TWO new sections of Lines 6 and 16 will begin operations at the end of this month, according to Shenzhen Metro. Phase II of the Line 6 spur, running within Guangming District, spans 4.96 km and extends from the existing Guangming Station (on Phase I of the spur) to Guangmingcheng Station, with intermediate stops at Biyan and Hongqiao Park stations. As a key transport hub in northwestern Shenzhen, Guangmingcheng Station provides seamless transfers to the Guangzhou–Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, the Ganzhou-Shenzhen High-Speed Railway, and Metro Line 13. In the future, it will link to the planned Shenzhen-Dongguan-Zengcheng Intercity Railway, integrating high-speed, intercity, and Metro services. Biyan Station is expected to connect with Line 29, which is scheduled for completion in 2028. Trains on the Line 6 section will be fully autonomous. With a lightweight design that is 3-4 tons lighter than comparable models, these trains will save about 90,000 kWh of electricity and cut roughly 90 tons of CO2 emissions each year, according to Shenzhen Metro. The new service is expected to significantly shorten commutes between Guangming Science City and downtown Futian. Phase II of Line 16, operating in Longgang District, runs 9.54 km underground from Universiade Station to Yuanshan Xikeng Station and includes eight stops. Yuanshan Xikeng Station is planned to offer transfers to Line 19. The opening of the Line 16 section is expected to further improve connectivity between downtown Longgang and the Yuanshan area. Under the fare structure announced by the Shenzhen Municipal Development and Reform Commission, the starting fare will be 2 yuan (about US$0.28) for the first 4 km. For distances between 4 km and 12 km, the fare increases by 1 yuan for every additional 4 km. From 12 km to 24 km, it rises by 1 yuan for every additional 6 km. Beyond 24 km, the fare increases by 1 yuan for every additional 8 km. Business-class cabins will be priced at up to three times the economy-class fare. (Han Ximin) | 