Metro network + bus connection: building a "transportation system" for commercial passenger flow

　　"In the past, it took more than 1 hour to go shopping from Xigu to Dongfanghong Square, and it took 2 hours to get stuck in traffic, but now the subway takes more than half an hour to go direct, and it is much more convenient to go to Vientiane City and Guofang Center on weekends." Ms. Yang Qiong, a citizen, expressed the driving effect of Lanzhou rail transit on commercial passenger flow. As the golden node of Lanzhou Rail Transit Line 1, Dongfanghong Square Station has become one of the most densely populated stations because it is close to Vientiane City and Guofang Center.

　　The reporter learned that as Lanzhou's first rail transit line, Line 1 starts from Chenguanying Station in the west to Donggang Station in the east, with a total length of 26.78 kilometers and 20 stations, realizing the interconnection and mutual guidance of passenger flow in the eastern and western business districts, promoting the transformation of Lanzhou's commerce from "single-point development" to "linkage and symbiosis", and forming a commercial layout of first-line east-west and multi-station business districts. As of August 31, 2025, it has transported more than 520 million passengers, with an average daily passenger flow intensity of 11,000 passengers/km, ranking among the top ten in the country in terms of passenger transport intensity. Behind this set of data is the people's livelihood temperature of "Exquisite Lanzhou Humanistic Track", and it is also the aggregation effect of commercial passenger flow.

　　Ground buses extend "capillaries" to this "underground aorta". Lanzhou City has achieved efficient and convenient transfer by optimizing bus connection lines and adding "subway + bus" transfer guide signs and prompt sounds. Among them, the Lanzhou Rapid Transit (BRT) connects the universities in Anning District and the West Railway Station business district, allowing students to go directly to Lanzhou Center and Zhongtianjian Square without tossing and turning, bringing a stable flow of young consumers to the West Railway Station business district.

　　"The subway relieves the traffic pressure on the main line, and the bus extends the radiation range of the business district, so that consumers in Chengguan District, Xigu District and Anning District can accurately reach the core business district." Yang Fang, director of the Cultural Tourism and Exhibition Industry Department of Lanzhou Rail Transit City Operation Management Co., Ltd., said that after the opening of Line 1, the morning and evening peak congestion of the main roads along the line has eased, and the average daily passenger flow of major business districts along the line has increased significantly compared with before the opening of operation. In order to further strengthen the linkage of passenger flow, Lanzhou Rail Transit integrates advertising resources in and along the station, unites brand merchants and shopping malls along the line, and focuses on its promotional activities and brand preferential information.

　　Business renewal + experience upgrade: adapt to the "consumer demand" of traffic passenger flow

　　"From the Dongfanghong Square subway station, the 70 shops from the east to Exit D and west to the gymnasium are operated by us." Liu Sumei, assistant general manager of Guofang Center, introduced that the commercial line connecting rail transit, Guofang Center U-shaped commercial street and G floor is the key to Guofang Center breaking traditional commercial boundaries and activating consumption vitality.

　　"The convenience of transportation brings not only passenger flow, but also changes in consumer demand. We must adjust the format according to the 'trend' in order to retain these 'mobile consumers'." Liu Sumei introduced that for the daily high-frequency shuttle of office workers in the subway, Guofang Center has laid out convenient formats such as steamed bun shops, bakeries, and convenience stores along the subway, which can achieve quick pick-up from breakfast to dinner; The introduction of beauty and skin care stores, cat pavilions and immersive theaters in the U-shaped commercial street allows commuters to not only solve their living needs in fragmented time, but also enjoy leisure time. The G floor of the shopping mall introduces Internet celebrity catering and trendy brands, and gradually transforms the sales floor into an experience field through rich consumption scenarios.

　　The precise layout of the business has brought significant passenger flow and consumption growth. According to the operation data of Guofang Center, in August this year, the average daily passenger flow of Guofang Center was 72,000, of which about 37% of the number of subway passengers entering Guofang Center, becoming an important engine for consumption growth. Liu Sumei said frankly: "In recent years, Guofang Center has successfully transformed from a traditional department store to a modern commercial center integrating trends, scenes and life services through business restructuring, brand upgrading, space optimization and service deepening. Today, we have the advantage of dual-line subway connection, a dense customer base in the surrounding area, and more confidence to build a benchmark for Lanzhou's TOD (public transportation-oriented urban development). In the future, it will continue to optimize the consumer experience, so that business can truly retain people's hearts, and eventually become the first choice for citizens' daily consumption and tourists' check-in experience. ”

　　At 11 a.m. on Saturday, at the Northwest Normal University Station of Lanzhou Rapid Transit (BRT) Route 1, Xiao Li, a junior student at Northwest Normal University, quickly got on the bus. "From Anning to Lanzhou Center, it only takes 20 minutes by BRT, and it is so convenient to go shopping with friends on weekends." As soon as they entered the mall, Xiao Wang and his friends went straight to the food area on the basement floor. She said: "There are my favorite stuffed skins, sweet wine, and various Internet celebrity bakeries. After eating, you can buy some to take back to school. Generally, after dinner, we go to the movies, or go to the game hall on the sixth floor to play for a while, then visit the clothing store, and take the BRT back to school at about 9 p.m., which is just the right time. But today we are going to experience the 'Wind Rising Man' immersive performing arts block, I heard that it is very fun, and I am looking forward to it. ”

　　"Lanzhou Center has a complete range of brands, from affordable fast fashion brands to high-end sports brands, and the student party can also find a brand that suits them. And because of the convenient transportation, even if you just want to buy a cup of milk tea and watch a newly released movie, you won't feel troublesome. Song Kejun, chairman of Lanzhou Oriental Friendship Real Estate Co., Ltd., introduced that not only college students in Anning District, but also citizens of Chengguan District and Xigu District often come to the West Station business district to consume, and convenient transportation and rich commerce collide with sparks, so that the consumption heat here continues to rise.

