OREANDA-NEWS. July 18, 2011. As MTR has been improving and keeping up to its name, Shanghai boasts a mass transit railway (MTR) network of 11 rail lines and 425 kilometers operation mileage, being the first city in China operating a MTR mileage longer than 400 kilometers. The progress of MTR and gathering of people everywhere pose higher requirements for modern financial services. Against this background, ICBC Shanghai Branch takes the growth of MTR as the opportunity to step up its innovation. That included the new management model of MTR bank, reported the press-centre of ICBC.

ICBC Shanghai Branch held the inaugural ceremony for MTR sub-branch, the first such branch in the country. This opens a new chapter in the partnership between financial service innovation and urban transportation construction.

As related, MTR sub-branch is a special MTR bank of ICBC Shanghai. The sub-branch offers easy access to banking facilities along the MTR lines for urban residents. It represents a new ICBC service channel for the rail transport passengers, a new ICBC brand of "MTR Bank" offering services together with other ICBC outlets on the ground or in buildings. At present, ICBC Shanghai Branch has 12 MTR bank outlets in operation, mainly located at central MTR interchange stations (Eg: People's Square, Jing'an Temple and Xujiahui) where a lot of people moving around and clustered with commercial complex. ICBC also installed over 120 self-service devices in all MTR stations. According the schedule, there will be 200+ self-service devices installed in MTR stations by the end of this year and over 20 MTR outlets will be opened before 2013. At least two self-service devices will be installed at each MTR station. ICBC strives to be the first-mover in setting up outlets at MTR stations.

ICBC MTR sub-branch embraces a service philosophy of "serve the public, solve the problem of everybody" and a service model of "self-service devices + staffed outlet". Each "MTR Bank" underpins great service improvements by having wealth management counters and well-experienced customer managers. Inside ICBC MTR sub-branches, customers have easy access to self-service devices to deposit/draw cash, transfer/remit money, check accounts or print passbook details. Moreover, customers can open accounts, buy wealth management products, apply for credit cards, sign up electronic banking, make personal financial plans, and complete other complicated banking procedures with the immediate help of the customer managers.

In the upcoming plan, ICBC Shanghai Branch will open more MTR sub-branches in the four directions (north, east, south, west and central) of the area. ICBC outlets on the ground and under the ground are combined together to expand the scope of banking services for the public and improve the financial environment of MTR banks, with special focus on the key areas - MTR passenger central zones, urban clusters and tourist centers. ICBC aims to fill the gap of Shanghai to have a financial institution offering professional services for MTR passengers and the commercial circles nearby.

The birth of "MTR Bank" is a big financial service innovation, as related by President Shen Liqiang of ICBC Shanghai Branch. MTR bank is a measure of ICBC to ride with the market change and follow the footsteps of customers under the concept of itinerant merchant. ICBC Shanghai Branch sets on building "MTR Sub-branch" from a strategic high perspective of "leading the peers, best system, best in the world" and aims to make more contributions to turn Shanghai into an international financial center, serve the people and help China's economy flourish.

Background Information
The "Previous and Present" of ICBC Shanghai MTR Sub-Branch
In August 2008, ICBC Shanghai Branch set up the first self-service MTR sub-branch at the Shanghai South Station as a fruitful attempt and innovation. The Branch has drawn precious experience after one year of operation.

In October, 2009, ICBC Shanghai Branch was the first to set up MTR People's Square Station Sub-branch - the first self-service + wealth management outlet in Shanghai. During the early phase of World Expo, another three MTR sub-branches (Jing'an Temple Station Sub-branch, Xujiahui Station Sub-branch, Zhenping Road Station Sub-branch) were set up to cater for the opening of World Expo and beef up the overall city image of Shanghai and build the ICBC brand. These four well-equipped "MTR banks" and the ubiquitous ICBC outlets on the ground in Shanghai offered great accessibility for all the domestic and overseas World Expo visitors who preferred to take MTR in going around Shanghai. Besides, ICBC extended the self-service banking hours of these four "MTR Banks" in line with the opening hours of World Expo Park and the service hours of MTR. Wealth management service was opened till 8 PM to cater for the World Expo visitors.

After the World Expo, ICBC Shanghai Branch retains this service model and makes enhancement and improvement. To respond to the railway development, ICBC Shanghai Branch set up the Hongqiao Interchange Station Sub-branch. According to the plan, ICBC Shanghai Branch is going to set up "MTR Bank" at all major stations along the rail transport lines. On June 28, ICBC Shanghai Branch opened its Shanghai MTR sub-branch, a tier-1 sub-branch and a professional service-type bank, which will serve the passengers along the MTR lines. ICBC Shanghai Branch aims to shape up a new, dimensional network of MTR sub-branches providing financial services for the MTR passengers. By the end of June, ICBC Shanghai Branch has 12 MTR bank outlets and over 120 self-service devices in operation. They are all located at the central interchange stations of Shanghai rail lines providing convenient, fast and top-quality financial services for all.