The Shanghai Jiamin Metro Line, construction of which will begin in the first half of next year, will be extended northwards to link Taicang, a county-level city in Suzhou, Jiangsu province. [Photo/WeChat account: taicangyyyou]

Taicang, a county-level city in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, will be connected with the Shanghai Jiamin Metro Line, construction on which will begin in the first half of next year, according to a recent news release by the Shanghai transportation authority.

It signifies another milestone for Taicang to further integrate itself into Shanghai, as part of the national Yangtze River Delta integration strategy.

The Jiamin Metro Line stretches from Jiading North Station to Xinzhuang Station in Shanghai, with a total length of 42 kilometers. The metro line will connect 10 metro lines and light rails in Shanghai including the Metro Line 11, 13, 2 and 10.

The metro line will also be extended northwards to include Taicang in the subway network.

Once the metro line is built, the commute hour between downtown Shanghai and Taicang will be shorten to less than one hour.

The Jiamin Metro Line is also expected to connect with the Shanghai-Suzhou-Nantong Railway and the Shanghai-Changzhou Railway.

As an important portal facing Shanghai, Taicang is burden with new responsibility to lead Suzhou's way in promoting the integration of Yangtze River Delta region.