Beijing was the first Chinese city to be equipped with a subway station in 1971. By the end of 2020, Beijing subway has had 24 subway lines in operation, 428 subway stations, and cover a total route length of 727 kilometers. The subway 24 lines are including 19 rapid transit lines, two airport express lines, one maglev line and 2 light rail lines.
Quick Facts about the Beijing Subway
- The Beijing Subway is the world's second-largest subway system by route and length, following the Shanghai Metro.
- By the end of 2019, the Beijing Subway will be equipped with automatic ticket machines that can scan smartphones for payment.
- Subway line names: Some lines are given numbers and others are named after their terminus stations.
- Subway logo: The Beijing Subway logo, located at subway access points, is a white 'G' with a 'B' inside it on a square blue background.
Beijing Subway Map
Click to enlarge!
Beijing Subway Tickets Price
Downtown Subway Prices
The prices of Beijing subway tickets are based on distance traveled, starting from 3 yuan for the first 6 kilometers (4 miles) except the Airport Express. After 6 km, the price increases by 1 yuan for each further 6 km until the trip distance reaches 30 km (20 miles). So, a 40-km (25-mile) trip would also cost 7 yuan.
Airport Express Subway Ticket Prices
The Capital Airport Express ticket price is fixed at 25 yuan per ride. The prices of Daxing Airport Express prices are divided into different classes. The ordinary class price varies with distance from 10 yuan to 35 yuan and the business class price is fixed at 50 yuan per ride.
Beijing Subay
Recommended Tours:
- One Day Beijing Highlights Private Tour
How to Buy the Tickets
In Beijing, most passengers pay for their tickets by Transportation Smart Card (Yikatong). Passengers can buy the card or tickets at ticket counters or vending machines in every station. The vending machines are operated in Chinese and English. If you encounter difficulties for buying the tickets, you can also ask for help from the service persons in the tickets center. If you are going to stay in Beijing for a long time, the Smart Card is much better for your transit in Beijing. The Transportation Smart Card can also be used for urban and suburban bus tickets too. Since 2017, single-trip tickets can be purchased with a mobile phone app.
Notes
- The subway tickets are valid for only one day.
- Children shorter than 1.3 meters (4.3 feet) cannot take a subway train alone.
- Children below 1.3 meters (4.3 feet) travel for free when accompanied by an adult.
- Tourists are recommended to buy the tickets on vending machines by small changes such as 1RMB coins, 5RMB and 10RMB banknotes.
Beijing Subway Lines in Operation
Now there are 24 subway lines in operation. Here are the lines in different categories.
Lines Through the Downtown Center and Tourist Attractions
Line 1: (East-West Line): Sihuidong – Pingguoyuan; operation Time: 5:05-23:30; main Stops: Military Museum, Tiananmen, Forbidden City, Wangfujing; transfers lines：2, 4, 5, 9, 10, 14
Line 2: (Circle Line): Xizhimen – Jishuitan: operation Time: 5:05-22:30; main Stops: Drum Tower, Lama Temple, Beijing Train Station; transfers lines：1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 13
Line 4: Anheqiao North – Gongyixiqiao: operation Time: 5:00-22:38; main Stops: Yuanmingyuan Park, National Library, Xizhimen Streets, Xidan Streets; transfers lines：1, 2, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13, 14
Line 5: Songjiazhuang –Tiantongyuan North; operation Time: 5:00-23:11; main Stops: Yonghegong(Lama Temple), Temple of Heaven, Dongshi, Chongwenmen Streets; transfers lines：1, 2, 6, 7, 10, 13, 14, 15
