From August 26 to September 15, 2025, the Fuzhou-Xiamen High-Speed Railway completed its 20th day of operation, carrying over 4.3 million passengers, an average of 215,000 per day. According to Xiamen North Railway Station, approximately 38% of passengers choose to travel on the same day. The 12-hour "high-speed rail + food + micro-attractions" experience has become a new weekend activity for Generation Z.
① "Bus-like" Trains with a Minimum Interval of 3 Minutes; 12306 Launches "Railway Monthly Passes"
During peak hours, the Fuzhou-Xiamen High-Speed Railway operates 92 pairs of trains daily, with a minimum interval of just 3 minutes, earning netizens the nickname "the strongest subway on Earth." Starting September 1st, 12306 launched the "Fuzhou-Xiamen Monthly Pass," valid for 60 rides within 30 days. A second-class seat costs 999 yuan, equivalent to 16.6 yuan one way, a 43% discount compared to single-trip tickets. Within 72 hours of going on sale, the monthly pass sold over 120,000 tickets, with commuters, food delivery drivers, and livestreamers being the primary users.
② The "1-Hour Fujian Flavor" challenge went viral on Douyin, with a single video garnering over one million likes. The Douyin hashtag #1-Hour-Fuzhou-Flavors# has garnered 470 million views. The challenge rules: Depart from Fuzhou South at 9:00 a.m., arrive at Xiamen North at 10:30 a.m., enjoy satay noodles and fried oysters for lunch, take the high-speed train at 3:30 p.m., arrive in Quanzhou at 4:00 p.m., have steak and rice for dinner, and return to Fuzhou before 8:00 p.m. On September 10th, the social media influencer "Axing Deba Deba" completed the challenge livestream, reaching a peak of 860,000 concurrent users, driving an 18% increase in passenger traffic on the Fuzhou-Xiamen high-speed rail that day.
③ "High-speed Rail + Takeout" Meal Delivery: Xiamen Ginger Duck Arrives on CR400AF
Xiamen North Railway Station and Ele.me are jointly piloting a "High-speed Rail e-Takeout" program. Passengers can place their orders 30 minutes before departure, have the food delivered to the platform, and then to their seats by train attendants. On September 12th, the first batch of 50 "High-speed Rail Edition" ginger ducks were launched on G5263 train. Priced at 38 yuan, they were 20% cheaper than at the scenic area store and sold out in just 8 minutes. The Nanchang Passenger Transportation Section stated that if the pilot program proves successful, it will be rolled out across the Changfu and Xiamen-Shenzhen lines.
④ "Cities along the line" leverage traffic: Quanzhou moves Zhongshan Road Night Market into Xiamen North Station.
To tap into this "passing traffic," Quanzhou Culture and Tourism relocated 10 long-established stalls from the Zhongshan Road Night Market to the arrivals level of Xiamen North Station. Operating hours are synchronized with train schedules, with the longest open until 11:10 PM. From September 13th to 15th, the stalls sold an average of 18,000 skewers of grilled pork tenderloin and 12,000 cups of agar-agar daily, generating combined sales exceeding 600,000 yuan. The Quanzhou Municipal Bureau of Commerce announced plans to replicate the "night market in the station" model in Fuzhou, Putian, and Zhangzhou, creating a "high-speed rail night market corridor."
⑤ "Dual-City Commuting" Changes Lives: Fuzhou White-Collar Workers Save 800 Yuan in Rent by Living in Xiamen on Weekdays
Huang Xin, a programmer working in the Fuzhou Software Park, moved his family to Jimei, Xiamen. Every day, he takes the G5261 train at 7:50 AM, arriving at Fuzhou South at 8:52 AM, and then takes the subway to his office, a journey of one hour and 15 minutes. This is 20 minutes faster than his previous commute from renting in Cangshan District, Fuzhou, and his monthly rent is 800 Yuan lower. A monthly high-speed rail and subway pass costs less than 1,200 Yuan, making it more cost-effective than taking a taxi within the same city. Huang Xin said, "Interprovincial commuting is no longer news; interprovincial living is the trend."
⑥ Reporter's Observation: As the "one-hour living circle" transitions from concept to reality, urban boundaries are being erased by rail, and weekend trips are being compressed into the time it takes to eat a meal. The Fuzhou-Xiamen high-speed railway, in just 20 days, proves that speed can create demand and reshape life.