The Guangzhou East Ring Intercity Railway and the Pazhou-Lianhuashan Intercity Railway have completed full trial runs, moving one step closer to official opening. Once operational, these new lines will connect seamlessly with the existing intercity network, meaning Dongguan residents can hop on a train and travel directly to hotspots such as Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center (HEMC), Pazhou International Convention and Exhibition Center (PICEC), and Baiyun International Airport.

The Guangzhou East Ring Intercity runs north-south from Panyu to Baiyun Airport North, covering 57.8 kilometers with 13 stations. The Pazhou-Lianhua Intercity adds another 18.2 kilometers with four stops, starting from Pazhou and extending to Guangzhou’s Lianhua Mountain.

Over the past months, both lines have undergone intensive testing, from schedule trials to emergency drills, ensuring smooth operations and safety before passenger service begins.

Today, passengers traveling from Dongguan stations such as Xipingxi and Songshanhubei Railway Station still need to make transfers to reach Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. Once the new lines open, that will no longer be the case. Passengers boarding the Guangzhou-Huizhou Intercity at stations along the line will soon have direct access to key hubs in Guangzhou, including the international airport, major business districts, and university campuses. When Dongguan Metro Line 1 opens, it will further expand “Metro + Intercity” travel options, making regional commutes faster and more convenient than ever.

The new connections will also strengthen Dongguan’s role as a transport hub in the Greater Bay Area. By linking with other intercity routes such as the Guangzhou-Zhaoqing and Guangzhou-Qingyuan lines, passengers from Dongguan will have fast, direct access to at least six major cities: Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan, Foshan, Huizhou, and Zhaoqing. In practice, this means the “one-hour living circle” across the Greater Bay Area is becoming a reality.