Recently, Guangzhou Metro and Shenzhen Metro announced their operational plans for the Dragon Boat Festival holiday to meet the increased travel demand. In Guangzhou, several lines will extend their operating hours on June 2. Meanwhile, Shenzhen Metro will extend the operating hours of its entire network (excluding Line 20) by 1 to 1.5 hours on May 30, May 31, and June 2.
Extension of service hours for some Guangzhou metro lines
On May 30 (the day before the holiday), each line will have 1-2 reserve trains ready for deployment based on passenger flow to ensure smooth travel.
On June 2 (the last day of the holiday), Lines 1, 2, 3 (including the north extension), 5, 7, and 8 will extend service by 1 hour.
During the holiday, the arrival and departure times for express and regular trains on Line 14 (from Jiahewanggang to Dongfeng) and Line 21 will be adjusted. Specifically, from 12:10 on May 30 until the end of operations, and from 13:00 on May 31 to June 2 until the end of operations, Line 14 will switch from express trains to regular trains to increase the overall capacity of the line.
On June 2, Line 14 (from Jiahewanggang to Dongfeng) and Line 21 will adopt high-capacity plans to manage the return flow of students. Short-distance trains running between Jiahewanggang and Taiping will be added on Line 14 from 13:30 to 22:00 to boost capacity in high-passenger-flow sections. After the holiday, the operating schedules for express and regular trains on Line 14 and Line 21 will revert to their pre-holiday timetables.
This year, the Dragon Boat Festival coincides with Children's Day. It is expected that passenger flow at stations near transport hubs (e.g., Guangzhou South Railway Station, Guangzhou Railway Station, Guangzhou East Railway Station, and Shitan), dragon boat race venues (e.g., Chebei, Yangji, and Liede), as well as scenic spots and commercial areas (e.g., Canton Tower, Beijing Lu, Yuntai Garden, Zoo, and Tiyu Xilu) will increase significantly before and during the holiday. Guangzhou Metro will implement passenger flow control measures based on the actual situation.
Extension of service hours for Shenzhen Metro's entire network
(Photo: Lu Li)
On May 30, May 31, and June 2, all Shenzhen Metro lines will extend their operating hours by 1 hour, with the last train departing around 24:00. Line 4 will extend by 1.5 hours. Additionally, on these three days, the last trains from Airport (Line 11) and Shenzhen North Station (Lines 4, 5, and 6) in both directions will depart no earlier than 1:00 AM the next morning, accommodating nighttime passenger arrivals and departures.
On June 1, Line 4 will extend its operating hours by 0.5 hours, and Line 13 by 1 hour. On the night of June 2, Lines 4, 5, and 6, which connect with high-speed rail passenger flows, will ensure adequate capacity to meet the needs of passengers returning to Shenzhen by high-speed rail.
A Shenzhen Metro spokesperson stated that based on past passenger flow patterns during holidays, May 30 is expected to see high passenger volumes at transportation hub stations such as Shenzhen North Railway Station, Gangxia North, Buji, Chegongmiao, and Qianhaiwan, due to a mix of commuter and leisure travel.
Editor | Liao Ying (intern), Wei Shen, James, Shen He
