[Photo/Guangzhou Daily]

Guangzhou plans to open the first section of metro lines 18 and 22, as well as the west extension of line 7 this year, Zhong Xuejun, news spokesman of Guangzhou Metro said in a press conference this morning (February 24).

According to Zhong, the city is currently pushing forward the construction of 11 new metro lines with a total stretch of 292 kilometers, and is striving to extend the metro network from the current 531 to 800 kilometers by 2023.

The first underground train that reaches a speed of 160 kilometers an hour that will be put into use in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is hoisted up and carried to a designated metro station in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong province, on February 20, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua]

To build a Guangzhou-centered metropolitan cluster with easy connectivity, the city will also forge ahead with the construction of 15 key rail projects within three years, Zhou Qingfeng, deputy director of Guangzhou Municipal Development and Reform Commission said at the same press conference.

The projects, totaling 707 kilometers with an investment of 398.3 billion yuan, include five renovation projects involving Guangzhou Railway Station and Guangzhou East Railway Station, as well as the following 10 intercity railways:

1. Foshan West—Guangzhou North section of Guangfo Ring Line广佛环城际佛山西至广州北段

2.Guangzhou East—Tiangui Lu, Huadu district (north extension of metro line 18) 广州东至花都天贵城际

3.Fangcun—Baiyun Airport (north extension of metro line 22) 芳村至白云机场城际

4.Nansha—Zhuhai (Zhongshan) (south extension of line 18)南沙至珠海（中山）城际

5.Foshan—Guangzhou—Dongguan Intercity Railway 佛山经广州至东莞城际

6.Zhongshan—Nansha—Humen(Donguan) Intercity Railway中南虎城际

7.Guangzhou—Foshan—Jiangmen—Zhuhai Intercity Railway广佛江珠城

8.Zhaoqing—Shunde—Nansha Intercity Railway肇顺南城际

9.Qingyuan—Guangdong Vocational Education City section of Guangzhou-Qingyuan Intercity Railway广清城际清远至省职教城段

10.Baiyun—Guangzhou North section pf Guangzhou-Qingyuan Intercity Rail 广清城际广州白云至广州北段