The entrance to the Hangzhou Asian Games Village. 

The Hangzhou Asian Games Village held a rehearsal from Aug 29 to 30, aiming to assess the readiness for the Games.

Early on the morning of Aug 29, with luggage in tow, a group of reporters took the subway to the Hangzhou Asian Games Village for a firsthand experience of a day in the village.

Greeted by mascots and transported by autonomous buses

After taking Line 6 of the subway to the Asian Games Village station, the reporters located the entrance to the Media Village, where they completed the necessary formalities and passed through security checks before entering the Media Village and immediately spotting the Asian Games mascots on the traffic lights.

The traffic light is in the shape of the Games' mascot Chenchen.

With the traffic light green, the mascot Chenchen illuminated the pedestrian crossing, offering the visitors a charming and creative welcome to the village.

The mascots were ubiquitous throughout the village, with some of the roads even being aptly named after them.

They proceeded to the shuttle bus station, where two types of shuttle buses are available: the commonly-seen electric sightseeing bus and the recently-introduced autonomous driving bus. The latter, which has no driver but is equipped with a safety officer, transported the reporters to their accommodation after a simple press of the "Start Autonomous Driving" button.

A luggage shuttle truck followed the passenger shuttle bus, sparing them the burden of carrying their own luggage onto the shuttle. Luggage was delivered directly to the accommodations.

A glimpse of the urban landscape and thoughtful village services

Upon entering the accommodation building, young volunteers welcomed the reporters with smiles and bows, creating an atmosphere of warmth and hospitality. From the balcony, they enjoyed views of the Qiantang River on either side of the towering buildings, with high-speed trains zipping across the modern urban scenery.

Their rooms were clean and tidy. Thoughtful touches such as hairdryer, washing machine, and clothing rack were also provided.

With everything in order, they visited the Athletes' Village Welcome Center, where they met representatives from various delegations. After passing through security checks and registration, the delegates boarded shuttle buses to their accommodations.

During lunchtime, the dining hall was bustling with people. A variety of dishes were available, and popular items were quickly replenished.

Hu Chuangang, deputy director of catering services at the Asian Games Village Operations and Management Center, said that the dining hall includs areas for hot meals, cold and room temperature meals, beverages, and display counters. The hot meals section offers a variety of cuisines including Chinese, East Asian, South Asian, Middle Eastern, and European flavors, while the display counters features freshly-grilled items like steak.

In the afternoon, the reporters experienced more considerate services within the Athletes' Village. The commercial center housed facilities such as banks, supermarkets, laundry shops, and courier stations. Foreign athletes will be able to exchange currency at the bank and purchase Chinese specialty foods and souvenirs at the supermarket. The fitness center features various exercise equipment and a swimming pool.

A cultural center was also established within the village, showcasing traditional cultural arts with local characteristics and introducing technology-driven experiences like intelligent seal engraving, offering a blend of culture and technology.

Late afternoon and early morning bustle

As the evening approached, the streets of the village became lively again, as the participants of the opening ceremony rehearsal gathered and prepared to head to the venues. Volunteers guided the participants to the designated bus pick-up points and patiently answered questions.

Once the participants completed their rehearsal and returned to the village, it was already late. The dining hall was brightly lit, and the staff had prepared late-night meals. From a bowl of noodles to a steamed bun and assorted dishes, the simple comfort food tantalized the reporters' taste buds and warmed their hearts.

As midnight approached, shuttle buses continued to traverse the streets of the village, ferrying those returning late. Staff and volunteers at locations like the Super Resident Center were still on duty, smiling and providing 24-hour assistance.

According to volunteer Zhu Meiqing, "During the late-night hours, people might still need our help, so we provide 24-hour services to ensure that everyone can receive assistance at any time."

As dawn approached, the sky gradually lightened, and busy figures could still be seen within the village.