Shenzhen Metro Line 8 Approved; May Use Low-Speed Maglev Technology

On February 15th, the Shenzhen Metro office announced that the early plan for a Metro Line 8 had been approved by the National Development and Reform Committee (国家发改委). Shenzhen Metro is currently conducting an engineering feasibility study for the new line, which may either use maglev technology or be a conventional wheel-based track, depending on the experts' recommendations. According to the plan, the Metro Line 8 will run about 30.4 km and have 17 stations, which will connect the Luohu District with Yantian District's Shatoujiao, Yantiangang (盐田港区), Dameisha and Xiaomeisha (大小梅沙片区) areas. Construction on the Metro Line 8 will not begin this year. If the Line 8 uses maglev technology, it will not be the same as Shanghai's high-speed maglev train – it will operate at a lower speed of about 80 km per hour, making it more suitable for sightseeing.

See also: High-Speed Railway to Connect Shenzhen and Wuhan in March