Shenzhen opens first tram line

The south China city of Shenzhen opened its first tram line over the weekend to help ease traffic pressure.

Stretching 11.7 km, the tram line has 20 stops and passes through Shenzhen’s most populated areas such as Longhua Trade Zone. Each tramcar can carry a maximum of 350 passengers, about two to three times that of a bus, according to a source of the Shenzhen Xiandai Tramcar Company, the service provider.

The zero-emission tramcar, with an average speed of 23-25 kilometers per hour, is equipped with ultracapacitors, which allow it to recharge within 30 seconds while passengers are boarding.

Passengers can pay for tickets with cash, transit pass, or WeChat and Alipay electronic payment. Shenzhen, a boomtown facing Hong Kong across a river, falls under jurisdiction of Guangdong Province. It has a population of more than 10 million.