The passenger hall of Houhai Station on Line 13. Upon its opening, passengers will be able to transfer conveniently to Line 2 and Line 11 at the station. Photos courtesy of Shenzhen Metro

The Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint will be connected to the city's Metro network when the southern section of Metro Line 13 opens next month, according to an announcement by operator HKMTR Shenzhen Co. on Thursday.

The 6.36-kilometer section, which stretches from the Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint Station to the Hi-Tech Central Station, has completed a trial run without passengers and will begin operations before the end of the year.

The section has seven stations — the Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint, Talent Park, Houhai, Keyuan, Yuehaimen, Shenzhen University, and Hi-Tech Central.

Upon opening, passengers will be able to transfer to Line 2 and Line 11 at Houhai Station, Line 2 at Keyuan Station, Line 9 at Yuehaimen Station, and Line 1 at Shenzhen University Station.

"The operation of the section is expected to relieve the parking difficulty at the Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint and relieve traffic congestion in the high-tech park area of Nanshan District," Ni Yue, head of the Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint Station, said during an interview Thursday.

Ticket barriers at a station on Line 13. Commuters can anticipate the integration of advanced technology and user-friendly, intelligent features on Line 13.

According to Ni, Line 13 adopts cutting-edge technology and intelligent, user-friendly facilities to offer passengers a seamless and convenient smart travel experience. The intelligent customer service center is equipped with ticketing dispensers, allowing passengers to handle ticket-related issues autonomously.

Line 13's trains are equipped with the GoA4 transport system, the world's most advanced driverless train operating technology. They also feature a management system capable of real-time monitoring, diagnostics, assessments, and analysis of operating systems. The trains use lightweight aluminum alloy as the main body.

A fast commuting line for passengers going between Guangming, Bao'an, and Nanshan districts, the 22.4-kilometer Line 13 covers key areas such as the Houhai CBD, the Shenzhen Hi-tech Industrial Park, and the Liuxiandong Headquarters Base. It has 16 stations, 12 of which are interchange stations.