3 New Subway Lines Soon to Start Operation Within This Year

Following the successful trial run of Beijing Subway's Line 17 (mid-section) and Line 6's southern extension, Line 18 (Malianwa - Tiantongyuandong) started its test run on October 25. In other words, all the three aforementioned subway lines/sections will have their full operation by the end of this year.

The trial phase, which will last no less than 30 days, will see the three lines/sections operating in accordance with the planned timetable in a fully enclosed simulation mode. Key indicators, such as punctuality rates and equipment failure rates, will be comprehensively tested, while emergency response and passenger evacuation drills will be conducted at the same time. Once the indicators meet the required standards and pass safety tests, the three lines/sections covering about 30.1 kilometers will be approved for official operations.

Line 18 (Malianwa - Tiantongyuandong), running about 19.8 kilometers through Haidian and Changping districts, is a backbone east-west route in the north of Beijing. It features 11 stations, four of which are interchange stations, connecting Lines 16, 8, 5, and 17 at Malianwa Station, Huilongguan Dongdajie Station, Tiantong Yuan Station, and Tiantongyuandong Station respectively. Once in operation, Line 18 will directly cater to the commuting needs of large residential areas, such as Tiantongyuan and Huilongguan, thereby relieving the transport pressure from Huilongguan-Tiantongyuan area to Shangdi Software Park.

Line 17 is a key high-capacity route traversing urban areas from south to north, connecting residential districts including those close to Tiantongyuan, Wangjing Xi, Taiyanggong, and Panjiayuan. Its southern section (Jiahuihu - Shilihe) and northern section [Workers' Stadium - Weilaikexuechengbei (Future Science City North)] have been in operation since 2021 and 2023 respectively. The mid-section, stretching around 8.2 kilometers from Shilihe Station to Workers' Stadium Station, features four stations. The two extant sections of Line 17 will be connected via the mid-section once it is completed, thereby reducing the travel time from Jiahuihu Station to Weilaikexuechengbei (Future Science City North) Station to only 66 minutes. It will also help relieve the passenger flow pressure of Lines 5 and 10, as well as the transport pressure in the nearby regions.

Line 6, the east-west backbone route of Beijing's central urban area, has been extended southward for approximately 2.1 kilometers. The extended part, starting from the existing Lucheng Station, along Yunhe East Street, and terminating at Luyang Station, is an important component of the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center's railway network plan. It is designed to greatly relieve Beijing of the functions nonessential for the capital, promote the quality of green transport, and enhance the transportation supporting functions of the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center.

(Source: Beijing Daily)