The opening of Guangzhou Baiyun Station on Dec 26, 2023, made a new start for Guangzhou as a transportation hub that had already had six railway stations. Now let's discover the stories of Guangzhou's seven pivotal railway stations through their vivid self-introductions!

Guangzhou Station, first gate for people all over China to seek fortune in Guangdong

I was born in 1974, at which time it took a train seven hours to go from Guangzhou to Shaoguan, a city in Guangdong's north. The giant electric clock hanging on my head has seen more and more passengers in the past 40 years. Since the 1980s, people have flooded in the Guangdong province to seek their fortune, carrying large and small bags. Being the first gate to reach Guangdong, I have witnessed the growth of Guangzhou in all these years.

Guangzhou East Railway Station, a station located near the CBD 

Located near the hustle-bustle Tianhe business circle, I used to be called Tianhe Station, and got my new name now in 1988. In the 1990s, the famous Guangzhou-Kowloon Through Train started from me. In the following decades, I have shouldered the responsibility of connecting Guangdong and Hong Kong, allowing people to travel from Guangzhou to Hong Kong in a few hours.  

Guangzhou West Railway Station, a veteran rail container terminal

I was born in the west of Guangzhou 116 years ago and used to be the earliest coach terminal in Guangzhou and later the only rail container terminal in Guangzhou, in charge of cargo transportation between the north and the south.

Guangzhou South Railway Station, whose passenger flow per day is equivalent to population of one medium-sized Chinese city 

I was born during the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games. My total construction area is three times and 40 times larger than that of New York's Grand Central Terminal and Berlin Central Station respectively. I'm busiest during the holidays. As a railway transportation hub for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Pan-Pearl River Delta region, I am at the center of the well-known transportation artery of South China. 

Guangzhou North Railway Station, a low-key high-speed railway station

Although I usually keep a low profile, I am actually the first high-speed railway station opened in the Greater Bay Area. Located in north Guangzhou’s Huadu district, I hold multiple positions as a station for high-speed trains, express trains, intercity buses, and the metro trains. Owing to my efforts, passengers living in the northern region can travel back and forth conveniently. 

Guangzhou Xintang Station, young eastern railway hub of Guangzhou

Located in Xintang town, Zengcheng district, I'm the eastern railway hub of Guangzhou. As the departure station of the Guangzhou-Shantou High-Speed Railway, I'm also the largest station along the Guangzhou-Shantou High-Speed Railway, making the commuting in Guangdong province more convenient. 

Guangzhou Baiyun Station, one of Asia's largest railway transportation complexes

After more than three years of construction, I finally began operation on December 26, 2023. I have seven floors, including a floor for parking, and the bottom floor linking with the city's metro system, forming a comprehensive transportation hub with convenient and efficient transfer.

I serve as the departure and destination for multiple train lines, including the Beijing-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway, Beijing-Guangzhou Railway, Guangzhou-Meizhou-Shantou Railway, and Guangzhou-Maoming Railway.

In the future, I will receive some traffic pressure from Guangzhou Station and Guangzhou East Station, helping further enhance the passenger capacity of the railway service in the Greater Bay Area.

Source: Guangzhou Daily
Video: Chen Qiulin, Xi Leyao, Wu Yifan
English translator: Lyu Yun
Video editor: Lei Yuhong
English author & editor: Lyu Yun