China's abandoned buildings draw urban explorers despite risks
Long popular in the West, urban exploration, or 'urbex' for short, sees city-dwelling thrill-seekers explore dilapidated, closed-off buildings and areas – often skirting the law in the process.
And it is growing in popularity in China, where a years-long property sector crisis has left many cities dotted with empty buildings.
Xu, a 29-year-old tech worker from the eastern city of Qingdao, has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers for his photos of rundown schools and vacant cinemas.
'When people see these images, they find them incredibly fresh and fascinating,' he told AFP.
'The realisation that so many abandoned buildings exist – and that they can photograph so beautifully – naturally captures attention.'
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AFP joined Xu and his comrades at a deserted hotel in the outskirts of Shanghai for a unique photoshoot.
From the outside, the hotel looked like a prefabricated medieval castle.
Once inside, it was clear the property had been abandoned for years.
Searching through the rooms for good spots for striking photos, Xu and his friends came across remnants of the hotel's past – a mahjong table, laundry sheets and piles of dinner plates.
Props from past photoshoots were scattered on the floor and on one ballroom wall, 'Long Live chairman Mao' was written in spray paint.
China's recent property market downturn has left many abandoned large-scale projects ready ground for urban explorers.
'I don't think you would find sites like this in Europe,' long-time explorer Brin Connal told AFP as he walked around an empty, abandoned building.
'In China, there's a lot of these places which are unfinished.'
'Really special'
One such unfinished megaproject in Shanghai, the Pentagon Mall, has become such a hotspot that explorers leave messages for each other on the walls of its top floor.
'I think this is something really special about Chinese urban exploration,' said Sean, a Shanghai resident who did not want to give his real name.
'There's a very strong sense of community and it's very, very welcoming.'
Situated in Shanghai's Pudong district, the project came close to completion in 2009 but investment fell through.
The giant concrete building now sits mostly in disrepair – broken tiles litter the ground and a large faded map of the uncompleted mall is barely visible under a thick layer of dust.
Some rooms still have signs of life, with mattresses from squatters, discarded takeout and cigarette boxes and even laundry hanging outside.
'In places like Shanghai, people always find a way to make use of these buildings, even if they're not completely built and completely usable,' said Sean's exploration partner Nov, who also asked to go by a pseudonym.
'Way too dangerous'
Chinese social media companies are less enthusiastic.
Looking up abandoned buildings on Instagram-like Xiaohongshu, users are met with a message warning 'there are risks in this area, please pay attention to safety and comply with local policies and regulations'.
Connal, originally from Britain, told AFP he understood the restrictions.
'Some of them are way too dangerous, and some of these abandoned locations were getting overwhelmed with people,' he said.
The hobby also takes place in a legal grey area.
Many urban explorers go by a simple mantra – taking nothing from the places they visit and leaving nothing behind.
But the act of trespassing can come with fines in China, just as it does in the West.
Xu also acknowledged the risks that come with urban exploration – from angry security guards to errant circuitry.
'Firstly, you might face the risk of trespassing illegally. Secondly, private properties may have security guards or be completely sealed off,' he told AFP.
'These locations often involve hazards like no electricity or lighting, structural damage, and injuries from construction materials like exposed nails.'
But model Mao Yi said the hobby offered a respite from the drudgery of big city living.
'Living in these sprawling metropolises of steel and concrete, we've grown familiar with the routines of daily life,' she told AFP. AFP
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Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The trains servicing the route can reach 350kmh, though their speed varies along the journey – with the passengers hearing only a whisper-soft hum. JAKARTA – Hardly making any noise, the bullet train hurls past West Java's rice fields as it races from the nation's capital towards Bandung, Indonesia's third-largest city. This is Whoosh, the country's – and South-east Asia's – first high-speed rail service, with the trains able to cover the 142km separating the two cities in just 45 minutes. The trains servicing the route can reach 350kmh, though their speed varies along the journey – with the passengers hearing only a whisper-soft hum. Twelve trainsets, including one for inspection, operate on the line. All were designed and built in China but customised for Indonesia's tropical climate and seismic risks. Whoosh has largely lived up to its name since it was launched in October 2023. 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Commuters taking a 20-min feeder train to the Bandung city centre after their Jakarta-Bandung journey on Whoosh train on July 30. ST PHOTO: ARLINA ARSHAD In 2024, PSBI posted losses of 4.19 trillion rupiah (S$330 million), according to KAI's financial report. KAI, as PSBI's majority shareholder, accounted for 2.23 trillion rupiah of that amount. The Chinese side has not released its figures, though analysts believe their books are similarly in the red. Whoosh is bleeding money due to a combination of massive construction debt, low passenger numbers and high operating costs. Its remote station locations and weak feeder links have also made it less attractive to daily commuters. Indonesia's newly established sovereign wealth fund, Danantara, has stepped in to help address the mounting debt. 