Lots of news lately, so let's keep them short and sweet:

The shops are back! Most subway station shops opened up in the last couple of days after the city-imposed, Olympic-motivated, month-long closure. http://news.sina.com.cn/o/2008-09-04/045614400707s.shtml http://china.huanqiu.com/roll/2008-09/216988.html

The new 350 km/hr high speed train between Beijing and Tianjin has been operational for one month. When it is extended to Shanghai, it will travel at up to 380 km/hr and cut travel time to/from the capital down to 4 hours. Note that the Pudong Maglev has an average speed of 430 km/hr and a theoretical top speed of 500 km/hr. http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-09/02/content_9758176.htm http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2008-09-03/124714397362s.shtml

Construction on the Lujiazui elevated walkway has begun. Phase 1's 7-meter high circular walkway will connect Super Brand Mall, the Sun Hung Kai project, the Lujiazui Leisure Plaza, and the Lujizaui metro station with a covered walkway able to fit 20 pedestrians walking abreast. Phases 2 and 3 will connect it to other office buildings in the area. http://csj.xinhuanet.com/2008-09/03/content_14296477.htm

The future Pujiang Nanpu interchange station will boast a complicated triangular design that may make it the largest subway station in Asia, according to Metro officials. The station is the planned interchange station for Lines 7 and 12, and will be located in southern Luwan district (I think...). It will have 22 exits, as well as commercial, residential and office space. http://csj.xinhuanet.com/2008-09/03/content_14296520.htm http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=372667

You may have noticed old people swiping a strange card in new purple lanes at subway station entrances or on the bus. This is a new "old people's card" that takes the place of the social security card that the Shanghai subway used to required senior citizens to carry in order to redeem their free rides. http://bank.hexun.com/2008-09-03/108552011.html

A week after Line 9's book lending program started, nearly half of the starting number of books have gone missing. Some passengers claimed to be unaware that the books needed to be returned. The Metro company plans to put up posters to educate passsengers on how the program actually works, but say that the program may be cancelled if books continue to disappear. http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=372446 http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2008-09-04/135116232324.shtml

The Shanghai Metro compay has begun to research the technology necessary to implement driver-less subway trains. The main requirement is an advanced signalling system, which is currently being tested on existing lines 6, 8 and 9. http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2008-09-04/022114398731s.shtml

It took them nearly an extra half year but Best Buy finally opened their Zhong Shan Park branch last week. The building located at a high profile but not-so-easily-accessible corner of the Zhong Shan park area , joins Sunning, Yolo and Gome in the battle for electronics consumers in the area.

The big blue building first had identifiable signs that it was going to be a Best Buy store back in Chinese New Year when the Geek Squad and Magnolia graphics went up visible to the outside world. There was a recognizable Best Buy logo covered in an orange cloth for this whole period, but to anyone who knew their brand, it was obvious. And yet it sat deserted and empty for nearly half a year. Then recently, Best Buy employees started to be seen heading out to lunch locally and then just 2 weeks ago announcements on the building went up and the store logo was revealed.

So now its open. The second store to open for this US based chain, and another one waits in LuJiaZui as well to finally open. This Zhong Shan Park location is a bit more challenging for the average metro-bound customer to get to than its competitors' stores in the area, as it requires crossing a few streets and has no direct access (yet), but it is an attractive destination store and worth stopping by to check out. This store is located at the block surrounded by YuYuan Rd, Ding Xi Rd and Chang Ning Rd, and just across from the entrance to Zhong Shan Park.

The United States' rail system has the potential to get a boost from an Obama presidency, or more precisely a Biden vice-presidency. Democratic vice-presidential candidate Joe Biden rides Amtrak trains to work in Washington DC from his home in Delaware, and has been a consistent source of support for Amtrak federal subsidies over the years. A direct rail connection from the USA to China, however, would probably have to pass through the territory of Republican presidential candidate Sarah Palin, governor of the state of Alaska. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/01/AR2008090102391.html

Photo by J.C. Freakshow on Flickr.

Via The State of it All.

Vending machines are operational again, and shops in Shanghai's subway system are gearing up to re-open their doors on Thursday, September 4. The Metro company has also spoken out to dispel rumors that some shops will be required to close: the company respects existing contracts and trusts the market to produce a healthy variety of independent and chain stores in Shanghai's subway stations. Furthermore, the Metro company has credited each shop with a month's rent as compensation for the month of forced closure. http://finance.sina.com.cn/china/dfjj/20080902/00015260034.shtml

An Anhui man studying law in Shanghai was given a 6-month prison sentence for using family connections to scalp railway tickets during the Chinese New Year, as a way of paying off his student loans. http://news.sohu.com/20080902/n259321922.shtml

Hongkou District is set to become the testing area for a network of improved bicycle lanes that will connect the district's cyclists to the subway and light rail stations. http://csj.xinhuanet.com/2008-09/02/content_14285722.htm

The new schedule for Line 6 is having the desired effect: more frequent trains are leading to shorter waits and less crowded station platforms. The only drawback is that non-functional platform LCDs and different weekday/weekend hours are confusing passengers as to which trains are main-line only and which go on to the southern and northern extensions. http://www.sh.chinanews.com.cn/pageurl/2008921044207.html

The bus industry association plans to phase out the city's last public double-decker buses from line 911. According to the association's spokesman, the buses are not cost-effective and are also difficult to maneuver in the city's complicated traffic. http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=372303

Not exactly public transportation, but... the water-drop shaped Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal welcomed its first group of passengers last month. The terminal is located on the north side of the Huangpu River as it loops around the Pearl Tower. The owners of the Terminal will rent floor space to luxury restaurants to welcome cruise passengers with a nice view of the Bund while they eat. http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=372132

Stores located in Shanghai subway stations are due to re-open this coming week. Employees are now cleaning and returning merchandise to the shelves. The shops were closed during the Olympic Games over safety concerns. The Metro company plans to pare down the number of shops in some stations, as expert say that overly crowded commercial space impedes fire evacuations. The experts suggest that shops valuable to passengers should be kept, such as shops selling food, newspapers, and cellphone recharge cards. http://news.qq.com/a/20080901/000538.htm

Photo of the Cruise Terminal development (on the left) by Fai C on Flickr.

Have you been wondering what will go up in the huge empty lots around the Century Blvd metro station in Pudong? The Shanghai Lujiazui Finance & Trade Zone Development Company recently revealed plans for the Century Metropolis, a USD 683 million office and hotel complex in the shape of a big oval intersected by Century Boulevard (shown in the picture above). Century Blvd station is an interchange for Lines 2, 4, 6, and the upcoming phase II of Line 9. http://office.soufun.com/2008-08-31/2046692.htm

Shanghai's Jiefang Daily reports that passengers and drivers are complaining about the proliferation of video advertisements in taxis, calling them "visual pollution" and bemoaning the adult content of some ads. Currently there is no way to turn off the video ads, only to mute the sound. Taxi drivers say there's nothing they can do about them because the LCD screens are mandated by the taxi companies. Some passengers say that if they can't be gotten rid of, the screens should at least play more public service announcements. http://jfdaily.eastday.com/j/20080831/u1a470183.html