On this return visit to Suzhou, I can no longer remember exactly how long it's been since my last trip. It must have been over ten years. I’ve probably been to Suzhou nearly ten times—some trips were purely for travel, while others were stopovers during business trips. Back then, there was no metro, only buses and taxis. So if you were traveling for leisure, you’d definitely stay somewhere in the downtown area.
Due to special circumstances, whenever I traveled in mainland China, I almost always had a private car. If I went with friends, someone would usually be driving. So I rarely had to worry about researching or navigating public transportation—at most, I’d just take a taxi if necessary.
Although Suzhou was already a well-known tourist city back then, with popular spots like classical gardens, Hanshan Temple, and Tiger Hill, the number of visitors wasn’t as overwhelming as it is now. These days, it feels like every corner is packed with crowds. The development of the metro system has indeed helped ease some of the traffic congestion. Otherwise, the traffic in the city center and around the scenic areas would be unbearable!
That’s exactly why, even though I drove to Suzhou, I chose to leave the car parked at the hotel and took the metro to the Humble Administrator’s Garden instead. There are traffic restrictions for entering the city, and once you're in, it's hard to get out—especially during rush hour. There’s no need to create more hassle for yourself.
When I used to visit Suzhou, there wasn’t even a single metro line. Now, just looking at the metro map makes my eyes spin. It’s densely packed with several lines and countless stations. Aside from the few stops named after famous attractions, most of them are unfamiliar. The metro system now covers almost the entire Greater Suzhou area, and there are still new lines under construction.
Infrastructure development in mainland China happens very quickly—it’s something I’ve grown used to. On one hand, they have abundant manpower. On the other, land acquisition isn’t much of a concern, and they also don’t need to worry about earthquakes. As a result, construction—whether it’s buildings or transit systems—progresses rapidly. It’s just a normal part of life there!
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