Construction starts on airport's T2 complex, land work on T1

A ceremony was held yesterday to officially mark the start of construction on the main complex of Terminal 2 (T2) at Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport.

Officials and project representatives attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the main complex of Terminal 2 (T2) at Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport yesterday. The expansion project is expected to significantly increase the airport's passenger and cargo handling capacity. Photos courtesy of Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport

Situated between the first and second runways, the new T2 terminal is designed to cover 400,000 square meters and handle 31 million passengers annually.

The facility is expected to be completed and begin operations during the 15th Five‑Year Plan period (2026–2030). It will connect to the Guangzhou–Dongguan–Shenzhen Intercity Railway, Metro Lines 11 and 20, and the Shenzhen–Daya Bay Intercity Railway. Internally, an automated people‑mover system will provide efficient links to Terminal 3 and the satellite concourse.

An artist's rendering of Terminal 2 (T2) at Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport. Covering 400,000 square meters, the new terminal is designed to handle 31 million passengers annually and will be linked to the airport's existing facilities by an automated people-mover system. 

On the same day, land preparation officially began for the new Terminal 1 (T1), located on the eastern side of the airport. T1 will integrate with the Airport East Railway Station, the Shenzhen–Jiangmen Railway, the Guangzhou–Shenzhen Second High‑speed Railway, and multiple Metro lines. Its design features same‑floor transfers between flights and trains, allowing passengers to complete air‑rail transfers within five minutes without leaving the building. Once completed, it will become China’s first terminal to achieve same‑floor intermodal transport for both passengers (including baggage) and cargo.

An artist's rendering shows the planned Terminal 1 (T1) at Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport. The new terminal will integrate with Airport East Railway Station, high-speed and intercity railways, and multiple Metro lines, enabling same-floor transfers between air and rail services.

Yao Yuandong, deputy manager of the T2 project, said that after the full expansion, the airport will operate with three runways, three terminal zones, three cargo zones, and one satellite concourse. This configuration will support an annual capacity of 98 million passengers and 5 million tonnes of cargo and mail, significantly boosting the hub’s overall capacity.

The expansion follows record‑breaking traffic performance in recent years. In 2025, the airport handled 66.48 million passengers, ranking fourth nationally. In the first five months of this year, passenger throughput reached 28.41 million, a year‑on‑year increase of 3.64%.