Mind-Bending Metropolis: Riding the Train That Goes Through a Building
In most cities, trains run on tracks that are either underground or elevated above the streets. In the dizzying, multi-layered mountain metropolis of Chongqing, they do things a little differently. Here, the train runs straight through the eighth floor of a 19-story residential apartment building. It’s not a gimmick; it’s a stroke of genius in a city built on impossibly steep hills.
The experience of riding Metro Line 2 to Liziba Station is wonderfully surreal. As your train approaches the station, you see the apartment block getting closer and closer, and then, you simply glide right into it. For a moment, the apartments' windows and balconies flash past, before you emerge on the other side. For the residents, it's just their daily commute. For a visitor, it’s a mind-bending, "only in Chongqing" moment that perfectly captures the city's incredible three-dimensional, "8D" geography.
Insider Tip:
After you experience the ride from inside the train, get off at Liziba station. Don't just leave. Go down to the street level, where the city has built a special viewing platform specifically for tourists. It's the perfect spot to get that iconic photo or video of the train entering and exiting the building.
