Subway Line 18 to achieve new progress

The double routes of Guangzhou Subway Line 18 will pass underneath the Pearl River in a few days, which is considered a new challenge.

The construction of Line 18 with an estimated investment of 20 billion yuan ($2.8 billion) will be spread over 60 kilometers to connect with Zhongshan, another city in Guangdong province, according to a previously issued tender announcement.

The subway line is designed as the country’s fastest high-standard city express route, which will make a half-an-hour trip from Zhujiang New Town to Guangzhou’s Nansha district a reality.

It is viewed as not only the hinge for promoting development of the cities along the Pearl River like Guangzhou, Zhongshan and Zhuhai but also a vital factor in construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

With the linkage provided by the subway line, the Pearl River’s east and west sides will be able to enjoy more frequent exchanges.

In the meantime, Nansha will be a pivot to connect the city clusters on the west side including Foshan, Zhongshan and Zhuhai.

Notably, Guangzhou has age-old cooperation and close interaction with Zhongshan and Zhuhai, marked especially by a strategic cooperation agreement with Zhongshan and a port cooperation protocol with Zhuhai signed in 2018.

Moreover, Nansha is deepening its comprehensive collaboration with Hong Kong and Macao by fostering an open business environment with the help of the HKUST Fok Ying Tung Research Institute.

There are expected to be two technological innovation corridors consisting of a Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong line and a Guangzhou-Zhuhai-Macao line, according to the General Plan of Land Space of Guangzhou (2018-35).