BEIJING – China’s first commercial suspended monorail line opened to the public on Tuesday in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, offering commuters the surreal experience of riding a futuristic vehicle in a sci-fi movie.
Local resident Li Zhengying who took the train on Wednesday, called her journey “extremely cool” and said she would take her family for a ride the next time. “The view from the railcar was splendid. It was a fun ride,” Ms Li added.
The operational first phase of the project covers a total distance of 10.5km over six stations in the Optics Valley of China, a national innovation demonstration zone in Wuhan, according to Optics Valley Traffic Company, the operator of the line.
The maximum operating speed of the monorail train is 60kmh and the two cars have a passenger capacity of 220. The transparent glass floor offers commuters an aerial view of the city.
The line operates daily from 8am to 8pm, with a train departing every 10 minutes. It is fully automated and requires no human intervention, unless there is an emergency.
Head of the monorail’s equipment system division Wang Anjun said the number of passengers on the first two days exceeded Optics Valley’s expectations. The rail operator had to bring down the train departure interval to eight minutes to clear the crowds. The interval will be further shortened to cope with the throngs of tourists expected during the National Day holiday on Oct 1.
A monthly ticket for an unlimited number of rides costs 120 yuan (S$22). One-time and one-day tickets cost 30 yuan each till Oct 6, the end of the National Day holiday period. The one-day and one-time ticket fares after the holiday are yet to be announced.
Chief designer Wang Honggang of China Railway Fourth Survey and Design Institute Group, one of the construction companies involved in the project, said the monorail route is very scenic as it links parks, lakes and hills in the Optics Valley.
Rail company CRRC Qingdao Sifang’s senior designer Wang Kecheng said the monorail uses multiple shock absorbers to increase the stability of the railcars and offer passengers a smoother ride.
The railcars are made of light aluminum alloy to reduce weight, and boasts flywheel energy storage system, which converts electrical energy into kinetic energy during braking, the senior designer said.
Commuter Huang Yingru said she took her son from Shenzhen, Guangdong province, to Wuhan for a ride on the monorail during the trial runs in summer.
“My son had seen videos of the suspended train online and wanted to take a ride. He was so excited and happy during the whole journey, especially because he could see the city through the glass floor. It was an amazing experience for both of us,” she added. CHINA DAILY/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
