On the agenda
The metro and intercity rail network in Guangzhou, located in Guangdong province, is set to expand significantly in 2025 with the addition of 10 new metro and intercity lines, which will span a total of 173 kilometers, as reported by the city’s metro operation company.
Recently, the city inaugurated its first subway loop line, Line 11, measuring 44.2 kilometers and serving key urban districts including Tianhe, Baiyun, Yuexiu, Liwan, and Haizhu.Liu Zhicheng, Party chief and chairman of Guangzhou Metro Group, emphasized that this new line enhances efficient circulation and seamless connectivity within the city, thereby improving travel for local residents.
The design of the stations along Line 11 is inspired by intangible cultural heritage, featuring elements from Cantonese opera, embroidery, porcelain, lion dance, carving, and traditional Chinese medicine.
This integration aims to showcase Guangdong’s cultural identity and establish a cultural corridor within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Additionally, the northern extension of the Guangzhou-Qingyuan intercity railway was also launched recently, contributing to a combined metro and intercity network that now exceeds 1,000 kilometers.
According to company data, Guangzhou’s metro network encompasses 705.1 kilometers of metro lines alongside 338.3 kilometers of intercity railways.
Guangdong Province, China’s economic powerhouse, handled a record-breaking 600 million passenger trips in 2024, including a surge in trips to and from Hong Kong, according to Guangzhou Railway Group.
Passengers made over 27 million trips between Guangdong and Hong Kong via the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed railway in 2024 as of last Saturday, a yearly increase of 37 percent, according to the railway group.
With increasing train routes connecting cities in the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, more passengers are using this high-speed railway for tourism, business and visiting relatives, among others.
Zhang Zhe, director of the passenger transport department of the railway group, said the huge passenger flow reflects the continuous progress of the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the vitality of thriving economic development. MDT/Agencies
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