Seventeen years is enough time for a city to transform and for a journey to be filled with countless stories. Xiamen's BRT system began construction in September 2007 and officially commenced operations on August 31, 2008, representing one of the key projects undertaken by the Xiamen Municipal Party Committee and Government for the benefit of citizens.
On September 25, 2007, the Phase I BRT construction project officially broke ground. On August 31, 2008, the BRT opening ceremony was held, marking the official launch of Express Lines 1, 2, and 3. On June 22, 2010, the Xike Hub Station was put into service. In 2015, the Jiasheng Garden ramp was completed, and the BRT system introduced its first elevated traffic light. On November 1, 2015, Express Line 5 (Qianpu Hub Station to Tong'an Hub Station) was launched using the ramp. On January 31, 2016, Express Line 6 (Qianpu Hub Station to Xiamen North Station) began operations. On March 14, 2016, Express Line 7 (Hongwen Station to Kaihe Road Junction Station), the first peak-hour interval line, was introduced.
In 2016, daily ridership reached 340,000 passengers, with the highest daily average reaching 399,000 passengers. In 2017, Xiamen BRT deployed its first batch of pure electric vehicles. In 2018, Gaoqi Airport Hub Station was put into operation, simultaneously launching Express Line 8 (Gaoqi Airport Station to First Pier Station). In 2019, the BRT Tong'an Hub Station was commissioned.
On May 6, 2019, the third peak-hour interval line, Express Line 9 (Gaoqi Airport Station to Qianpu Hub Station), was added. In 2019, Xiamen BRT deployed 68 12-meter 5G intelligent connected new pure electric buses. On October 16, 2019, further cooperation was deepened with Datang Mobile Communications Equipment Co., Ltd. for the "Xiamen 5G Intelligent Connected Vehicle-Road Collaborative System (BRT Demonstration Application) Phase I Project," which won the "2019 World Internet of Things Expo 5G Application Innovation Excellence Award."
By the end of 2022, new energy vehicles accounted for over 95% of the fleet, with a cumulative deployment of 139 12-meter pure electric vehicles and 134 18-meter pure electric vehicles. From 2022 to present, BRT stations including Wenzao, Railway Station, Caitang, and Shizhong Middle School have successively installed smart information screens, providing real-time updates on schedules, passenger flow, and transfer guidance, making transfers more convenient for citizens.
In January 2023, a new route (Express Line 7) connecting Xiamen North Station directly to BRT Tong'an Hub Station began operations. In September 2023, Xiamen North BRT Terminal Station was put into operation. In 2024, centralized dispatching was implemented to improve quality and efficiency through reform. In July 2025, a "BRT + Cultural Tourism" operation project was launched, innovatively introducing the themed IP "Youth Never Ends: Blind Box Adventure on the Same Route."
As wheels move forward and time moves backward, the imprints of ordinary people's lives are etched. Seventeen years is not an endpoint, but a new beginning. In the days to come, Xiamen BRT will continue to carry people's dreams and lives, traveling between dawn and dusk. May every stop bring warm encounters, and every journey be filled with stories.
BRT and Xiamen are always on the road, forever young.