Shantou Station experienced a transformative leap in its role as a regional transport hub in the first quarter of 2026, driven by the full completion of the Shantou–Shanwei High-speed Railway, the rollout of a new train operation schedule, and robust travel demand during the Spring Festival period. During the quarter, the station handled 4.6742 million passenger arrivals and departures, a sharp increase of 59.37% year on year, and set new single-day passenger records for the 12th consecutive time.
A key driver behind the surge was the rollout of the Q1 2026 train operation schedule on January 26, which raised the number of scheduled trains at Shantou Station to a record 200. With the full opening of the Shantou–Shanwei High-speed Railway, the station also launched its first direct high-speed services to Kunming, Nanning, and Guiyang, narrowing the gap between Shantou and major provincial capitals in Southwest China.
Train frequency on the Shantou–Shantou South section rose from 50 to 88 services, an 80% increase in capacity. This expansion has eased peak-hour congestion, reduced commuting times, and strengthened Shantou's role as a regional transport hub. The station now connects directly to 57 cities across 11 provinces, including 17 in Guangdong and 40 outside the province, transforming Shantou from a railway endpoint into a comprehensive transportation node linking eastern Guangdong with East and Southwest China.
In air-rail intermodal transport, train frequency services now operate between Shantou Station and Jieyang Airport Station, with the fastest one-way journey taking just 34 minutes, enabling seamless high-speed rail-to-flight transfers.
Author | Jiang Chang
Photo | Shantou Media Group
