Thousands of passengers stranded at Guangzhou Railway Station
In early February, nearly 50,000 passengers found themselves stranded at Guangzhou Railway Station.
In early February, nearly 50,000 passengers found themselves stranded at Guangzhou Railway Station. According to the "Guangzhou Railway Group Corp," poor weather caused the delay of around twenty trains, forcing travelers to wait in cold and humid conditions.
As the Lunar New Year approached, beginning on February 8th, hundreds of thousands of passengers were expected at the Guangzhou Railway Station. This holiday period is the occasion for millions of Guangzhou workers to return to their native villages. The frequency of rail and bus stations in the city skyrockets, creating endless queues visible nowhere else.
Unfortunately, successive storms in the region and across the country severely disrupted rail traffic and delayed approximately 24 trains heading to Guangzhou. These disruptions forced future vacationers to wait inside and outside the station for several hours, amid a growing crowd throughout the day. Chen Jianping, spokesperson for Guangzhou Railway Group Corp., reported that more than 50,000 people were waiting for their trains.
Some passengers were stranded for more than 10 hours. Security measures were immediately deployed to prevent any overflow and allow passengers to be evacuated if necessary. Train operations were also adapted so that the majority could hope to depart. Despite these efforts, many had to reschedule their trips in the coming days, hoping this time their trains would arrive on time.
The Guangzhou Railway Station had already faced this type of problem in 2008 following severe storms. Passengers hope that in the years to come, measures will be put in place beforehand to prevent such complications.
Frequently asked questions
The Lunar New Year period, also called 'Chunyun' or spring migration, is the world's largest annual human migration. Hundreds of millions of workers leave major cities like Guangzhou to return to their native villages, overwhelming rail and bus stations. In 2016, severe weather worsened the situation by delaying 24 trains, stranding more than 50,000 passengers at Guangzhou Station.
According to Chen Jianping, spokesperson for Guangzhou Railway Group Corp., more than 50,000 passengers were stranded at Guangzhou Railway Station in early February 2016. Some waited more than 10 hours for their trains due to delays affecting approximately 24 trains caused by poor weather conditions.
To travel smoothly by train in Chine during Lunar New Year, it is advisable to book tickets several weeks in advance, avoid peak days (the eve and day after Lunar New Year), arrive at the station several hours early, and have alternative transportation solutions in case of weather disruptions.
Yes, Guangzhou Railway Station had faced a similar situation in 2008 during severe storms that also paralyzed rail traffic. These repeated incidents highlight the vulnerability of the rail network to extreme weather conditions during periods of high demand.
