BEIJING, China, Sep 16 — Beneath Beijing’s iconic ring roads, which coil around the capital like giant ribbons, runs another triumph of urban mobility — the Beijing Rail Transit network.
Spanning twenty-nine lines and 878 kilometres, the extensive system — carrying an estimated 3.6 billion passengers annually — is the backbone of the city’s transport plan.
At Nanfaxin Station in Shunyi District, commuters queue at ticket machines before setting off to destinations across the capital. Passengers begin their journeys on Line 15, switching at key interchanges to reach central hubs such as Tian’anmen Square, Zhongguancun, or Beijing South Railway Station.
With fares starting from as little as four yuan per ride, the subway has become the preferred option for millions navigating Beijing’s daily grind. The network is seamlessly supported by last-mile solutions — from shared bicycles to electric scooters — making cross-city mobility hassle-free.
“The ticket machines are simple to use. You just pick your destination on the touchscreen, and the system shows you which lines to take,” says Wang, a Beijing resident.
“For example, from here in Nanfaxin, if you want to go to Tian’anmen Square, you take Line 15, transfer to Line 14, and then switch to Line 1, which drops you at Tian’anmen Dong Station.”
For many, the appeal lies not only in affordability but also in avoiding parking fees and congestion. “I usually take the subway on working days, though sometimes I drive. But for most of my colleagues, the subway is the first choice,” another commuter adds.
An auxiliary police officer stationed outside Nanfaxin notes that bicycles make a crucial difference for the last mile. “It’s convenient. Waiting for a bus can take ten minutes. With bikes, you don’t wait at all — and at just 1.5 yuan, it’s affordable,” the officer remarks.
Key subway routes include Line 10, Line 4–Daxing, Line 1–Batong, Line 6, Line 5, and Line 14, with Line 10 alone recording 1.34 million daily passenger trips by the end of 2023. Several lines — including Line 4–Daxing, Line 10, Line 5, and Line 15 — have exceeded their maximum capacity during rush hours, underscoring the system’s growing popularity.
Beijing’s subway is part of a broader metro expansion across China, now operating in 54 cities with a combined length of 10,945.6 kilometres as of December 2024, after the addition of 748 kilometres of new lines across 18 transit routes. Nationwide, the network recorded 9.5 per cent growth in 2024 — an extra 2.8 billion passenger trips — bringing the cumulative total to 32.24 billion, according to the Ministry of Transport.
The rail backbone complements a wider urban mobility ecosystem. By the end of 2024, Beijing’s road network stretched to 22,560 kilometres, including 1,276 kilometres of expressways and 6,296 kilometres of urban roads, stitched together by a web of flyovers and ring roads.
Alongside traditional combustion-engine cars, the city is rapidly embracing clean transport — new energy vehicles accounted for 642,000 of Beijing’s 5.5 million private cars by late 2024, up sharply from the previous year. Electric buses, e-bikes, and nearly a million shared bicycles further boost last-mile convenience.
Together, these systems embody Beijing’s multi-pronged push to cut congestion, improve air quality, and build a greener city. With PM2.5 pollution down 6.2 per cent in 2024 and green space expanding under China’s “garden city” plan, the capital’s drive for sustainable, low-carbon mobility is as visible underground on the subway as it is on the city’s roads.
