Hangzhou will be seeing an expansion of its Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network with nine new BRT routes by 2010 and eventually 10 BRT services joining subway services at 14 interchange in 2020, according to the Hangzhou Urban Bus Rapid Transit plan.

Bus Rapid Transit

The plan, prepared and edited in 2005, has already seen completion of Line 1 which opened in Hangzhou in 2006, and BRT Line 2, running since 2008.

Details of the BRT Lines:

BRT Line 1 (B1)

Starting Stop & Terminal: Terminus Yellow Dragon Bus Depot - Xiasha Advanced Education Residential Block East.

Route Description: Terminus Yellow Dragon Bus Depot - Xixi Road - Huanglong Road - Tianmushan Road - Huanchengbei Road - Genshanxi Road - Genshandong Road - Yingbin Road - No Six Blvd – W No Five Road - Wenze Road - Xueyuan Street - Xiasha Advanced Education Residential Block East.

Opening Date: April 26, 2006 with a total length of 28km from east to west.

Updates: It will be extended in Xiasha to 25th Avenue to provide public transport for residents in the Advanced Education Residential Blocks.

BRT Line 2 (B2)

Starting Stop & Terminal: Terminus Jindubei Road Bus Depot - Qianjiang New Town Community Centre.

Route Description: Terminus Jindubei Road Bus Depot - Jindubei Road - Gudun Road - Wenyixi Road - Wenyi Road - Jiaogong Road - Tianmushan Road - Huanchengbei Road - Jianguo Road - Jiefang Road - New Town Tunnel - Jiefangdong Road - Community Centre.

Opening Date: Oct 1, 2008 from north to south all the way to Qianjiang New Town.

Updates: Eighteen interchanges have been developed along the route. Upon the completion of the roadwork in the north section of Gudun Road, there will be three more stops along the road near the crossing of Jindubei Road and Gudun Road, west of Jinjiadu Road and Shuiqiyuan Condo.

BRT Line 3 (B3)

Starting Stop & Terminal: Wushan Square - Dingqiao Bus Depot.

Updates: Phase I from Dingqiao to Huanchengbei Road is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

BRT Line 4 (B4)

Starting Stop & Terminal: Xianlin Town to Hangzhou East Railway Station.

Proposed Route Description: Xixi Villas in Xianlin Town - 02 Inter-Provincial Road - Tianmushan Road - Gucui Road - Wenyi Road - Desheng Road - Shiqiao Road - Tiancheng Road - Hangzhou East Railway Station.

BRT Line 5 (B5)

Starting Stop & Terminal: Puyan - Hangzhou East Railway Station.

Proposed Route Description: Puyan Road - Eastcom Blvd - Jiangnan Blvd - Times Blvd - Fuxing Bridge - Qiutao Road - Yongjiang Road - Fuchun Road - Jiefangdong Road - Qiutao Road - Tiancheng Road - Hangzhou East Railway Station.

BRT Line 7 (B7)

Starting Stop & Terminal: Jiaojiacun Bus Depot on Shaoxing Road - Tangxi North Bus Interchange in Yuhang District.

Proposed Route Description: Shaoxing Road - Shangtang Road - Shixiang Road - Gongkang Road - Zhongxin Blvd - Huanhu Road - Dongxi Blvd - Tangxi North Bus Interchange in Yuhang District.

The line will have a total length of 27.3km with 28 bus stops along the route.

By Li Hui