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ST PHOTO: ARLINA ARSHAD But some observers remained sceptical that Danantara could pull the project out of debt. 'From the start, the construction expenditure was too big,' said Mr Ki Darmaningtyas, a transport analyst from the Strategic Transportation Initiative (Instran), a non-profit focused on transportation development. He added that ticket revenue was not enough to cover all the operational costs of the service. 'Perhaps ticket revenue only covers electricity and basic maintenance – maybe not even that. Let alone staff salaries and other expenses.' Like it or not, he said, the state ultimately has to shoulder the burden. He explained that Danantara's funds come from the national budget, as well as from loans and bond issuances used to finance projects and manage debts. 'Where will the money come from? Debt again. It is just digging a hole to fill another – 'gali lubang, tutup lubang',' he told The Straits Times, using an Indonesian proverb. Not cheap, not seamless Whoosh fares range from 200,000 to 600,000 rupiah (S$16 to S$47) depending on class and time – a stretch for daily commuters, students and lower-income workers. While the onboard experience is polished, first- and last-mile connectivity remain a work in progress. From Padalarang station, the third of four stations, passengers bound for Bandung's city centre have to transfer to a slower feeder train that takes another 20 minutes. Others scramble for directions or try to book a taxi or Grab ride. The seamlessness ends there. While Jakarta's Halim station offers food outlets from Starbucks and Texas Chicken to Subway, the selection at Padalarang can be counted on one hand. While the onboard experience is polished, first- and last-mile connectivity remain a work in progress. ST PHOTO: ARLINA ARSHAD Dr Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat, a researcher at the Centre of Economic and Law Studies, said weak feeder links and high fares limit Whoosh's appeal. 'High fares after the promotional period and weak feeder transport links, especially at Karawang and Padalarang stations, make it less attractive for daily commuters,' he told ST. Still, he believed Danantara's restructuring could ease pressure on KAI and its partners 'if implemented effectively', with sustainable strategies such as boosting ridership, improving feeder links, and diversifying revenue through advertising, retail leases and park-and-ride facilities. Eyeing future Surabaya extension Despite the deep losses, the government has pressed on with plans to extend Whoosh to Surabaya in East Java. On July 1, Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono called the Jakarta-Surabaya high-speed rail 'a game changer' and one of President Prabowo Subianto's key priorities. 'If the Jakarta-Surabaya HSR can be realised... it will not only improve intra-regional connectivity, but also boost the local economy,' he was quoted as saying by The Jakarta Post. The Jakarta-Surabaya high-speed rail extension has been included in Indonesia's National Railway Master Plan, but progress has stalled due to incomplete regulations, and chiefly the absence of a supporting presidential regulation. Once the regulation is issued, joint feasibility studies with China are expected to begin. A pre-feasibility study is currently being prepared, exploring three possible routes: southern, central and northern Java. The government aims to cut travel time from Jakarta to Surabaya from 10 hours to just 3½ hours, with fares expected to be more affordable than for the existing Jakarta-Bandung high-speed line. Mr Pardede acknowledged that the route would connect Indonesia's two largest cities and could see stronger demand. But he cautioned: 'The extension of the line to Surabaya must certainly begin with a detailed feasibility study that comprehensively considers costs and benefits.' And he added: 'The government should not use the state budget to build this high-speed rail so as not to increase the fiscal burden.' Dr Zulfikar also warned that expanding the line could bring further costs, rising debt, and underutilised infrastructure. Mr Darmaningtyas was more blunt. 'The extension will be a burden on the state for life,' he said. 'Please do not go ahead with the plan. If the government does not want to be burdened forever, it must cancel the expansion.' Political legacy Mr Darmaningtyas said the high-speed rail was more of a political trophy than a transport necessity. He noted that regular trains between Jakarta and Surabaya were rarely full outside weekends and holidays. 'So, who would take the high-speed train?' he said. He added that existing toll roads and train lines connecting Bandung to Surabaya already met travel needs, questioning the urgency of a new link. Mr Darmaningtyas also flagged conflicting policies. 'The government built two new toll roads between Jakarta and Bandung even as it promoted rail travel. That just encourages people to drive instead,' he said. To him, Whoosh was less about serving commuters and more about cementing a political legacy for Indonesia's leaders. 'They just want to prove something. They never think about sustainability,' he said. 'When Jokowi was president, what mattered was that he built a high-speed train. Whether it burdens the country or not is someone else's problem – the next president's problem.' Bandung-based make-up artist Lenny, 43, said that while she loved her fast rides, the project felt half-finished. 'Transport is costly, I get that. But if stations were in the Jakarta and Bandung city centres, more people would use the train,' she said. 'As usual, we aim for the stars, but get lost in the sky. Strong ambition, poor execution.'
