Nanhudong Station, or East Nanhu Station on Metro Line 5. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]

The New Year has begun with an expansion of the long-awaited metro rail network in Hangzhou city, capital of East China's Zhejiang province.

On Jan 1, Nanhudong Station, or East Nanhu Station on Metro Line 5, commenced operations. That brought the total number of stations on the line to 40. As a result, the line now runs from Nanhudong Station to Guniangqiao Station.

Located at the intersection of Fengxin Road and Yuhang Road in Yuhang district, Nanhudong Station is a two-level underground station.

The concourse is on the first level and the platform is on the second. The station opens with four exits – A, B, D and E – and is equipped with 20 fare gates, including eight for entries, 10 for exits and two for dual use.

For the residents of Yuhang, the station's opening is a long-awaited boon. Situated in a bustling area surrounded by residential communities, as well as key facilities – including the Yuhang tax, public security, tobacco bureaus and Yuhang Bus Group – the new station addresses a critical transit need.

Construction of the station began in September 2021 as part of the second phase of Line 5 and was structurally completed by March 2023.

Before its opening, residents had to rely on buses to reach Jinxing Station to access the metro. Now, they can enjoy seamless metro access on their doorstep.

Nanhudong Station, in particular, has also been designed to accommodate future transfer lines – further enhancing connectivity once new metro projects are completed.

The station is an expansion of Hangzhou's metro network. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]