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Exciting news for commuters and travelers in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area! Four major intercity rail lines — Guangfo South Ring (Foshanxi Railway Station to Panyu Station), Foshan-Dongguan Intercity Railway (Panyu Station to Dongguanxi Station), Foshan-Zhaoqing Intercity Railway (Foshanxi Railway Station to Zhaoqing Station), and Dongguan-Huizhou Intercity Railway (Dongguanxi Station to Xiaojinkou Station) — are set to be interconnected, enhancing regional transportation links across five key cities: Guangzhou, Foshan, Zhaoqing, Dongguan, and Huizhou.

On May 14, reporters took the train from Panyu Station at 9:53 a.m. and arrived at Foshanxi Railway Station by 10:13 a.m., completing the journey in a swift 20 minutes.

Upon completion of trial operations and necessary procedures, the Guangfo South Ring and Foshan-Dongguan Intercity Railway lines will soon be operational, linking with the existing Foshan-Zhaoqing and Dongguan-Huizhou intercity lines. This will establish a 258-kilometer-long transportation artery, connecting five cities in an east-west direction and significantly enhancing regional connectivity. "This integration will help form a 'Greater Bay Area 1-Hour Commute Circle'," stated Xu Kunjie, Director of the Public Relations Department of Guangzhou Metro Group.

Once all four lines are operational, Panyu Station will serve as the central hub. The westward Guangfo South Ring and the eastward Foshan-Dongguan Intercity Railway will connect to the existing lines, creating a network with 39 stations — 5 in Guangzhou, 9 in Foshan, 6 in Zhaoqing, 12 in Dongguan, and 7 in Huizhou. Trains will run at speeds up to 200 km/h.

To cater to diverse travel needs, the interconnected lines will adopt a "stop-at-every-station + express service" operation model. Two new express stops, Panyu Railway Station and Guangzhou Chimelong Railway Station, will be added, bringing the total number of express stops to 14. "Our goal is to provide a convenient and efficient service similar to a bus network," said Zhang Qiao, Chief Engineer at the Station Service Center of Guangdong Intercity Railway Company.

Currently, the express stops on the operational lines include Zhaoqing, Dinghudong, Dawang, Sanshuibei, Foshanxi, Dongguanxi, Xipingxi, Songshanhubei, Changpingnan, Chenjiangnan, Xihudong, and Xiaojinkou railway stations (肇庆、鼎湖东、大旺、三水北、佛山西、东莞西、西平西、松山湖北、常平南、陈江南、西湖东及小金口站).

During the trial run of the Guangfo South Ring and Foshan-Dongguan Intercity lines, preliminary estimates suggest that travel time will be significantly reduced. For instance, taking the express from Guangzhou Chimelong Station to Foshanxi or Dongguan Xipingxi stations will take about 30 minutes, and to Zhaoqing Dinghudong or Huizhou Chenjiangnan about 60 minutes, enabling 30-minute connectivity between Guangzhou and the central areas of Foshan and Dongguan, and 60-minute connectivity to other cities.

In terms of ticketing, the Guangfo and Guanghui intercity lines will continue using the dual ticketing system of "12306 + Intercity Railway Bus-like Multiple Payment". Tickets purchased through the 12306 system will be valid for one day, while the intercity railway bus-like payment system will accept multiple forms of payment, including the nationwide transportation card, Lingnan Pass, Yangcheng Pass, and Guangzhou Metro APP intercity ride QR code, making travel as convenient as taking the metro.

From May 15, the intercity railway bus-like multiple payment ticketing system is available on the Foshan-Zhaoqing and Dongguan-Huizhou intercity railways.

Important Notes for Travelers

To use the intercity railway bus-like multiple payment system, passengers must register in advance on the official Guangzhou Metro APP and complete real-name verification. Alternatively, they can use their ID or other documents at station devices, verify their identity with a physical ticket card, and use facial recognition to enter the station.

Starting May 13, in preparation for the operational trials of the Guangfo South Ring and Foshan-Dongguan Intercity railways, the advance ticket sale period for Foshan-Zhaoqing and Dongguan-Huizhou intercity railways has been adjusted to three days.

The interconnection of these four lines will greatly shorten travel time between Guangzhou, Foshan, Zhaoqing, Dongguan, and Huizhou, making it more convenient to explore various destinations across these cities. Stay tuned for the official opening and enjoy faster, more efficient travel across the Greater Bay Area.

Cover image: Guangzhou Daily