Subway war: Guangzhou beats NYC

The platform screen doors of all the stations are equipped with screens that can show the congestion of each compartment for commuters to choose less crowded compartments. On top of the screen doors, a screen shows where the train is and the map of the subway line.

To take the trains, people can either swipe cards, scan QR codes or use face recognition. Some stations also provide medicine and disposable raincoats for visitors in need, according to the Wechat account of the Guangzhou government.

It also said that the subway in Guangzhou totaled 500 kilometers by 2020, which was among the top five of the world's cities. In 2020, the Guangzhou Metro transported over 2.4 billion passengers.

As nine new subway lines will start construction during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), the city's subway will exceed 860 kilometers, it said.