Complex Network Analysis of Guangzhou Metro

The structure and properties of public transportation networks can provide suggestions for
urban planning and public policies. This study contributes a complex network analysis of the
Guangzhou metro. The metro network has 236 kilometers of track and is the 6th busiest metro
system of the world. In this paper topological properties of the network are explored. We observed
that the network displays small world properties and is assortative in nature. The network
possesses a high average degree of 17.5 with a small diameter of 5. Furthermore, we also identified
the most important metro stations based on betweenness and closeness centralities. These could
help in identifying the probable congestion points in the metro system and provide policy makers
with an opportunity to improve the performance of the metro system.