According to Guangzhou Metro, the west extension of Line 7 started operation at 2 pm on May 1, connecting Guangzhou’s Panyu District and Foshan’s Shunde District.
(Source:Guangzhou Metro)
With the extension line, it enables residents to go from Meidi Dadao to downtown Guangzhou in just around one hour, which means residents in Foshan's Chencun (陈村), Beijiao (北滘), and the surrounding areas of Guangzhou South Railway Station can spend less time commuting.
The first train of the extension line departs at 6 am and the last departs at about 11 pm. There will be 18 trains running at the peak hours every days, which depart every 5 and a half minutes.
8 new metro stations connecting Guangzhou and Foshan
The extension line is 13.4 kilometers long in total, with a 11.8-kilometer Shunde section and a 1.6-kilometer section in Guangzhou. It goes through eight metro stations - Meidi Dadao, Beijiao Park, Midea, Nanchong, Jinlong, Chencun, Chencunbei, and Dazhou (美的大道、北滘公园、美的、南涌、锦龙、陈村、陈村北、大洲).
In addition, passengers will be able to interchange between the extension and Foshan Metro Line 3 at Beijiao Park Station, Guangfo Ring Line at Chencun Station, and Foshan Metro Line 11 at Chencunbei Station.
Guangzhou Metro has made full preparation to ensure the extension can work smoothly. The performance and stability of relevant facilities have been improved through various testing and adjustments in terms of operating the machines and coping with any emergency.
13 new smarter, safer trains added into west extension
13 new trains have been added for the extension, featuring a self-driving system with human supervisors, 36.6-inch LCD maps, and LCD monitors at carriage ends. The location and other information of the train will be on display in real time.
A trial ride shows, it takes about 49 minutes to finsih the whole route from Meidi Dadao Station to Higher Education Mega Center S. Station (大学城南站) for about 32 kilometers, and about 35 minutes if residents get started from Jinlong Station.
(Photo provided to Newsgd.com)
Lingnan culture highlighted at stations
Lingnan culture has been promoted in Metro stations along the west extension of Line 7. For example, the dragon boat is used as the overall design model in Beijiao Park Station, and elements such as orchids and Three Character Primer (三字经) are featured in Chencun Station.
(Photo: Newsgd.com)
The element of this classic book was added in memory of Ou Shizi who is a Song Dynasty scholar attributed to Three Character Primer and a native of Chencun, Shunde.
Author | Hannah, Peter (intern), Jasmine
Editor | Wing, Steven, Jasmine, Jerry
