[Photo via VCG]

Rush hour is at its peak at 8:30 in the morning, when the concourse of Guomao Station on Subway Line 1 is crowded with commuters as usual. But there's something new here: red-and-white breakfast carts are now in operation, providing commuters with hot food options.

The newly launched breakfast program plans to deploy a total of 60 carts across the Beijing Subway network. The first batch has already begun operating at seven locations in five stations: Dawang Lu, Guomao and Yong'an Li on Line 1/Batong Line, Jianguomen on Line 2, and Jintai Xizhao on Line 10.

Safety is a primary concern, both in terms of subway operations and the food itself. To this end, the carts have been placed in areas of the stations that do not obstruct passenger flow, and the food on sale is prepared off-site by restaurants around the subway stations and delivered in sealed, insulated containers, with the carts responsible only for sales. 

Today, commerce inside the subway is no longer limited to drinks and snacks, as services continue to be upgraded. At present, more than 3,000 convenience facilities have been installed across the entire Beijing Subway network, with a coverage rate of over 98 percent. Take Guomao Station as an example: it now brings together a full range of products and services, including yogurt, coffee, breakfast, power banks, and food and beverage vending machines.

(Source: Beijing Fabu)