Rude shock for users of new subway station

A newly opened subway station has raised eyebrows in Guangzhou by forcing passengers to buy an extra ticket to leave the station.

Haixinsha station, on the Zhujiang New Town Automated People Mover line in the city's east, opened on Wednesday, but nearby residents found it less convenient than expected, the Guangzhou Daily reported.

The station at present has only one exit, which opens directly into Haixinsha Park, a sports and performance venue built on the small island for last year's Asian Games.

The exit was blocked on the first day of operations, the paper reported, with park staff telling passengers they had to buy a 20-yuan (HK$23.60) park entrance ticket if they wanted to leave the station. In the evening, the price of a park ticket increases to 30 yuan.

'I had thought that getting off at Haixinsha station would be a lot more convenient for the nearby district,' one frustrated passenger told the paper. 'Who would know that you can't get out without spending more money to get into the Asian Games park.'

The nine-station, 3.9-kilometre line was completed in November, shortly before the Games, but Haixinsha station only opened to the public on Wednesday.

The paper reported that 'over 90 per cent' of passengers coming out of the station were elderly but lifts were not operating.

'This lift does not belong to the subway company and is temporarily not switched on,' a note attached to the lift doors said.