National and International Comparison
Guangzhou's BRT will rival TransMilenio in Bogota as the world's highest capacity BRT system. GRT peak hour ridership will be 4 times bigger than the Beijing BRT, 15 times bigger than the Hangzhou BRT, and twice as big as the Seoul BRT (pictured).
Conditions for BRT in Guangzhou
Conditions for the implementation of BRT appear as good or better in Guangzhou that in any other city in Asia. These favourable conditions for BRT implementation include:
- Excellent space availability (BRT in Zhongshan Avenue can be implemented without land appropriation and without adverse effect on general traffic - see figure below)
- High demand, rapidly developing and densifying corridors
- Congestion
- A favourable bus industry structure
- Excellent Metro integration potential
- Highly qualified local experts and a tradition of transport sector innovation.
City level comparison
Bus Rapid Transit exists in many different forms. Some BRT systems are high quality, sophisticated mass transit systems. Others are little more than priority bus lanes. Most of the Asian BRT systems fall into the 'middle level' category, including Jakarta, Seoul and Taipei, and as a result are not so famous or popular with the citizens. While 'medium level' BRT systems can work well in small to medium sized cities, or in low demand corridors in big cities, these systems will inevitably become congested and slow if implemented in cities with large demand such as Seoul, Guangzhou, Bangkok, Jakarta or Sao Paulo. These large cities require a 'high end' form of BRT.
The table below compares the performance of some of the world's best known BRT systems according to key parameters, and includes the Zhongshan Avenue Guangzhou BRT. Recently implemented systems in Seoul, Sao Paulo and Hangzhou are also included in the comparison.
Phase I GRT routes 
