As spring deepens, Beijing's poetic "Three Hills and Five Gardens" (a group of imperial gardens and hills) have become brilliant choices for those eager to embrace the season. Xijiao Line (a rail transit line to the western suburban region) is about to enter its peak travel season, during which the trains will become crowded with passengers looking for gorgeous flowers. To ensure the convenience of passengers, Xijiao Line has fully upgraded its operations on March 14. 

All trains on the line now operate in coupled formation which doubles the maximum one-way hourly capacity compared with usual, alleviating the operational pressure caused by large crowds during the peach blossom viewing season at China National Botanical Garden Station.

Additionally, to cope with sudden passenger surges, standby train sets are arranged daily. The dispatch control center precisely detects changes in passenger flow through real-time monitoring. In case of unexpected large crowds, the standby trains can be immediately deployed to offer additional services.

To address return-trip congestions at key stations like China National Botanical Garden Station during the flower season, Xijiao Line will implement an "inspection-free exit" mode during the peak return hours (between 15:00 and 17:00 on weekends and during holidays). During these periods, passengers exiting the station can bypass the fare gates directly, without swiping cards or having the QR codes scanned. This will effectively reduce waiting times at platforms and alleviate crowd pressure.

For this mode, passengers using a public transportation card can be charged for this trip when they next use the rail transit system within 30 days. Otherwise, they can settle the payment manually at any station within the subway network. Passengers using electronic QR codes for payment will each receive a system notification prompting them to complete the payment online based on their actual trip after exiting the station.

The passenger flow data from previous years shows that during the flower viewing period, the peak boarding hours on weekends and during holidays are mainly between 9:00 and 12:00, while the peak return hours are between 15:00 and 17:00. It is recommended that passengers try to avoid these peak times and choose to travel before 8:00 or after 14:00, to enjoy the beautiful scenery with fewer crowds and reduces waiting and queue times.

One recommended strategy is to board at a different station. When returning, visitors can exit the park via the West Gate or South Gate of the China National Botanical Garden and walk to the nearby Fragrant Hills Station to board the train. Fragrant Hills Station's platforms have a larger capacity and more ticket inspection facilities, which can shorten waiting times and improve the efficiency of your return journey, making your spring outing smoother.

(Source: Beijing News)