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Lone downtown shuttle bus to Hongqiao airport faces closure
By Zha Minjie |
December 22, 2011, Thursday
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Print Edition
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THE only shuttle bus line connecting the downtown air terminal near Jing'an Temple to Hongqiao International Airport is slated to be shut down due to sluggish business, authorities said yesterday.
The terminal, operating several bus lines to the city's two airports, saw a passenger slump after Metro lines extended to the airports last year.
"Air travel is increasing year by year, but we are losing money," said a dispatcher with the shuttle bus, called Airport Special Line, at the terminal. The route runs from the Jing'an Temple to Terminal 1 of Hongqiao airport and is priced at 4 yuan.
Crouched in a small office in a garage-like bus station, the dispatcher has nothing to do but read books and listen to the radio most of the time.
"Sometimes there is only one passenger on the bus, sometimes there's none," the dispatcher said.
In the past, when Metro Line 2 and 10 did not link to the airport, the buses were always crowded and some passengers had to stand, bus drivers said. The bus operation lost even more passengers when Hongqiao airport opened its second terminal last year and shifted most flights to the new T2, which isn't served by the shuttle bus.
The bus interval time is now set about 45 minutes. The service begins at 6am and ends at 8pm each day.
The airport bus company, the operator of airport shuttle, said the final date of service has not been decided as traffic authorities are still soliciting public opinion on the cancellation.
In total, 43 bus routes are expected to be adjusted before the plan is put into effect.
The bus service to Pudong International Airport is a complete contrast, with almost every seat occupied. Passengers said Hongqiao airport is much closer to downtown while Pudong airport's more distant location makes it more suitable for "faster and comfortable buses going via fast roads."
From Jing'an Temple to Hongqiao T2 takes subway riders only seven stops and about 30 minutes on the Metro, while the trip to Pudong airport needs nearly two hours.
Despite the meager passenger volume, the planned service cancellation causes some mix feelings among air travelers.
"It is inconvenient to carry luggage on the Metro," said a frequent traveler, surnamed Zheng.
In May, traffic authorities reprieved a loss-making bus service running between downtown and Pudong International Airport after an appeal by passengers.
The reprieved Shuttle Bus No. 6 service has a new timetable: It operates only at night from 9pm and 11pm at 30-minute intervals after the subway closes from the airport. Air travelers had complained that already limited public transport to downtown after 9pm would be further reduced with the loss of the service.
The terminal, operating several bus lines to the city's two airports, saw a passenger slump after Metro lines extended to the airports last year.
"Air travel is increasing year by year, but we are losing money," said a dispatcher with the shuttle bus, called Airport Special Line, at the terminal. The route runs from the Jing'an Temple to Terminal 1 of Hongqiao airport and is priced at 4 yuan.
Crouched in a small office in a garage-like bus station, the dispatcher has nothing to do but read books and listen to the radio most of the time.
"Sometimes there is only one passenger on the bus, sometimes there's none," the dispatcher said.
In the past, when Metro Line 2 and 10 did not link to the airport, the buses were always crowded and some passengers had to stand, bus drivers said. The bus operation lost even more passengers when Hongqiao airport opened its second terminal last year and shifted most flights to the new T2, which isn't served by the shuttle bus.
The bus interval time is now set about 45 minutes. The service begins at 6am and ends at 8pm each day.
The airport bus company, the operator of airport shuttle, said the final date of service has not been decided as traffic authorities are still soliciting public opinion on the cancellation.
In total, 43 bus routes are expected to be adjusted before the plan is put into effect.
The bus service to Pudong International Airport is a complete contrast, with almost every seat occupied. Passengers said Hongqiao airport is much closer to downtown while Pudong airport's more distant location makes it more suitable for "faster and comfortable buses going via fast roads."
From Jing'an Temple to Hongqiao T2 takes subway riders only seven stops and about 30 minutes on the Metro, while the trip to Pudong airport needs nearly two hours.
Despite the meager passenger volume, the planned service cancellation causes some mix feelings among air travelers.
"It is inconvenient to carry luggage on the Metro," said a frequent traveler, surnamed Zheng.
In May, traffic authorities reprieved a loss-making bus service running between downtown and Pudong International Airport after an appeal by passengers.
The reprieved Shuttle Bus No. 6 service has a new timetable: It operates only at night from 9pm and 11pm at 30-minute intervals after the subway closes from the airport. Air travelers had complained that already limited public transport to downtown after 9pm would be further reduced with the loss of the service.
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