At approximately 9:18 a.m. on December 30, the inaugural train G9500 departed from Hefeixi Station, heading in the direction of Sixian County along the newly constructed Hefei to Sixian County section of the Hefei to Xinyi high-speed railway (referred to as the Hexin high-speed railway He-Si section). This marks the official opening and operation of the He-Si section of the Hexin high-speed railway, with Hefeixi Station also commencing operations simultaneously. 

Hefeixi Station is the largest station on the He-Si section of the Hexin high-speed railway, located in Shushan District, Hefei City, between the Nanfei River and Fanwa Road. The station has a layout of 8 platforms and 18 tracks, with a total construction area of 340,000 square meters, of which the station building covers approximately 80,000 square meters.

Hefeixi Station is designed with the concept of "Lake Sails and Technological Ark," its overall shape resembling a soaring "Technological Ark." The reverse-arc roof design and the outward-flaring form of the station building evoke the image of a massive vessel navigating vast waves. The exterior facade employs smooth, sweeping horizontal lines to outline the imagery of "rippling waves and distant sails on the clouds," echoing the dynamic regional landscape of "Feishui converging and lake sails on the clouds." Simultaneously, through the integration of imagery, local cultural elements such as water droplets, microchips, pomegranate flowers (the city flower of Hefei), the breeze of Baogong Garden, and the ancient town of Sanhe are skillfully incorporated into the public spaces in the interior decoration. This not only reflects the characteristics of a new-generation railway station—"innovative integration, intensive moderation, smart convenience, green resilience, and humanistic quality"—but also vividly interprets Hefei's city image as the "City by the Great Lake and Hub of Innovation."

As Anhui's first "station-city integration" station building, Hefeixi Station achieves integrated planning, design, and simultaneous construction of the station building and plaza development. The shared public spaces closely connect the station building with the city, forming a three-dimensional and outward-facing entrance area. Its entrance features a covered transportation interchange plaza for the city, integrating various functions such as railway passenger transport, urban rail transit, buses, logistics, commerce, hotels, and offices. It stands as Hefei's new "urban living room."

The overall layout of Hefeixi Station is innovative, primarily consisting of the station building, the station yard, and the eastern and western plazas. Below the platform are the exit hall, urban corridors, and supporting municipal facilities such as bus stops and taxi stands. As the first high-speed railway station in Anhui Province to allow passengers to enter and board trains simultaneously from four directions, the station features a comprehensive high-speed rail transportation area, urban corridors, and urban express lanes. It adopts the design concept of "transportation first and three-dimensional integration," organizing the entire hub into grouped transfer points to optimize various traffic flows and achieve the goal of "fast entry and exit, safety, and smoothness" for passengers.

Hefeixi Station actively employs intelligent technologies to enhance passenger travel. The "Waterdrop Skylight" in the elevated waiting hall covers an area of 10,400 square meters, with a single unit stretching 35 meters in length. It utilizes large-span continuous double-curved aluminum panels, Low-E insulated glass, and a gradient aqua-blue sunshade film, balancing natural lighting, sun protection, and dust prevention. The glass curtain walls on the east and west sides are equipped with motorized sunshades that adjust the indoor lighting environment in real-time based on sunlight intensity. The "Waterdrop Skylight" simulates the shimmering nightscape of Chaohu Lake through top-mounted ambient lighting, skillfully incorporating regional cultural imagery and illuminating the city skyline. The station is equipped with an intelligent operation and maintenance management platform, enabling real-time monitoring and remote control of the curtain walls, metal roofs, and mechanical and electrical systems. The introduction of intelligent inspection robots has significantly improved the operational efficiency of this large and complex structure.

The opening and operation of Hefeixi Station have filled the gap of a large-scale railway hub in the western part of Hefei, optimized the layout of passenger stations within Hefei's railway hub, and provided a new model for station-city integration development. It has greatly facilitated public travel and holds significant importance for promoting the quality improvement and upgrading of the Hefei Metropolitan Area, supporting regional economic and social development, and contributing to the integrated, high-quality development of Yangtze River Delta. 

Source: anhuinews.com