Beijing Subway

Subway construction started in China's capital in 1965. The first stretch, which opened between the city's railway station and Pingguoyuan, included today's western branch of Line 1 and the southern part of Line 2. In 1987, the circular line was finished (16 km) and both lines started operating separately. In the 1990's an eastern extension of Line 1 was built; the so-called Fu Ba Line, to Sihuidong (formerly shown as BA Wang Fan) opened for trial in Oct. 1999 for the People's Republic's 50th anniversary. The new section (13.5 km) was eventually connected to the western section of Line 1 on 24 June 2000 which had been upgraded to ATO operation.

The entire Line 1 from Pingguoyuan to Sihuidong is now 38 km long and provides transfer to Ring Line 2 twice, at Fuxingmen and at Jianguomen. Ring Line 2 is 16 km, so the total network operating in 2000 is 54 km. Most stations have central platforms and are 118m long, but only 10 have escalators. 4 or 6-car-trains are used, which are equipped with acoustic station announcement. For future extensions of the network (8 lines) some stations have already been built as transfer stations: Xizhimen, Dongsishitiao, Jianguomen, Yonghegong and Jishuitan.

Construction of "CityRail" (Line 13 in the overall "rapid transit" planning) started in December 1999. The semicircular line with 16 stations runs from Xizhimen to Dongzhimen (both are stations on the circle Line 2). The 40.8 km line is mainly above ground, either elevated (7.7 km) or at grade (30.3km). After the western section (20.6km) went into operation on 28 Sept. 2002, the eastern section was opened in January 2003.

Subway Line 5, the first north-south metro line in Beijing, is 27.6-km, with 16.9 km and 16 stations underground and 10.7 km and 7 stations above ground. Platforms are equipped with half-high platform screen doors. Construction started in Dec. 2002, and the entire line was brought into service in October 2007.

Subway Line 10 (25 km) was opened on 19 July 2008, in time for the Olympic Games. Its construction had started in Dec. 2003. Line 10 is fully underground.

The first 4.5 km section of Line 8, the so-called Olympic Branch Line, also opened on 19 July 2008. It serves all the important Olympic venues and is only linked to Line 10 at the moment.

Although planned to open for the Olympics in 2008, Line 4 (28.6 km with 24 stations), which provides a metro link to the new Beijing South Railway Station, only opened in Sept 2009.

Right in time for the Olympic Games 2008, the Airport Express line (28.1 km) opened on 19 July 2008, linking the city centre to the International Airport northeast of Beijing. The Airport Express is a fully automatic, driverless railway, which provides interchange with subway lines 2, 10 and 13. At the airport it stops at Terminal 3 and at Terminal 2 (this stop is for Terminal 1, too). A special fare is applicable for the Airport Express.

History

1 Oct 1969 - Beijingzhan (Railway Station) - Pingguoyuan (23.6km, 17 stations, all underground)

- all stations operational in 1972 (until 1977 only for Chinese people)

20 Sept 1984 - Beijingzhan - Fuxingmen (16.1km, 12 stations, all underground)

since 28 Dec 1987:

Line 1: Fuxingmen - Pingguoyuan

12 Dec 1992: Fuxingmen - Xidan (1.5km)

24 June 2000: Xidan - Sihuidong

27 Dec 2003: (Batong Line) Sihui -Tuqiao (trial operation, 19 km in length (above ground along Beijing-Tianjin Highway, 13 stations)

Line 2: 16 km circle line (transfer to line 1 at Fuxingmen and Jianguomen)

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28 Sept 2002: Line 13 (CityRail) - Xizhimen - Huoying

28 Jan 2003: Line 13 (City Rail) eastern section Huoying - Dongzhimen

07 Oct 2007: Line 5 Tiantongyuan North - Songjiazhuang (27.6 km, 23 stations)

19 July 2008: Line 10 Bagou - Jinsong (25 km)

19 July 2008: Line 8 Beitucheng - South Gate of Forest Park (4.5 km)

28 Sept 2009: Line 4 Anheqiao North - Gongyixiqiao