New branch line of Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor opens to traffic in October

The Nansha branch line of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is set to officially open to traffic in October, according to local media reports on Saturday.

The travel time between Nansha of Guangzhou and Shenzhen will be shortened from two hours to about 20 minutes, said Liu Wei, head of the Nansha district, during a recent government-business communication event in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province.

The new line will boost connectivity between Guangzhou and Shenzhen and solidify Nansha's strategic role as a central hub in the GBA, Liu said.

The asphalt paving for the Nansha link has been completed, with the construction of interchange ramps nearing 85 percent.

Groundbreaking for the Nansha Station is about to take place, with the facility intended to become one of the largest transportation hubs in the region, serving 80 million people and connecting more than 800,000 businesses within a one-hour drive.

Transportation development has been key to the coordinated growth of the GBA. A "one-hour traffic circle" has come into being among Guangzhou, Shenzhen and some other cities in Guangdong, Liu said.

Since its opening, the corridor has had consistently high traffic volumes, becoming a vital route for land and maritime transport.

Experts noted that the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor is strategically important for promoting the integrated development of the region, enhancing connectivity among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, and driving economic and industrial growth.

According to data released by China's Ministry of Transport, nearly 60,000 vessels have departed from the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge Corridor since it opened to traffic in late June.

During the just-concluded Mid-Autumn Festival holidays from September 15 to 17, the highest single-day passenger flow via the bridge reached 105,000, according to media reports.