Three high-speed subway cars at 120 km per hour, the fastest ever in the world, are expected to be in service next month in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province.

Sources from Guangzhou Metro Corp. (GMC) said that the three new cars just got off the production line last week and are expected to debut on the first section of the newly-built metro line 3 in Guangzhou which is to operate on December 26.

A joint product of China's electric locomotive power -- China South Locomotive and Rolling Stock Industry (Group) Corporation (CSR) and Germany's Siemens AG, the new car is specially designed for Guangzhou's metro lines, said the GMC.

According to the GMC, each subway car will have only three compartments at the earlier operation period with a total length of 60 meters, which is capable to seat 675 passengers. Each compartment will have six public information screens.

The speed of these cars will reach 80 km per hour during the trial operation period and then to hit 120 km per hour after adjustment, said the GMC.

Guangzhou is busy this year in construction of seven new subways in addition to its original two. By 2010, the subway network in Guangzhou will be about 255 km long.

(Xinhua News Agency November 22, 2005)