-speed railway station to provide solutions, namely "The Last Kilometer" of travel, offering high-quality travel experiences for citizens and tourists downtown.

130 public transfer stops

"The new No.133 bus of the integrated transfer project launched by the Chongqing government," said a related person in charge of Chongqing City Transportation Development & Investment Group Co., Ltd. "This project will cost 400 million yuan (about 56.2 million U.S. dollars), bringing 130 new public transfer stops to the central urban area."

These stops cover all the entrances and exits of CRT. Data shows that the average public transfer distance will be shortened from 215 meters to 35 meters. 98.7% of the citizens believe that the transfer time has been shortened, and 83.6% feel comfortable about the new transfer experience.

The transfer between CRT and high-speed railway stations is also improved. On September 30, the transfer hall of CRT Shapingba station was put into use. Citizens and tourists can transfer to Loop Line, Line 1, and Line 9 in the station.

Improved the bus network in alleys

In the past, buses and the CRT are difficult to reach back streets and alleys. So, the city has improved the bus network in central urban areas and explored bus routes connecting communities, hospitals, schools, grocery markets, CRT stations, and bus hubs.

"Now, I can take the bus Line 3101 in front of my house, and it takes only 10 minutes to reach CRT Liujiaping station," said a resident Ms. Li lives in Chayuan New Area, Nan'an District.

Line 3101 is 4.8 kilometers long and takes 12 minutes each way. More than 10,000 residents have benefited from this alley bus route.

So far, Chongqing has 24 alley bus lines, carrying more than 28,000 passengers daily.

Sightseeing transportation system

To build a high-quality sightseeing transportation system, Chongqing relies on big data to analyze the needs of tourists and adjust the operation lines.

A bus line about 30 kilometers long connects many famous scenic spots, such as Chongqing's 18 Steps (十八梯 Shibati), a traditional-style scenic area located in Yuzhong District and the Eye of Clouds, becoming the best travel route for citizens and tourists to enjoy the night view of the mountain city.

This line is the T041 Liangjiang night view sightseeing bus line, which runs from 19:30 to 20:30 every day, with a tour guide on board to introduce the attractions.

Meanwhile, the bus travel network is integrated with CRT, water buses, and cliff trails. The network covers rivers, bridges, food streets, and historical sites.

Currently, 17 sightseeing routes have been implemented, receiving 4.8 million tourists annually.