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 will be opened in January 2003.

 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)

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

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

There are ambitious plans to expand the subway network in the Chinese capital, which include both subways, light rail and suburban trains (see map). In preparation for the Olympic Games held in Beijing in 2008, the following projects are currently under construction:

1) Subway Line 5: The 27.6-km north-south subway will have 16.9 km and 16 stations underground and 10.7 km and six stations above ground. Construction officially started in Dec. 2002.

2) Subway Line 4: 28.6 km with 24 stations (Dec. 2003 - Dec. 2007)

3) Subway Line 10 with Olympic branch: 30.5 km with 26 stations (Dec. 2003 - Dec. 2007)

4) In Dec. 2000 construction of an 18.9 km elevated light metro began, it will link the eastern suburbs of Tongzhou to the subway terminus at Sihuidong (BA Wang Fan). This line is due to be finished in 2002.

Beijing (or Peking) is the capital of the People's Republic of China and the country's second largest city (after Shanghai) with more than 12 million inhabitants in the metropolitan area (16,800 sq km).

- OPERATION

5:10-23:40, 3-4 min peak, 8 min rest, Sundays 3min headway

- FARES

3 yuans

Line 13 - 3 RMB (5 RMB with transfer to other lines)

Beijing Subway on Wikipedia

Beijing Subway Tips incl. nice map

Allen Zagel's China Rail site includes Beijing subway photos

Beijing Electric Metro Trainset gives you all details on Beijing subway trains (alternative URL)

Planned network map (thanks to ranskaldan)

Map with extensions under construction

Map with planned lines

Carl Yiu's Subway's Future site includes details on Chinese metros

Line 13 photo gallery

These pictures by kind permission © Allen Zagel