A ONE-STOP, three-minute ride on Guangzhou's unfinished subway system is proving a tourist attraction for the city's fun-starved residents.
Hundreds of tourists dressed up in their best polyester shirts and dresses queue four times a day for a preview trip on the metro.
The elderly and young families wait for up to an hour to ensure they can get on to the train, excitedly chattering as blue-uniformed attendants shout instructions through loudhailers.
'This is my second time,' said a 14-year-old school student on a holiday outing. 'I'm bringing my sister and auntie to see it. It's very exciting.' Once inside the yellow and red-striped carriages at the departure point of Huangsha, passengers marvel at the air-conditioning, elderly men tap the steel walls to check the construction and women chat loudly about the features of the new subway.
Passengers gather around a notice to read the bylaws of the 13 billion yuan (HK$12.14 billion) railway. Bare chests, bare feet, chickens, ducks, geese, cats and dogs are banned.
A loud buzzer sounds and commands to stand clear of the doors are announced. The train starts moving slowly to avoid knocking over its inexperienced standing passengers and whizzes along in the darkness.
It passes under the Pearl River and draws to a stop just three minutes later at Fangcun.
