Toursline Card (Enjoy Foochow)

Introduction

Foochow(Fuzhou), one of the ancient capitals of China, is known as the Rongcheng(Banyan City). In September 2025, the distinctive Binhai Express intercity railway will make its debut, serving not only as a rapid transit corridor for residents' daily commutes between the main urban area and the new district, but also as a new face for Foochow, connecting the Maritime Silk Road gateway to the city center. It will be the beginning of the journey for countless domestic and international visitors as they arrive in and get to know Foochow.

Distinct from other conventional intercity railways, this express line technically combines the respective advantages of both railway and metro systems. With Difengjiang Station as the dividing point, the northern section towards the main urban area functions more like a metro line—albeit with greater distances between stations—and is closely integrated with other lines to facilitate residents' daily commutes. Meanwhile, the southern section towards the new district takes on the characteristics of a railway, featuring even longer station spacing and higher travel speeds, which significantly reduces the journey time between the Binhai New Town, Changle International Airport, and the main urban center.

On an operational level, this express line is integrated into a single network with other metro lines. It also employs a sophisticated operational model with multiple stopping patterns running in parallel—including all-stop local trains, express services for major stations, and direct, non-stop services. This is considered a leading-edge system in China, making it a prime new example of four-network integration.

At the same time, to accommodate higher speeds, the trains on the Binhai Express Line feature a streamlined head shape, different from typical metro trains. However, they also inherit the signature smiling face design found on Foochow's other metro lines, allowing them to serve passengers with a consistently joyful demeanor.

Coinciding with the launch of the Foochow Binhai Express Line, Toursline officially releases our third Toursline Card: Enjoying Foochow.

The front of the card depicts a Foochow Binhai Express Line train crossing the Wulongjiang Grand Bridge, departing the historic main urban area and heading towards the new district. The background showcases the forthcoming Airport Terminal 2 along with some of the new city's iconic buildings. The blue sky above and the blue river below symbolize the future prospects of the expanded airport and the ever-developing Binhai New Town. The word Foochow on the river is the full spelling corresponding to the airport's three-letter code, FOC, reinforcing the central theme of the card.

The back of the card illustrates the train departing from the elevated Difengjiang Station. This station is Foochow's first three-line rail transit interchange. Its underground level facilitates a cross-platform transfer for Metro Lines 4 and 5, while the elevated section for the Binhai Express Line marks the stylistic dividing point between its railway and metro segments. The card's composition cleverly integrates these two aspects, using dialogue boxes on the left to highlight the respective railway and metro sections, which are embellished with the smiling line designs from both train types. In the distance, the silhouette of the railway station is depicted, creating a thematic echo with the airport shown on the front of the card.