Metro restored, buses run at longer intervals

Shanghai’s four restored subway lines and more than 200 bus lines will operate with an interval of at least 20 minutes from Sunday, subway and bus operators said.

The first batch of metro lines 3, 6, 10 and 16 will initially resume operations between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. from Sunday, along with 273 bus lines connecting the city’s airports, train stations, hospitals and metro stations .

The metro lines will operate with an interval of approximately 20 minutes. In the event of a resurgence of COVID-19, nearby subway stations will be closed, while trains will skip or shorten operations, said Shao Weizhong, vice president of Shanghai Metro Shentong.

Quarantine areas have been set up at each station with hazmat suits and N95/KN95 masks in case a positive case is found among subway passengers, Shao said.

Subway passengers must have a negative 48-hour PCR test report and health code green as well as a normal temperature below 37.3 degrees Celsius and wear a face mask to ride the subway.

They must first scan the location code before entering the stations. After scanning, a page containing both the health code and the PCR test report will be displayed. Passengers must show the page to security screening personnel and enter the station within the hour.

There is no need to scan the location code again when transferring to other lines.

Seniors, visually impaired and other special groups can link their traffic card with credentials, or use a paper version of the negative PCR report to enter the station.

Shao said the subway operator will increase intervals or restore more lines depending on the city’s COVID-19 situation.

The operator has completed the disinfection of all 505 metro stations as well as the air conditioning filters of all trains and stations. More than 12,000 location codes will be placed at entrances and exits, passageways, security checkpoints, service centers and ticket machines at each station.

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Meanwhile, the restored bus lines will operate with an interval of at least 30 minutes from Sunday, according to Jiushi Bus Group.

Buses to the airport and Hongqiao Railway Station will depart every 90 minutes, while buses to Pudong and Shanghai Railway Stations will run every hour.

Buses to metro stations will leave every half hour, while lines to local hospitals will operate in 40-minute intervals.

Passengers must scan the location code after boarding the buses. Seniors and other special groups can use bail circulation cards or a paper PCR report.

The city’s transportation commission said the normal temperature, green health code and 48-hour PCR report are mandatory for all local public transport, including ferries, taxis and online cars.

Citizens are encouraged to link their circulation card to their ID, according to the commission.

Online taxi booking services will be restored from June 1 for people with fever and needing to go to hospital. People can still book a taxi from a neighborhood committee, or Juweihui, for medical purposes, the commission said.

The number of local infections rebounded slightly to 868 on Friday, with zero community infections.

Downtown districts of Yangpu and Hongkou have reported an increasing number of positive cases in closed areas and among people under quarantine. Both districts have issued notices to suspend the reopening of supermarkets and initiate ongoing PCR screening among all residents.

Zhao Dandan, deputy director of the Shanghai Health Commission, said all close and secondary contacts of the three community infections in the outskirts of Qingpu District tested negative after two rounds of PCR screening.

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