Chongqing - Chongqing’s New Year’s Eve celebrations were exceptionally lively, with its urban rail transit system playing a key role in ensuring convenient and safe transportation for its residents. 

Data shows that on December 31, 2023, Chongqing Rail Transit achieved a historic high with a record 5.081 million passengers in a single day.

Final train returns to the depot at three in the morning

“To accommodate the surge in passengers on New Year’s Eve, we utilized big data to forecast demand and guide transportation organization,” said Zhang Yanzhen, Deputy Director of the Safety Operation Department of Chongqing City Transportation Development & Investment Group Co., Ltd.

Measures implemented included extended operating hours, reduced train intervals, optimized routing, and increased night-time capacity. 

New Year’s Eve, visitors taking rail transit home. (Photo/Chongqing Rail Transit (Group) Co., Ltd.)

Chongqing Rail Transit (Group) Co., Ltd. extended the operation hours, initially planned until 1 a.m., to 2 a.m., with the last train returning to the depot at 3:37 a.m. on January 1, 2024.

The recent launch of Lines 5, 10, and 18 expanded Chongqing Rail Transit to 13 lines over 538 kilometers, enhancing its scale and efficiency. This expansion has reduced travel times and costs, contributing to a surge in passenger flow.

Over the New Year holiday, Chongqing Rail Transit Line 2 also added “traffic tips” at key stations like Ciqikou and Liziba, guiding visitors to major attractions and hotspots along the line.

For example, service boards at four stations on Line 2 displayed “traffic tips” for 14 key destinations, like Lianglukou and Guanyinqiao. These tips, addressing common passenger inquiries and complex transfers, offered valuable guidance for travelers to these popular spots.

Tourists are looking at “Traffic Tips”. (Photo/Shangyou News)

Standby for prompt emergency response

To guarantee visitor safety, Chongqing Emergency Medical Center had five medical staff groups on standby for prompt emergency response.

“Time is life. Once dispatched, our ambulances can leave within 3 minutes and usually arrive at the scene within 15 minutes to commence rescue operations,” said Wen Yongsheng, Deputy Chief Physician of the Chongqing Emergency Medical Center.

Between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on December 31, the Chongqing’s emergency center deployed ambulances over 30 times. The Chongqing 120 Command and Dispatch Center received 2971 calls, with a total of 809 city-wide dispatches, including 265 in the central urban area.

Medical staff checked a patient’s condition. (Photo/cqnews.net)

The Chongqing Railway Police played a crucial role in guaranteeing public safety and facilitating smooth travel during the holiday period. They achieved this by dynamically adjusting their resource allocation and police deployment. This strategic placement was tailored to the changing passenger flow patterns at key stations, waiting halls, passenger trains, and along railway lines.

Additionally, the police implemented thorough strategies to proactively address potential disruptions, such as extreme weather conditions that could lead to closures or delays. This proactive approach involved continuous, close communication with the railway and transportation departments. By doing so, they could effectively monitor shifts in passenger flow and maintain public order, thus ensuring a safe and well-organized travel experience for all passengers.