In the future, trains will operate fully driverless GoA4 mode when sufficient reliability from the signaling system has been confirmed.

The north extension will head to Airport North (Terminal 2) in Huadu District of Guangzhou while the southern extension will connect to Guangmingcheng railway station in Shenzhen, becoming an express line "connecting sea, land and air" with a total length of 128.8 kilometres (80.03 mi).

[9] The North extension of Line 22 will be 41.1 km (25.54 mi) in length with 10 new stations and be fully underground.

[12][13] In 2020, Guangzhou Metro began soliciting bids to further investigate the extension of Line 22 into Dongguan and Shenzhen.

[9] When complete a number of different services and express and local stopping patterns will be operated, including Shenzhen/Dongguan to Baiyun Station, Nansha Passenger Ferry Terminal to Baiyun Airport North, Nansha Passenger Port to Huachengjie, etc.