After a year-long, 30‑item comprehensive overhaul, a visit to Beijing South Railway Station today reveals a much smoother operation: the region-wide rollout of facial recognition technology has left unlicensed taxis with nowhere to hide; streamlined traffic flows for metered taxis and tour buses have improved overall order; the renovation of 346 signage panels has eliminated the maze‑like navigation within the station; and the removal of 62 commercial outlets has freed up more space for travelers.
On September 5, reporters also learned from the Beijing South Railway Station Area Management Committee that some favorable news has emerged:
At present, the Beijing South Railway Station area has begun implementing a series of measures, including converting the off‑site parking lot into a multi‑storey parking garage, installing accessible direct elevators on the North Plaza, and constructing additional public restrooms on the South Plaza.
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Providing travelers with more meticulous and precise services.
Construction has begun on a six-story multi-level parking garage at North Square.
Parking difficulties have long been one of the persistent problems at railway stations, and Beijing South Station is no exception.
The good news is
A project to convert a surface parking lot into an underground structure has been launched; the surface parking lot on the northwest side of the North Plaza of Beijing South Railway Station will be redeveloped into a six‑level multi‑storey parking garage.
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3D rendering of the parking garage
A relevant official from the Beijing South Railway Station Area Management Committee stated that they had previously coordinated with Beijing Static Traffic Investment and Operation Co., Ltd. to renovate the parking lot, which will be transformed into a six‑level multi‑storey car park. It employs a self-propelled multi-level parking system, offering more than 500 parking spaces.
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According to reports, Construction of this multi-story parking facility is scheduled to be completed within the year.
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At that time, more than 400 additional parking spaces will be added at Beijing South Railway Station, meeting travelers’ parking needs while also providing parking services for local residents.
Elevators have been added to the North Plaza to ensure barrier-free access.
For many years, the main exit on the north plaza of Beijing South Railway Station has lacked a direct elevator, and the escalators are mostly scattered, leading to various bus hubs, which has posed difficulties for passengers carrying luggage or with mobility challenges.
Nowadays,
At the exit on the north side of Beijing South Railway Station
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Tall steel frames stand before the upward‑going exit stairs, and the platform on the basement level has emerged above ground.
This
Two vertical elevators will be added to the building.
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It provides direct access to the ground level of the North Plaza at Beijing South Railway Station. According to the reporter, this project is being undertaken by Shoufa Company (Gonglian Hub Company), and the entire elevator system is scheduled to be completed and put into operation within the year.
An elevator has been added at the North Plaza exit.
The elevator steel frame already erected on the North Plaza.
The additional public restroom at the South Plaza will be completed within the month.
Humans have three urgent needs,
South Plaza of Beijing South Railway Station
This is yet another hub where multiple bus routes converge for transfers, with large numbers of passengers passing through every day. However, if you need to use the restroom, you have to go inside Beijing South Railway Station. During this comprehensive improvement effort, Beijing South Railway Station, in response to passenger needs, has specially set up facilities here...
Add an additional public restroom.
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Today, this public restroom is already taking shape. Located just east of the south plaza’s exit, it has been topped out and is currently undergoing exterior cladding, interior fit-out, and equipment installation. It is expected to be completed and put into service within the month.
Restrooms at the South Plaza under construction
Since August last year, the Beijing South Railway Station area
Thirty comprehensive remediation tasks have been launched.
After a year of comprehensive remediation
What new highlights are there in the Beijing South Railway Station area?
The reporter will now take you on a tour, one by one.
“Facial recognition”
Unlicensed taxi operators
Following earlier enforcement efforts, unlicensed taxis in the Beijing South Railway Station area have been driven out of hiding. Many of these illegal vehicles have begun parking in the surrounding neighborhoods and dispatching designated personnel to the station to solicit passengers. In response to this trend,
The South Station has implemented a region-wide facial recognition system, which stores the facial data of individuals previously caught soliciting passengers. Whenever such individuals appear in the Beijing South Station area, an alert is automatically triggered.
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Law enforcement officers in the vicinity can then be notified immediately.
An additional 70 dynamic taxi parking spaces have been added to the North Plaza.
The ground-level taxi dispatch station on the north plaza of Beijing South Railway Station primarily diverts the flow of cruising taxis from the underground parking lot, ensuring that both taxis and passengers can “get in and go” seamlessly.
More than 70 dynamic taxi parking spaces have been specially designated on the North Plaza.
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At present, the North Plaza’s taxi dispatch capacity accounts for 18% of Beijing South Railway Station’s total taxi dispatch volume, with more than 1,000 vehicles picking up and dropping off passengers there each day.
346 renovated signage panels
As part of this comprehensive improvement initiative, the Beijing South Railway Station Area Management Committee has also proactively coordinated the design and installation of signage systems both inside and outside the station, as well as along surrounding roads. A total of 346 signs have been renovated, including 248 static signs, 63 dynamic signs, and 35 combined static‑dynamic signs, thereby enhancing the clarity of passenger flow within the station.
Newly installed guide signs
Taxi waiting signs indicate queue status.
At the entrance of the East Taxi Dispatch Station at Beijing South Railway Station, passersby can’t help but look up at the large LED display suspended above the passage; this screen is connected to a counting camera.
It can promptly display the queuing status of passengers seeking taxis at the two underground taxi dispatch stations and also synchronize the data to the WeChat official account of the Beijing South Railway Station Area Management Committee.
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Providing convenience for travelers.
Demolition of 62 commercial premises
During this comprehensive renovation, 62 tenant businesses have been removed in two phases: 52 were dismantled at the second-floor ticketing area to add seating and free up space for waiting passengers, while 10 were relocated from the underground express‑passenger hall, ensuring smoother passenger flow into the station.
The shops demolished at the subway station entrance are now restoring the pavement.
