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Liziba Station in Chongqing is one of the most unusual projects in the world, where the train literally passes through the interior of a 19-story building. Designed to integrate with the building without interfering with the lives of residents, the line attracts tourists fascinated by the innovative engineering of the Chinese city.
When it comes to urban transport innovation, China is always ahead of the curve. But few solutions are as surprising as Chongqing’s Liziba Station. Part of the Chongqing Rail Transit Line 2, the station was built directly inside a 19-story residential building, allowing the train to pass between the sixth and eighth floors without compromising the building’s structure.
With an ingenious design that minimizes impacts to residents, this station became an unexpected attraction, attracting tourists and engineers fascinated by the boldness of the construction.
How Liziba station was integrated into the building
Liziba Station was not an improvised idea, but rather a solution that was planned from the beginning. When urban architects in Chongqing faced the challenge of creating a railway line in a densely populated, mountainous city, they decided to integrate the station directly into the building.
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The lower part of the building was designed to accommodate the passage of the train, while the upper floors remain as residential apartments. The structure features a railway tourism center and a themed museum detailing the history of public transportation in the city.
How residents live with the train passing through the building
Living in a building where a train passes by may seem like a nightmare to many, but residents of Liziba station assure that noise is not a problem. This is because advanced soundproofing systems have been installed to reduce the noise impact.
With this technology, the noise of the train is kept below the level of a household blender, ensuring a peaceful routine for residents. The building has the unique advantage of offering direct access to public transport, making daily commuting much more convenient.
The tourist impact of Liziba station
Although it was built exclusively to solve an urban mobility problem, Liziba Station has ended up becoming a tourist attraction. Visitors from all over the world come to Chongqing to see the train passing through the building up close.
In light of this growing interest, in 2018 the city opened an observation platform for tourists, providing easy access to panoramic views of the station and the train in motion.
Visitors to Liziba often share their experiences online, with one TripAdvisor user describing the visit as “one of the most impressive experiences of modern China.”
Chongqing – the city that challenges urban engineering
Chongqing is one of the largest and most populous cities in China, with an urban population of over 22 million. Built on mountainous terrain, the city has one of the most challenging public transportation systems in the world.
The need to integrate modern infrastructure without compromising urban spaces has led to projects such as Liziba station, which show how engineering can adapt to extreme geographical challenges.
Chongqing has significant historical importance. During the Second World War, between 1937 and 1945, it was the provisional capital of China, playing a fundamental role in the resistance against the Japanese invasion.
