02 October 2012 (Day 27):

If there’s one thing I really hate, then it’s being reminded of things I don’t want to be reminded of. Since I’m still in China, that one thing I hate to be reminded of is that I’m homesick. VERY homesick.

 

We started today just fine- had our Aircraft Propulsion Systems lesson in the morning and were free to do our IS (Interdisciplinary Studies) project in the afternoon. Since my group’s focus was on transportation, we had to get a feel of the Subway service in Tianjin.

We went into a station called HongQi’NanLu Zhan and I can tell you that the entire interior was white and pristine. After we bought our coin-shaped tickets at the machine, we could tap it at the gate and enter the waiting area.

The HongQi’NanLu Zhan Station

 

Bai Ming purchasing tickets from the Automatic Ticket Machine (on left); Coin shaped tickets, each one meant for a single trip

 

That was when I had that sickening lurch in my stomach. The waiting area looked exactly like Singapore’s underground MRT (Mass Rapid Transport) stations, except that it was all white. Even the trains looked similar. The only differences I observed was that inside the waiting areas, there were dustbins and toilets, which were located at the furthest end of the room.

 

The interior of HongQi’NanLu Zhan Station

  

Interior of train

 

 

Tianjin Metro System Map found in the Subway Train, with our travel route marked out on it
 

Since we wanted to get to ChangHongGongYuan, we had to travel eastwards to YingKouDao Interchange (marked by a yellow dot), go Northwards to XinNanJiao Interchange (marked by a purple dot) and go westwards to our final destination (marked by a red dot).

Along the way, we noticed some more similarities of Tianjin’s Subway system to Singapore’s MRT system. Firstly, the trains at the Interchange were packed with people and there were safety fences that were installed on the platforms so as to prevent people from falling on to the tracks.

Once we reached our destination, we were rather disappointed that at the ChangHongGongYuan (translated as Long Rainbow Park) station, there were no parks or rainbows in sight. As such, we soon headed back into the station and planned our route back to the hotel.

Our initial plan was to take the train straight from ChangHongGongYuan Station to the TianJin Zhan (marked by a blue dot). However, when we reached DongNanJiao (marked by a pink dot), the train stopped and told us that it had reached the end of the line. Many passengers were surprised. Some got out but others stayed in their seats as the train driver drove back the way we came.

 

Intended Route to Tianjin Zhan marked in yellow
 

 

Actual Route we took marked in blue- We made a U-turn back to XiNanJiaoInterchange (Purple dot) so that we could take a train to YingKouDao (Yellow Dot). Observe the grayed-out line between the pink and blue dots. This representation can be found on the maps placed in the Subway train.

 

According to my classmate, the reason why the station between ChangHongGongYuan and Tianjin Zhan was closed was because a flood had occurred during the construction of the tunnel and buried one of the tunnel boring machines. And since it was too expensive to retrieve the machine, the people in charge of the project blocked off the area.

I think that perhaps the Subway service should change the posters that they put up around the station as those maps shows all the stations (even the  station between ChangHongGongYuan and Tianjin Zhan) as complete. Only the posters in the Subway train give a more accurate picture of the routes available.

 

According to this poster outside HongQi’NanLu Zhan, all stations are ready for use. However, if you compare it with the Tianjin System Metro Map found in the Subway train, this poster is not accurate.

 

 Once we reached Tianjin Zhan, we split ways so that we could experience what it was like to travel by bus or by taxi. I think it took us about 20 minutes or so to get back to the hotel by taxi.

While today had been interesting, I certainly didn’t enjoy those painful moments of looking at the stations and being reminded of (and wishing that I was back in) Singapore.

Well, I had better stop now before more memories of my beloved homeland flood back to me.

Good night, dear reader, and take care!

 

Best regards,

Marianne