First subway train thunders across Xiamen

The first subway in Xiamen started to run on the last day of 2017 and over 24,000 passengers were transported within one hour.

Subway line one in Xiamen extends about 30.3 kilometers with 24 stations. It takes 52 minutes to run the whole journey at a maximum charge of seven yuan ($1) one-way.

As it crosses the sea for about two kilometers offering beautiful views to passengers, the subway line is praised as the most beautiful in China.

"The service providers at Xiamen's subway stations have all learned from other great service companies, such as Xiamen Airlines," Zhan Xiaoyi, general manager of Xiamen Rail Transit Group said. "A series of intimate services are provided at each station."

Three languages are used to report the stations and broadcast information -- Mandarin, the Minnan dialect, and English.

Medicines, daily necessities, and shared umbrellas are available at the city's subway stations for emergency needs.

Gate machines with broader channels are erected at the exits and entrances to facilitate wheelchairs and large luggage and strollers.

As the first rail transit in Xiamen, line one will ease the coastal city's traffic pressure and will also be of great importance to the spatial development of the city in the future, said Deng Weiji, director of the Xiamen Urban Planning and Design Institute.

According to the institute, another three subway lines in Xiamen will be constructed before 2020.