Beijing subway is a relatively young mode of transport. It is used not only by residents of the capital, but also by guests of the city. Today, the subway is an inexpensive mode of transport, so it is very popular.
General information about the subway
Beijing Metro appeared quite late - in 1969, and it was China's first metro. At this time, subways had already been built in London, Moscow, Tokyo and other major cities. The need for a subway in Beijing at that time was huge, but the construction was originally carried out for other purposes. The table below shows a number of information about the subway.
| Parameter | Beijing Subway data according to parameter |
| Line lengths | 527 km, 2nd in the world after Shanghai Metro (538 km) |
| Daily passenger traffic | More than 6 million people, 2nd place in the world after the Moscow Metro, where the daily passenger flow is over 6.5 million people |
| Annual passenger traffic | Over 3 billion people |
| Start of construction | 1965 |
| Number of stations | 319 |
Construction was carried out with the help of specialists from Moscow and was not originally intended for the civilian population. From the opening of the first station in 1969 until 1976, only the military was allowed to operate the Beijing Subway.
Today, stations serve both the city center and the suburbs of Beijing.
How the Beijing subway works
Beijing subway schedule is quite simple and similar to subway schedules in other Asian cities. Work starts very early, at 5 am. At this time, stations open and trains begin to move along the branches. Each branch has its own adjusted schedule. It is quite accurate, which is what the Beijing subway is famous for. Working hours are generally determined as follows: from 05:00 to 00:00, but some trains may finish their work at 22:00 and 23:00, you need to follow the schedule carefully.
Beijing Subway Stations
The Beijing Subway has 319 platforms on 18 lines. All stations in the system are divided into two types according to the laying method:
- overground;
- underground shallow.
There are no deep-laid hauls in Beijing. Underground stations, constructed at the very beginning of the construction of the metro, are decorated with columns. Pretentious, modern, as a rule, are simpler, they are equipped with partitions separating the platform and the rail according to the security system. These fences are made as standard, they are glass, the doors open after the driver givesa specific command. The security system of the Beijing subway is top notch.
Very often, tourists are told that the subway of the Chinese capital is an overloaded transport, where it is dirty and you can die in a crush. This is not true, because even stubborn statistics show that the Moscow Metro carries many more passengers during peak hours.
Conditions for those who went down to the subway
Entrance to the subway is through standard escalators. The pass system is electronic contactless. Passengers' luggage is also checked at the entrance. The exit is carried out on a ticket, it is here that the fare is read. On the platform, special lines indicate the place where the doors will open when the train stops. Police and vigilantes are on duty in the subway to ensure order.
It is light inside the cars, there are places to sit. Air conditioners work here, which save in the heat. By the way, many stations have free toilets, which is very important on long trips.
The transfer system is very similar to the Moscow metro. In order to get to another branch, you need to make the transition on foot to another platform. It may be above or below this level. There are few escalators in the metro, if you have a long trip, you need to be patient.
All stations have traditional country names. The phrase "Beijing Dithiye" means "Beijing Subway" in Chinese. The scheme of lines hangs at the entrance to the subway and in the cars. Focus on what they haveelectronic indicators. All lines are numbered, and it is easier to remember the branch number than its name. You need to navigate to the end station. By remembering its name, it will be easier to understand on the platform which way to go.
On most platforms, you need to navigate by the screens located above. It's convenient enough. There is also a need to remember the name of the exit. So it will be easier if the passenger again finds himself at this station. Outputs are indicated by Latin capital letters and numbers.
If a passenger purchases a reusable subway card, they can also use this system to pay for Beijing buses and goods in some stores.
Fare
Beijing subway fare depends on the distance covered by the passenger. This practice has only recently been introduced. The minimum fare today is 3 yuan. The exception is the line that connects the airport and the city. Here the trip will cost 25 yuan, and this price is fixed, regardless of the distance.
Child below 1.2 meters is eligible for free travel. Of course, it must be accompanied by an adult. To ride the subway, you need to purchase a plastic card at the kiosk near the station. Its cost is 20 yuan. This money is collateral, when you return the card they will be returned. Replenishment is carried out either upon purchase or through special machines.
Also, ticket offices are involved in crediting money to cards. Unless several are plannedtrips on the subway, you just need to purchase a one-time card at the station.
In general, the Beijing subway is very convenient. Despite the fact that not all tourists and guests of the capital understand Chinese, it is difficult to get lost or not understand something here. The lines are numbered, there are cards and stands everywhere. One minus - the Chinese love to push. It's a national trait.
The fare is one of the lowest in the world today. All this is done in order to reduce the number of passengers on land transport and clean up the disastrously polluted air of the city.
