Lost at the Hongqiao Station? Indoor Navigation Is Now Available

With the National Day holiday and Mid-Autumn Festival set to begin, Shanghai's Hongqiao Railway Station has launched a trial indoor navigation service. Through the "随申行" (SH MaaS) app or mini-program, passengers can now navigate the busy hub with just a few taps.

The trial version comes with four main features:

• One-tap navigation: Select "Metro," "bus," or "taxi," and the app will recommend the best route and guide you directly to your destination. It also shows real-time Metro schedules, bus arrivals, and taxi queue times.
• Car locator: After parking at P9 or P10, mark your spot in the app. When you return, the system will generate a walking route to your vehicle.
• Share location: Share your real-time location with up to five people, even if you're on different floors. You can also manually select a meeting point, send the location to others, and follow the navigation to meet up.
• Search: Type in what you're looking for – restrooms, nursing rooms, elevators, restaurants, or convenience stores – and the app will guide you there.

SH MaaS data services lead Sun Hu summed it up: "The indoor navigation service really comes down to two things: finding people and finding cars."

For those who don't want to check their phones, six traffic information screens have been installed at four taxi pick-up points and the entrances to P9 and P10 parking lots. They display queue times and directions for various transport options, including buses, Metro lines, taxi and parking areas.

Taxi drivers also benefit from the new displays. The screens outside the hub display real-time updates on vehicle queue status and waiting times, while additional screens at the entrance indicate the length of the queues inside. A driver-side mobile app now provides live dispatch information to help cut down on empty runs.

Behind it all is Shanghai's upgraded Integrated Transport Command System, often called the city's "smart brain." It gathers data on passenger arrivals, Metro and bus capacity, and taxi demand, helping authorities forecast surges and dispatch extra services when needed.

Officials said the trial would strengthen traffic management during peak travel.

"We'll keep improving the service based on passenger feedback so it works better for everyone," said Hao Weiwei, deputy director of the city's traffic command center. She added that the system will be gradually expanded to other transport hubs.

Hao also noted that the English version of the indoor navigation app is still being refined and will soon be optimized for international travelers.