The first subway loop line, Line 11, in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, with a length of 44.2 kilometers, opened on Saturday. 

The metro and intercity rail network of Guangzhou, Guangdong province, will be further intensified in 2025, with the opening of 10 new metro and intercity lines totaling 173 kilometers, according to the city's metro operation company.

In a latest move, the city's first subway loop line, Line 11, with a length of 44.2 kilometers, opened on Saturday, passing through the major downtown districts of Tianhe, Baiyun, Yuexiu, Liwan and Haizhu.

"The new line helps to achieve efficient circulation and seamless connections within the city, further facilitating the travel of local residents," said Liu Zhicheng, Party chief and chairman of Guangzhou Metro Group, the metro operation company.

The overall design style of the line stations is themed around intangible cultural heritage, with a selection representative of intangible heritage projects such as Cantonese opera, embroidery, porcelain, lion dance, carving and traditional Chinese medicine.

The cultural elements are integrated into the design of key stations to highlight the cultural characteristics of Guangdong and create a cultural corridor demonstration line in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, according to Liu.

The northern extension of the Guangzhou-Qingyuan intercity railway also opened on Saturday, marking a milestone for the operation, with a combined metro and intercity network exceeding 1,000 kilometers.

The city's metro and intercity network comprises 705.1 kilometers of metro lines and 338.3 kilometers of intercity railways, data from the company showed.