BEIJING SOUTH RAILWAY STATIONBeijing, China2003-2008

The city of Beijing with a current population of over 20 million people has five main railway stations located in the south, east, north, west and centre of the city. The reported number of domestic tourists in China in 2010 was 2.1 billion, many commuting by rail rather than air. Rail travel is the most popular mode of transport in China largely due to the average citizen's income. For example, Beijing's set minimum wage of ¥1,160 ($177 USD) per month is roughly the same as a basic rail ticket to Shanghai. Over the Lunar New Year some 230-million people travel by train, many are migrant workers returning home for their annual leave. Set on a 31-acre site, Beijing South Station is one of four key railway links for China’s fast-growing high-speed intercity network. The station serves as a high-speed intercity rail link connecting Beijing with the Yangtze River Delta cities of Tianjin and Shanghai, with a catchment area of 270 million people. This multi-modal interchange facility acts as a “Gateway to the City” for 285,000 passengers a day, with a predicted 105 million passengers annually by 2030.