For many years, empty subway stations in China have become the Internet’s favorite examples of “ghost towns” and questionable urban planning. Images of polished platforms, escalators and station entrances surrounded by fields seem to show infrastructure built far ahead of demand.
Among the most famous examples was Chongqing’s Caojiawan Station, which appeared to stand alone in the middle of nowhere after its opening in 2015.But the story did not end there. Over time, roads, housing projects, and businesses began to converge, transforming once-isolated areas into growing urban areas. What many critics saw as a costly mistake was part of a larger strategy: building the foundations of cities before people arrived.
China’s most famous “ghost station” has stood alone for many years
It is said that when Caojiawan Station opened in Chongqing in 2015, it seemed almost impossible. Passengers leaving the platform found themselves surrounded by undeveloped land rather than the crowded neighborhoods normally associated with urban rail.The station bore all the signs of a modern transportation network: underground platforms, escalators, lighting, and multiple exits. However, outside, there were few signs of daily life.
There were no rows of shops, no crowded streets, and no visible flow of commuters heading home. Pictures of the station quickly spread across the Internet. For many observers, this represented a strange contradiction. An expensive piece of city infrastructure located in an area that doesn’t look like a city at all.The criticism was not limited to just one station. Across China, many newly built areas have gained a reputation as “ghost towns” because housing and public infrastructure projects appeared before large numbers of residents moved there.
But urban development rarely follows a straight line.
How are empty landscapes prepared for the cities of the future?
China’s approach to expansion has often relied on preparing the foundations of a city before the demand becomes clear. Rather than waiting for population growth to force new transportation links, planners often built roads, rail networks, and utilities as part of a broader attempt to attract development.The thinking was that infrastructure could become the starting point rather than the final stage of urban growth.Subway connectivity changes how attractive the area is to developers and residents. Land near stations becomes more valuable, businesses become more accessible, and housing projects become easier to market. In rapidly expanding cities, a transit line can serve as a signal that an empty plot of land is intended to become part of the urban landscape.This approach became particularly evident after years of massive infrastructure investment following the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Metro networks expanded dramatically, with new lines reaching areas that were still sparsely populated.For local governments, transportation projects also had economic importance. Land development became a major source of income, and improved connectivity helped transform previously ignored areas into potential commercial areas.The station was not always built because people were already there. Sometimes it was built because the authorities expected people to come later.
How did China’s “ghost stations” start to lose their ghostly image?
For several years, Caojiawan has remained one of the most photographed examples of a seemingly abandoned metro station. The contrast was startling: a polished transportation facility surrounded by unfinished land.The situation began to change as development moved outward from the existing urban areas of Chongqing. Roads were built, housing projects appeared and the surrounding area gradually became more connected to the city.
The station that once seemed isolated is now part of a growing suburban network.Her story has been repeated elsewhere, but not always in the same way. Some planned areas that initially struggled to attract residents eventually developed into functioning urban areas. Places such as Xiong’an New Area and parts of Lanzhou New Area went through similar periods where infrastructure emerged before daily activity followed.Early emptiness became less a sign of failure and more a reflection of the timetable for building new areas.Cities are not always created in the same order. Sometimes people arrive first and the infrastructure catches up with them. In other cases, the concrete arrives before the crowds.
The financial burden behind expansion
However, the success stories do not erase the challenges created by this ambitious construction programme.China’s metro expansion has come with huge financial commitments.
Transportation systems require ongoing maintenance, staffing, and upgrades long after construction has finished. A station that is helping to transform the region could still struggle financially if ridership remains below expectations.Many urban rail operators have accumulated significant debts as they attempt to expand networks with remarkable speed. Some newer lines have faced criticism for low usage, expensive operations, and designs that do not always match passenger demand.There were also practical problems. Some stations were opened with limited access points or inadequate connections. In some places, transportation networks expanded faster than surrounding communities could fully develop.The 2021 flood disaster in Zhengzhou exposed some of the vulnerabilities that can come with rapid urban construction. Extreme weather has put pressure on infrastructure systems and raised questions about whether expansion is always accompanied by adequate resilience planning.Building first can create opportunities, but it also creates obligations that last for decades.
What he made The urban experience in China various
China’s infrastructure strategy has developed under conditions that are difficult to replicate elsewhere. Large-scale land planning, government control of development, and long-term investment decisions have allowed projects to move forward in ways that would be a challenge in many other countries.A city that decides to build a subway line through undeveloped land requires confidence that future growth will actually occur. If this growth fails to materialize, the result could be an expensive network serving fewer people than expected.However, the idea behind this strategy has attracted attention outside China. Many growing cities around the world face similar pressures: high demand for housing, dense urban centers, and the need to prepare for future populations.