Skip to Content
Streetsblog San Francisco home
Streetsblog San Francisco home
Log In
Bus Rapid Transit

Guangzhou, China: Winning the Future With Bus Rapid Transit

Guangzhou is one of the fastest growing cities in the world. The economic hub of China's southern coast, it has undergone three decades of rapid modernization, and until recently the city’s streets were on a trajectory to get completely overrun by traffic congestion and pollution. But Guangzhou has started to change course. Last year the city made major strides to cut carbon emissions and reclaim space for people, launching new bus rapid transit and public bike sharing systems.

The Guangzhou BRT system opened in February 2010. It now carries 800,000 passengers a day, seamlessly connecting riders to both the metro system and the city's new bike-share network. For these innovations, Guangzhou won the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy's 2011 Sustainable Transport Award. Watch this Streetfilm and see how one of the world's most dynamic cities is, to borrow a phrase from President Obama, "winning the future" on its streets.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog San Francisco

Advocates Move to Save Oakland’s Parking Enforcement

An unscrupulous maneuver to transfer control of parking enforcement could have serious implications for safe streets

January 9, 2026

Supervisor Wong Writes Legislation to Kill Sunset Dunes

District 4's new supervisor finally met with Sunset Dunes advocates the night before formally presenting legislation to put a new referendum on the ballot to destroy the park

January 8, 2026
See all posts