　　Through the visit, the reporter found that the advantages of the Lanzhou West Railway Station business district are not only in the convenient transportation, but also in the complementary formats of Lanzhou Center, West Taihua Commercial Building, Zhongtianjian Plaza and Wanhui International Plaza, which can meet the consumption needs of different groups of people. Lanzhou Center focuses on full-format experience, covering shopping, catering, entertainment, parent-child, etc.; West Taihua focuses on people's livelihood consumption, home appliances, supermarkets, and affordable clothing are its features; Zhongtianjian Plaza is highlighted by the night economy and special catering, and the walking distance between multiple commercial entities is about 10 minutes, forming a "quarter-hour consumption circle", and many consumers will visit multiple shopping malls in a business district.

　　The linkage of "business + transportation" during large-scale events is more tacit. Whenever the Lanzhou Olympic Sports Center holds large-scale cultural and sports events such as concerts and sports events, Lanzhou rail transit and bus lines will extend their operating hours and adjust the frequency of departures, and surrounding commercial complexes such as Wandamao will also adjust the business hours of the catering industry. After the event, a large number of spectators flocked to the surrounding food areas, driving a significant increase in night catering consumption, bringing far more daily customer flow and operating income to catering merchants, and effectively stimulating the vitality of the night economy.

　　Handy consumption + service optimization: ignite the vitality of urban consumption

　　"I used to think that shopping was a special thing, but now consumption has become a side thing." Zhang Dan, a commuter who works in an office building near Dongfanghong Square, has changed his daily life due to the development of transportation: after leaving the subway in the morning, he can choose bread, coffee, soy milk, steamed buns and other rich breakfasts; After get off work in the evening, stop by the supermarket of Guofang Center to buy some vegetables and fruits, which saves time and is convenient.

　　This habit of convenient consumption is gradually becoming popular in Lanzhou. The reporter learned that at present, Lanzhou Rail Transit has opened rail convenience stores at 5 stations including Donggang Station and Lanzhou West Railway Station North Square Station, of which the 24-hour unmanned convenience store at the Post and Telecommunications Building Station adopts the intelligent shopping mode of "scanning the code to enter the store - self-service shopping - non-inductive payment", mainly snacks and drinks, 90% of the customers are commuters, and the sales of the morning and evening peaks account for more than 76%. In cooperation with KFC, Tex and other catering brands, breakfast points have been set up at 11 points such as Xiguan Station and Shizi Station of Rail Transit Lines 1 and 2, and a new model of commuting and fast catering service of "rail + breakfast" has been built to solve the breakfast problem of commuter passengers such as going to work and school.

　　In addition to daily consumption, rail transit has also driven the growth of "impromptu consumption". Ms. Li, a citizen, recalled that when she took the bus at Dongfanghong Square Station several times this year, she saw that there were New Year's goods and flowers for sale, "I didn't plan to buy it, but when I saw that there were many types of flowers and good quality, I still couldn't help but place an order." This kind of "see and buy" consumption scenario will become more and more common along the subway. Lanzhou Rail Transit also uses the venue space such as the North Square of Lanzhou West Railway Station, Xiguan Shizi, and Dongfanghong Square Station Hall to create a "cultural tourism communication center" platform, and carry out more than 30 exhibitions, performances and promotion theme activities, so that passengers can trigger consumer demand while waiting for the train.

　　The optimization of service details further lowers the consumption threshold. 121 sets of small iron intelligent storage cabinets have been placed in 21 outlets along Rail Transit Line 1, and 24 sets of Fengchao express smart cabinets have been added to 16 stations, solving the pain points of tourists taking luggage shopping and citizens buying large goods inconvenienced; The "security-free street crossing channel" opened at major stations such as Xiguan and Dongfanghong Square not only alleviates the pressure on ground traffic, but also makes citizens "shopping" more calmly, driving the increase in the passenger flow of shops around the passage; With the four life service function modules such as express logistics, hotel accommodation, flight (car) ticket reservation, and electronic ticket ride, the "Lanzhou Rail App" is empowered, so that the convenience at the fingertips flows on the rail transit line.

　　As night deepened, the carriages of Line 1 were full of passengers carrying shopping bags, and the neon lights of major business districts flashed brightly. From traveling to Jincheng by rail transit to consumption along the rail transit line, the integrated development of Lanzhou's "business + transportation" is making urban consumption shift from static to dynamic, from single to diversified. As Qian Zhongyun, chairman of Lanzhou Rail Transit Luyan Economic Development Co., Ltd., said: "The subway is not only connected to the station, but also the consumption vitality of the city, and we must let more citizens enjoy the consumption dividends brought by convenient transportation, so that Lanzhou's urban fireworks can 'move' more happily and 'burn' more vigorously." (Reporter Tao Yibing)