Life in Shanghai: Shanghai Railway Station

Since I have a lot of projects lined up on documenting Shanghai on film, I will put some of them up on this website about ‘Life in Shanghai’ as it is. Deviating from my standard long post, I hope to write less and put more of the commentary in the photo caption itself. This should make it easier and a lot quicker to post as I don’t need to check for grammatical or spelling mistakes; not that I do in the past anyways.
First up, a day roaming around the Shanghai main Train Station. Stations make very good photo assignments. You get all types of people here, and in China you get people waiting outside the station for their train and all types of activity known to man.

Shanghai Metro Station

How appropriate, a mega video screen, public toilet and phone booth in a compact space.

It was a hot day in summer. Whatever ways to cool down when out in the hot sun.

The railway station is also a place for Shanghainese to hang around. This boy was running all around while his grandmother chats with someone.

This looks like a row of temporary ticketing booth for the holiday season, when the train stations are jammed with domestic travellers either waiting to get out of Shanghai, or to return home.

Even though mobile phone adoption is growing in China, public phones are still an important part of daily communication. Where else do you find more of these than the train station?

Its natural for someone new to Shanghai to get lost at the train station. This booth was set up to guide people around and can be found in the middle of a large square in front of the station.

There appears to be an impromptu queue forming at this bus stop. Yes, people in Shanghai are better for queuing compared to the smaller cities. But the queues form only when there are no buses. Once the door opens, its a free for all.

And now, the outdoor waiting room at the square in front of the train station.

And on the left and right flank of the train station are stationed blood donation buses. The one on the East side of the station seems to have a better turnout than this one.

So it looks as though public phones are not that popular after all. It makes good temporary shelter for some.

Sundry shops dot the perimeter of the station. This is where travellers pick up their last minute drinks and knick-knacks like packaged goose wings and chicken feet.

I think the icons are trying to say, male and female toilet. People in wheelchair might have a tough time getting to the toilet...

I believe this bus driver is off-duty... either that or he's an amazing driver in this driving posture.

These are most likely unlicensed motorcycle taxis, found just about everywhere in China and especially at public transportation stations.

And some are quite elaborate, not too sure how they can drive fast with the makeshift shelter unfurled.

This security shed is probably also a lodge, as someone is hanging his laundry just outside...

Where did this security guard go?

Waiting station just off the central square at the train station.

The roadsigns look pretty impressive and comprehensive. I have tried to followed it to catch a certain bus, and I can tell you it is anything but.

One of the main intersections around the train station. Bicycles, of course, is one of the major mode of transport here, but as expected, most are moving to cars now.

It is common to see left luggages at the station square. I waited a few minutes and I have never figured out who the owner of these sacks are.

Metro line 1 entrance. Always busy.

This is a little farther away from the train station, but still, a dustbin, empty and rubbish dumped next to it.

This has nothing to do with the train station, but shot on the same day, and so why not stick it here. Shanghainese uses the whole street as their living room, and so shall I on this webpage

And the last photo for this post... Major typo fail on this truck...

Cameras: Colour photos were taken with a Nikon D2H with a 50mm f1.8 AIS lens, while b&w photos are from a Nikon S2 Rangefinder with Voigtlander 21mm f4P Color Skopar and ERA100 film and guess-o-metered.

*End of post*

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