Beijing Subway

The Beijing subway is a huge train system.

It has 30 different lines. It has 524 stations for people to use.

This system is very long. It is the longest in the world. The trains help many people travel. Some trains go to the airport.

It first opened in 1971. It is the oldest system in its part of the world. Many people ride these trains every day.

The Beijing Subway is a massive train system.

It has 30 different lines and 524 stations. This system is very long. In December 2023, it became the longest metro system in the world. A metro is a system of trains that runs in a city.

The subway first opened in 1971. It is the oldest system in mainland East Asia.

In 2002, the system began to grow very fast. It used to have only two lines. Now, many people use it every day. In 2018, people took over 10 million trips every single day.

Some lines go to the airport. These are called airport express lines. Most lines charge money based on how far you travel. For example, a 40 km trip costs ¥7. You can also use a special card called Yikatong. This card stores money for your rides. Some people even use a phone app to ride. This makes traveling through the big city easier for everyone.

The Beijing Subway is a huge network of trains.

It helps millions of people move around the city every day. This system is very important for the people living in Beijing. It has 30 different lines in total. These include 25 rapid transit lines and two airport rail links. There is also one maglev line and two light rail tram lines.

The network has 524 stations across many different districts. It even reaches into the neighboring Hebei province. In December 2023, it became the longest metro system in the world.

This happened when it grew longer than the Shanghai Metro.

Traveling on the subway works in a very organized way. Most lines use a fare system based on distance. This means you pay more if your trip is longer. For example, a trip up to 6 km costs ¥3. If you travel 40 km, the cost is ¥7. The two airport express lines are different. The Capital Airport Express has a fixed fare of ¥25. The Daxing Airport Express has different prices for different classes. You can ride in ordinary class or business class.

Most people use a special card called Yikatong. This card stores money for your rides on the subway and buses. You can also use a smartphone app to ride. You simply scan a QR code to enter the station.

The history of the subway shows how much the city has grown.

The Beijing Subway first opened in 1971. This makes it the oldest metro system in mainland East Asia. In the beginning, the system was very small. It had only two lines to serve the people. The system began to expand very quickly in 2002. Since then, many new lines have been added to the map. A recent expansion happened on December 27, 2025. This added Line 18 and made Line 6 and Line 17 longer.

The system is still growing to meet the needs of the city.

There are many interesting facts about how busy this system is.

In 2018, people made 3.8484 billion trips on the subway. That is about 10.544 million trips every single day. On July 12, 2019, the system set a single-day record. On that day, 13.7538 million people rode the trains. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, it was the busiest metro system in the world. Some lines are very long, like Line 10. Line 10 is a loop line that goes around the urban core.

Other lines, like Line 6, are 53.4 km long.

You can see how the subway connects to the rest of the world.

Many lines follow the checkerboard layout of the city streets. Some lines run through famous places like Tiananmen Square. Line 2 follows the path of the old city wall. It even stops at 11 former gates of the city. The subway also helps people reach important places like airports.

If you are a senior citizen over 65, you can ride for free. People with physical disabilities can also ride for free. This makes the subway a tool for everyone in the community. It connects far-away suburbs to the busy center of the city.

The Beijing Subway is a massive rapid transit system serving the Beijing Municipality. It is a vital piece of infrastructure that moves millions of people through the city every day. The network currently consists of 30 different lines. These include 25 rapid transit lines, two airport rail links, one maglev line, and two light rail tram lines.

With 524 stations, the system covers 12 urban and suburban districts. It even extends into the Langfang district of Hebei province. In December 2023, the Beijing Subway became the longest metro system in the world by route length. It achieved this by surpassing the Shanghai Metro.

The subway operates through a complex series of lines that follow the city's layout. Most lines in the urban core follow a checkerboard pattern. They run either parallel or perpendicular to each other. This creates a grid that makes navigation easier.

A major feature is the Line 10 loop. This line runs beneath or just beyond the Third Ring Road. It acts as an outer loop that defines the urban core. Most other lines in the center intersect with this loop.

Some lines, like Line 1 and Line 2, serve even older parts of the city. Line 2 is a rectangular loop that traces the old Ming-era city wall. It stops at 11 former gates that are now busy intersections.

Fares for the Beijing Subway are calculated using a distance-based system. For most lines, the price depends on how far you travel. A trip of up to 6 km costs ¥3. For the next 6 km, the price increases to ¥4. This pattern continues with ¥1 increases for every 10 km until the trip reaches 32 km. After 32 km, the fare increases by ¥2 for every 20 km traveled. For example, a 40 km trip costs ¥7. The airport lines use different rules. The Capital Airport Express has a fixed fare of ¥25 per ride. The Daxing Airport Express offers class-based fares. Passengers can choose an ordinary class or a business class seat. Ordinary fares vary from ¥10 to ¥35, while business class is a fixed ¥50.

Passengers use several methods to pay for their journeys. Many people use the Yikatong card, also known as the Beijing Municipal Administration & Communication Card. This is an integrated circuit card. It stores credit for the subway and urban buses. It can even store e-money for other purchases. Riders can also use the Yitongxing smartphone app. This app allows users to buy unlimited-ride tickets. These tickets are valid for periods of one to seven days. As of January 2025, passengers can also tap contactless payment cards, including international credit cards.

To prevent fraud, passengers must complete their trips within four hours. If they stay longer, they must pay a ¥3 surcharge.

The history of the system shows rapid growth over many decades. The Beijing Subway opened in 1971. This makes it the oldest metro system in China and on the mainland of East Asia.

In its early years, the system was very small. It had only two lines. A period of rapid expansion began in 2002. Since then, the network has grown to include many more routes. A very recent expansion occurred on December 27, 2025. This expansion included the opening of Line 18 and extensions for Line 6 and Line 17.

The scale of the system's ridership is truly massive. In 2018, the subway delivered 3.8484 billion trips. This averages out to about 10.544 million trips every single day. The system set a single-day ridership record on July 12, 2019. On that day, 13.7538 million people used the subway.

Because of this high volume, the system was the busiest metro in the world before the COVID-19 pandemic. To keep up with demand, the Phase 2 Construction Plan aims to serve 18.5 million trips every day.

The subway also serves important social functions through its fare policies. Certain groups of people can ride for free. This includes senior citizens over the age of 65. It also includes individuals with physical disabilities. Other free riders include retired revolutionary cadres and military personnel who were wounded in action.

Additionally, children below a certain height can ride for free if they are with a paying adult. These rules help ensure the system is accessible to all members of the community. The subway connects the busy city center to far-away suburbs and even nearby provinces.