Line 6 (Shenzhen Metro)

Line 6 had a planning history of over 20 years with major design changes along the way. In the 1994 "Shenzhen Urban Passenger Transport Master Plan", Line 6 was a metro line proposed to start from Bao'an International Airport to Songgang, with a line length of about 15 km (9.3 mi). It was envisioned as an extension of the still under planning Line 1 to connect the industrial and manufacturing centers of the then Bao'an County with the Bao'an Airport and the Special Economic Zones of Shenzhen. At the time Bao'an was not part of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, the purpose of Line 6 was to promote the development into Bao'an's western corridor and the northern industrial hinterland by extending the reach of the Shenzhen Metro.[9]

In the 2001, Line 6 was proposed to be extended south to Xixiang Subdistrict and east to Gongming Subdistrict creating a 37.5 km (23.3 mi) long line with 16 stations. At that point the alignment of Line 6 bears more resemblance to today's Line 11. By 2003, Line 6 was again redesigned into a 51.8 km (32.2 mi), 15 station, commuter railway in a "∩" shape connecting the Airport with Longhua District via Songgang. With the eastern leg of the "∩" replacing one of the then proposed Line 4 branches, the other which remained a section of Line 4 heading to Qinghu.[10] In 2003, The line was again redesigned back into a metro line from Shenzhen North Railway Station to Songgang with a length of 37.2 km (23.1 mi), and 19 stations with a branch line north to Dongguan. This is the first incarnation of Line 6 that resembles it's alignment today.[11]

In 2011, an additional station, Cuihu (formerly called Lilin), was added between the Guangming Center station and Guangming North station. This was done in anticipation for interchange with Dongguan Rail Transit Line 1 which will now take over the branch line to Dongguan.[12] In order to promote better transport integration and economic development between Dongguan and Shenzhen with the relevant departments of the two cities working together in rail transit planning.[13] During the construction of Line 4 in 2007 to 2011, Shangtang Station reserved space for extra platforms and tracks for cross-platform interchange with Line 6. The station was to be rearranged to accommodate Line 6 when it was being constructed. In addition, Line 4's Longhua depot had supports built with decks designed for Line 6 to run over it. In 2012, Line 6 north of Shenzhen North Station was realigned one block east, dropping the plan to use all these provisions.[14]

On April 10, 2012, Longhua District government held a symposium rail transit construction and the Shenzhen Urban Planning and Land Resources Committee issued the "Shenzhen rail transit planning (revision)".[15] This revised Phase III plan showed that Line 6 will extend further south into central Shenzhen with six new stations, and an additional length of 11.5 kilometers. The Shenzhen Metro Phase III approved by the National Development and Reform Commission does not include the south extension of Line 6. However, in order to reduce the need for passengers heading to the city center to transfer into the already overcrowded Line 4, approval for the southern extension of Line 6 parallel to Line 4 was fast tracked. This extension will improve connectivity, by providing a direct line between Guangming and the city center, and provide relief for the congested Line 4 heading to and from Shenzhen North Station.[12]

In 2010 the Shenzhen government and MTR Corporation signed a memorandum of cooperation on the construction operation of Line 6 for 30 years under the BOT procurement strategy, similar to Line 4.[16][17] Funding was approved in April 2013 and construction of the first phase from Shenzhen North Station to Songgang officially started on August 25, 2015 with completion by June 2020.[3] However, due to later negotiation failures between the two parties, Shenzhen Metro Corporation took over the project themselves without the BOT contract as planned.

A notable feature of the project is the section of Line 6 that crosses over Line 4 between Hongshan and Shangtang stations. The angle between the alignments of the two lines is only 11.3°. This means there is significant overlap between the elevated structures of both lines and Line 6 will need to span 100 meters in length order to cross over Line 4. This will be done with a large cable-stayed bridge supported by a single 92 meter high main pier and a bridge length of 140 meters. Making it the first cable-stayed bridge for a metro line for the Shenzhen Metro.[18]

Construction of the Shenzhen section of Dongguan Rail Transit Line 1 started in 2018 as part of Shenzhen Metro's Phase IV expansion known as the "Line 6 branch line project".[7]

• Science Museum — Songgang (Before 11:00 PM, expect working days peak hours)
• Science Museum — Yangtai Mountain East (Working days peak hours only)
• Yangtai Mountain East — Songgang (Working days peak hours only)
• Science Museum — Fenghuang Town (From 11:00 PM to 11:30 PM)
• Songgang — Fenghuang Town (From 11:00 PM to 11:30 PM)

• M - main line services (Before 11:00 PM)
• S1 - Short line services 1 (From 11:00 PM to 11:30 PM)
• S2 - Short line services 2 (From 11:00 PM to 11:30 PM)
• B - branch line services (Under construction)

M	S1	S2	Station name		Connections	Nearby bus stops	Distance km		Location
			English	Chinese
Line 6 (Main Line)
●		●	Songgang	松岗	11  12				Bao'an
●		●	Xitou	溪头
●		●	Songgang Park	松岗公园
●		●	Shutianpu	薯田埔					Guangming
●		●	Heshuikou	合水口
●		●	Gongming Square	公明广场	13
●		●	Honghuashan	红花山
●		●	Loucun	楼村
●		●	Science Park	科学公园
●		●	Guangming	光明	6 (Branch)
●		●	Guangming Street	光明大街
●	●	●	Fenghuang Town	凤凰城	13
●	●		Changzhen	长圳	18
●	●		Shangwu	上屋	13				Bao'an
●	●		Guantian	官田
●	●		Yangtai Mountain East	阳台山东					Longhua
●	●		Yuanfen	元芬
●	●		Shangfen	上芬
●	●		Hongshan	红山	4
●	●		Shenzhen North	深圳北站	4 5 IOQ
●	●		Meilinguan	梅林关	(4 via Minle)
●	●		Hanling	翰岭					Futian
●	●		Yinhu	银湖	9				Luohu
●	●		Bagualing	八卦岭	7				Futian
●	●		Sports Center	体育中心
●	●		Tongxinling	通新岭	3
●	●		Science Museum	科学馆	1

The Science City East-Guangming Section will be opened in June 2022. The Guangming-Gungmingcheng section is in planning process.

B	Station name		Connections	Nearby bus stops	Distance km		Location
	English	Chinese
Line 6 (Branch Line) (Not opened)
↑ Through-services to/from Dongguan via  1  ↑
●	Science City East	科学城东					Guangming
●	Sun Yat-sen University	中大
●	Zhenmei	圳美
●	Guangming	光明	6
●	Guangming Town	光明小镇
●	Huaxia	华夏
●	Guangmingcheng	光明城	13   18