Morning coffee and evening grocery runs are now seamlessly woven into the daily commute for many Guangzhou residents, as the city's metro system experiments with turning stations into compact retail hubs. The pilot project, called "metro life circles," soft-launched in August at key interchange stations, including Chen Clan Academy Station (between Lines 1 and 8), merging transit with convenience shopping to save time and simplify urban living.
At Chen Clan Academy Station, the first Luckin Coffee outlet within the metro system operates beside a fresh market and small leisure stops. During the morning rush, the coffee counter handles 100 to 200 orders every 30 minutes. "I no longer need to detour—just grab and go. It saves me valuable minutes on my trip," said Zhong, a regular commuter. Third-party checks showed average waiting times under four minutes from order to pickup.
A clothing store and a claw machine game booth sit adjacent to the coffee stand. Even during evening peaks, the claw machine attracts several groups every half hour. But the standout spot is the fruit market at one end, offering a range of fresh produce that draws in both locals and commuters. Durian is a fast-selling item, often selling out soon after restocking.
"They had plenty of durians just yesterday," shared Ms. Li, who had hoped to buy some. Settling for pepino melon instead, she added, "Since I take the metro more often now, it's great to pick up something on the way. It beats making an extra trip to the supermarket. I hope they open more stores like this."
The fruit store clerk, Chen, mentioned: "We opened in August and specialize in fruit—everything from durians to Xinjiang crabapples and Hami melons, all very sweet." The store is open from 7:00 to 22:30. Between 3 and 5 p.m. is peak time. "We get between 20,000 and 30,000 people stopping by each day," Chen added.
This retail experiment is set to expand across Guangzhou's entire metro network, transforming stations from simple transit points into community hubs where daily errands can be checked off on the way home.