A subway car built for two

Yesterday's Metro Express reports on a vote by 2470 internet users of real-estate website Sofun.com to decide which Shanghai metro station has the most romantic potential, ie where you would be most likely to meet your one true commuting love.

The grand prize winner? Xujiahui, which the poll pegged as "publicly acknowledged to be Line 1's gathering place for beautiful women".

According to analysis by voters, the nominees could generally be grouped into three categories. The "Society" category consists of public transportation hubs Xujiahui, People's Square ("center of the city, more people means more chances"), and Zhongshan Park. The "Commerce" category is made up of South Shaanxi Road ("all the beautiful shopping women exit at the neighborhood of the former Xiangyang market") and Jing'an Temple, named for both for the office workers who get off at those stops and for the bloodletting that goes on at the nearby shopping malls. Finally, Lujiazui ("the beautiful women of the financial world are all here") and the Science and Technology Museum ("resting on her bicycle before a late-night ride home, she pauses at the subway exit and contemplates the youth skateboarding in the square, restlessly, silently; sweetness embodied") represent the "Intellectual" category, as ideal places to look for an especially classy man or women of above-average intelligence.

Personally, Shanghaiist feels a little depressed by this survey due to the fact that our home stop—Zhongshan Park, w00t—gets panned by voting commenters. Here's a sample:

Zhongshan Park has a lot of commuters; "peach flowers" are aplenty, but they're mostly office workers. You know what I mean: the kind with a strong opinion and high standards. They're best fit for guys with a certain degree of success and experience under their belt, haha.

and...

I'm sorry, but your mistaken about Zhongshan Park. You can find lots of "classy" girls, but beautiful ones are few and far between.

Sad, but possibly true. Maybe we should start looking for some cool digs in Xujiahui.

Photo of Xujiahui's Grand Gateway shopping mall by sunlovesabrina.