On May 14, a reporter learned from Shenzhen Airport that Shenzhen will build a new T1 terminal. The terminal will feature an innovative same‑level transfer design integrating aviation, national rail, and rail transit, with dedicated air‑rail‑rail transfer corridors and a transfer hall. It will also be equipped with an automated baggage system, enabling all transfers to be completed within five minutes, making it the first terminal in China to achieve same‑level air‑rail intermodal transfer for both passengers (including baggage) and cargo.
Currently, land preparation for the T1 terminal site has been initiated, covering a total area of approximately 480,000 square meters, including the former Terminals A and B, the remote‑position waiting hall, and the apron area. According to Shenzhen Airport, given the aging facilities of the original Terminals A and B and the structural risks posed by railway construction, the new T1 terminal will better achieve planning integration and leverage its hub functions. At the same time, the design will reasonably incorporate iconic elements that carry public memories, achieving a balance between functional upgrades and the preservation of urban memory.
It is understood that the above project is part of the Shenzhen Airport East Comprehensive Transportation Hub development. This hub is the first “air‑rail intermodal” comprehensive transportation hub in the Greater Bay Area and a national‑level demonstration project for air‑rail (‑rail) intermodal transport promoted by central government ministries. The main construction of the Airport East Station has already begun, and accelerating the construction of the T1 terminal is key to achieving integrated hub operations and building a demonstration project.
According to a Shenzhen Airport official, with the airport’s passenger throughput, cargo and mail throughput, and flight movements exceeding 66 million, 2 million tons, and 440,000 flights respectively during the “14th Five‑Year Plan” period, the existing facilities concentrated in the southern area are approaching full capacity. During the “15th Five‑Year Plan” period, the airport’s development will extend northward and eastward. Through the construction of key projects such as the T1 and T2 terminal areas and the northern cargo area, the airport aims to support increased traffic volume and hub capacity through spatial expansion.