The price is calculated as follows:
- up to 6 kilometers - 3 yuan;
- 6 to 12 kilometers - 4 yuan;
- 12 to 22 kilometers - 5 yuan;
- from 22 to 32 kilometers - 6 yuan;
- when traveling further than 32 kilometers, you will need to pay an additional 2 yuan for every 20 km.
Beijing Subway Lines
Beijing subway has eighteen lines. All of them are numbered, and some of the new lines (there are three in total) have a letter name. Metro expansion will continue in the future. Until 2021, it is planned to open several branches and bring their total length to 1050 kilometers.
The convenience of the Beijing Subway is undeniable as it can take you to any part of the city. Basically, all metro lines are elongated. Line No. 2 and Line No. 10 are two ring branches, they are indicated on the diagrams in blue and light blue.
Beijing subway map in Russian is quite a rare thing, and it doesn'tis widely available, but this does not mean that it will be difficult for Russian-speaking citizens to navigate the subway. Numerical and alphabetic designation is very convenient and accessible to everyone.
Historical facts
The subway of any major city has its own interesting history. This also applies to such mode of transport as the Beijing Subway.
The main fact is that its development was not originally planned in Beijing. In addition to the fact that its construction began rather late, the development of the metro has not received. After the opening of the first branch, a second ring line was built in 1971. And then until 1999, the subway didn't expand at all.
The start of the development of the subway was the election of Beijing as the capital of the 2008 Summer Olympics. Between 2001 and 2008, five stations were built and three more laid down. The economic development of China has also given impetus to the development of the subway. This type of transport began to expand not only in the capital, but also in other large cities. So, in 2012, the Beijing subway became the largest in the world, but only for a while, and in 2013 it already gave way to the Shanghai subway.
During the construction, designers worked hard. Each metro line is decorated in a single style. This even applies to the color of the seats in the car.
Beijing Subway Step-by-Step Guide
- Initially, you need to purchase a ticket. To do this, you can buy a reusable card or a one-time receipt. You need to go to the cashier or make a purchase through the machine, whichaccepts banknotes of 5 or 10 yuan, as well as coins of 1 yuan. To buy a ticket, you need to select the line and station that the passenger will reach. The fare will cost at least 3 yuan, the system will calculate the length of the journey and give the cost. Do not buy a ticket for several days in advance. Its validity period is limited to days.
- The turnstile at the entrance works contactless. You just need to attach a ticket to it.
- Now you need to go to the station. Sometimes you can get to another platform, which is located in the direction of travel.
- Having reached the desired station, head to the exit. The ticket must be kept until the end of the trip. Now you need to pass the receipt through the turnstile at the exit.
Convenience and cons of the Beijing subway
In fact, the convenience of the subway depends on how long it took to build it, whether this or that experience of other cities was used. The subway of the capital of China can be called one of the most comfortable in the world. It is easy to navigate here and there is nothing superfluous.
Even the most capricious tourists praise the Beijing subway. Photos posted on the Web show that the subway is quite clean, light and comfortable.
Among the minuses are the busy lines located in the center. This is explained by the fact that the population of the city has increased greatly, while the central stations were laid first. The passages to them are very narrow, which creates additional inconvenience.
Besides this, speaking of the minuses, it is impossible not to note the love of the inhabitants of the city to hustle. Even if it's notoverloaded station, you will be pushed anyway. You just need to get used to it and not judge anyone.
Subway advertising
There are few advertisements in the subway, but it is special. As a rule, it is focused on high technology and very often pops up in an interactive form. So, you can see advertising on the glass partitions near the platform or when the train is moving in the tunnel.
At the same time, the metro is not overloaded with stands and signs, which creates a certain atmosphere of lightness.
Metro-2
The diameter of the Beijing subway tracks suggests that the military subway in Beijing exists. In principle, this fact is not hidden. There are three military stations closed to passengers in the Chinese capital:
- "Fushoulin";
- "Heishitou";
- "Gaojin/Takai".
All three were built before 1970 and cannot be accessed today. They are connected to the railroad and bunkers.
Metro stations and sights of the city
Many tourists are interested in how to get to the main attractions by metro. Let's describe the main routes in more detail.
- Beijing Zoo. This is a great place, located near the North Station. You can get to it by getting off at the Beijing Zoo Station of Line 4.
- Tiananmen Square, the Gugong Museum, the Museum of the Revolution and the History of China, the Forbidden City palace complex - all these and other attractions are located in the heart of the capital. You can reach them by going tostation Tian'anmen east or Tian'anmen west line 1.
- The Temple of Heaven is another must-see attraction in Beijing. To get by subway, get off at Tiantan Dongmen Station, Line 5, Exit A1.
- The Summer Imperial Palace also deserves attention. You can get to one of two subway stations: Xiyuan or Beigongmen line No. 4.
This is the subway of the capital of China. It is large, quite comfortable and indispensable when the city is in traffic jams. It is quite easy to use, and the fare is affordable for everyone.
