FOR many people who came to Shenzhen to pursue their dreams years ago, the crowded coach stations might be their first stop in the city.

However, with other means of transport such as planes, high-speed trains and private cars getting more popular, some coach stations in Shenzhen have suspended operations permanently, while those that are still in operation are struggling to stay in business.

While inter-city public transportation in Shenzhen is generally stable, coach stations are inevitably needed to be transformed and upgraded to catch up with the times, Shenzhen Evening News reported yesterday.

“My first stop in Shenzhen was Shajing Coach Station in Bao’an District, and I have been working in Bao’an since then,” said a citizen surnamed Sun, who recalled this memory from over 20 years ago.

“When we came to Shenzhen from Henan Province, we couldn’t afford to fly at that time. Taking a long-distance bus from our hometown was the first choice for most people, primarily because it was cheap and convenient,” Sun said.

According to Sun, he got off at Shajing Coach Station with several pieces of luggage, and a relative came and picked him up. Later, Sun settled in Bao’an and now, he is the head of a trading company.

Speaking of his feelings in those days, Sun said that it was a warm memory, and he believed many people who came to Shenzhen had similar experiences and feelings. “In a crowded coach station, you could hear people from across the country who spoke different accents. Although the station was not very well-equipped at that time, it carried the nostalgia that a generation of people will never forget.”

A woman surnamed Wang from the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region recalled a memory about Shenzhen Yinhu Coach Station where she often went. “Every time I go back to my hometown, I choose to take a long-distance bus back and forth, mainly because it is convenient,” Wang said.

“It takes a few minutes to travel from my residence in my hometown to the coach station, and then I arrive in Shenzhen after sleep for some hours. It saves a lot of trouble,” she added.

As the society develops, people prefer more convenient transportation modes, and many coach stations in Shenzhen have gradually faded out. Shajing, Fuyong, Xixiang, Dapeng, Shekou, Qiaoshe and Wenjindu coach stations have closed down one after another.

An industry insider told the News that the number of Shenzhen coach stations reached its peak in 2014, with a total of 51. “This was closely related to the 1980s and 1990s. The number of people coming to Shenzhen to work was increasing, and the demand for coach stations also grew bigger.”

The insider said that the fact that many old coach stations have been shut down is an inevitable trend of historical development. “Their function is slowly weakening. After a long period of time, some coach stations would fade out, which needs to be viewed objectively.”

(Zhang Yu)