As the Lantern Festival approaches, metro authorities in Guangzhou have announced extended services to ensure smooth travel for celebrations in both Guangzhou and Foshan.
On March 3, 2026, the day of the Lantern Festival, the Guangfo Line will extend operating hours by 1.5 hours. Evening peak service will begin earlier at 2:00 p.m., with train intervals shortened to increase capacity by about 30 percent. Additional standby trains will be deployed based on real-time passenger flow. Crowd-control measures or skip-stop operations may be implemented at stations along the line if necessary. Volunteers will assist passengers at major stations, including Tongji Lu Station.
Festivities along the metro network will include the "Xing Tongji" (Crossing Tongji Bridge) folk celebration in Foshan and various lantern fairs in Guangzhou. On the same day, from 10:30 to 11:00, a Guangdong music flash mob will take place at Caihongqiao Station on Guangzhou Metro Line 11, featuring live performances of classic pieces such as "Colorful Clouds Chasing the Moon" and "Stepping High."
Additionally, from March 3 to March 8, Metro Lines 2 and 7 will extend their services by 75 minutes to accommodate return-travel demand. Late-night express trains will depart from Guangzhou South Railway Station, with the last train scheduled for 12:45 a.m. the following day.
These express services will only stop for passenger drop-offs at designated stations. On Line 2, express trains will stop at Nanpu, Luoxi, Changgang, Gongyuanqian, Guangzhou Railway Station, Sanyuanli, Baiyun Culture Square, Jiangxia, and Jiahewanggang stations. On Line 7, stops will include Hanxi Changlong, Yuangang, Higher Education Mega Center South, Dashadong, and Jitang stations.
Author | Huang Xinying
Photo | Nanfang Plus