Line 6: Jinanqiao –Lucheng; operation Time: 5:08-22:49; main Stops: Nanluogouxiang streets, Yangzhuang, Pinganli, Chaoyangmen; transfers lines：2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 14
Line 7: Beijing West Station –Jiaohuacheng; Operation Time: 5:10-23:15; Main Stops: Beijing West Railway Station, Caishikou, Jiulongshan, Dajiaoting ; Transfers lines：4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 14
Line 8: Zhuxingzhuang –National Art Museum; Operation Time: 5:10-23:00; Main Stops: National Olympic Park, Guloudajie ; Transfers lines：2, 6, 10, 13, 15
Beijing Subway Lines Through the Downtown
Line 9: Guogongzhuang–National Library; Operation Time: 5:20-23:49; Main Stops: National Library, Liuliqiao, Fengtai Nanlu ; Transfers lines：1, 4, 6, 7, 10, 14
Line 10: Suzhoujie –Huoqiying; Operation Time: 4:56-22:58; Main Stops: Suzhoujie, Haidian, Huangzhuang, Zhichunli, Songjiazhuang ; Transfers lines：1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14
Line 13: Xizhimen –Dongzhimen; Operation Time: 5:35-22:42; Main Stops: Xizhimen, Wudaokou, Dongzhimen ; Transfers lines：2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 15
Line 14 West: Zhangguozhuang –Xiju; Operation Time: 5:30-22:23; Main Stops: Zhangguozhuang, Garden Expo Park, Dawayao, Beijing South Railway Station ; Transfers lines：9, 10
Line 14 East: Beijing South Train Station–Shangezhuang; Operation Time: 5:30-22:20; Main Stops: Chaoyang Streets, Fengtai Lu, Beijing South Railway Station ; Transfers lines：1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 15
Line 15: Fengbo –Qinghuadongluxikou; Operation Time: 5:30-0:11; Main Stops: New CIEC, Wangjing, Haidian ; Transfers lines: 5, 8, 13, 14
Line 16: Xiyuan –Beianhe; Operation Time: 5:25-22:55; Main Stops: Bei'anhe, Malianwa, Xiaojiahe, XiyuanNew CIEC, Wangjing, Haidian ; Transfers lines：4, 9
Line S1: Jianqiao – Shichang; Operation Time: 6:12-21:00; Main Stops: Sidaoqiao, Qiaohuying, Liyuanzhuang ; Transfers lines: 6
Changping Line: Changping XishanKou –Xierqi; Operation Time: 5:45-22:44; Main Stops: Changping, Haidian, Xierqi ; Transfers lines：8, 13
Fangshan Line: Suzhuang – Guogongzhuan; Operation Time: 5:45-23:31; Main Stops: Fengtai, Fangshan, Guogongzhuan ; Transfers lines：9, 10
Yanfang Line: Yandongcun – Yanshan; Operation Time: 5:05-23:04; Main Stops: Yancun East, Dashihe East, Xingcheng ; Transfers lines: Fangshan Line
Batong Line: Sihui – Tuqiao; Operation Time: 5:50-23:22; Main Stops: Sihui, Baliqiao, Guoyuan, Jiukeshu, Tuqiao ; Transfers lines: 2, 4, 5, 7, 9
Yizhuang Line: Songjiazhuang – Ciqu; Operation Time: 5:54-23:22; Main Stops: Fengtai, Tongzhou, Ciqu ; Transfers lines: 5, 10
Yizhuang T1: Qu Zhuang – Dinghai Yuan; Operation Time: 6:10-23:00; Main Stops: Daxing, Tongzhou; Transfers lines: Yizhuang Line
Xijiao Line: Xiangshan – Bagou; Operation Time: 5:30-23:00; Main Stops: Haidian, Xiangshan, Summer Palace ; Transfers lines: 10
Beijing Airports Express Subway
Airport Express Line: Dongzhimen – Terminal T2; Operation Time: 6:00-23:52; Main Stops: Dongzhimen, Sanyuanqiao, Capital Airport; Transfers lines: 2, 10, 13
Daxing Airport Line: Caoqiao – Daxing Airport; Operation Time: 6:00-23:52; Main Stops: Caoqiao, Daxing New City, Daxing Airport Terminal Building; Transfers lines: 10
Recommended Tours:
- 4-Day Beijing Private Tour
- One Day Beijing Highlights Private Tour
Travel Tips for Beijing Subway Trains
- There are toilets on the platform level or in the ticket hall of each stop.
- There are four entrances in four directions for each stop.Please make sure you take the right one for going out.
- There may be one or two pickpockets in crowded carriages during rush hours. So, take care of your personal belongings when you are taking the subway.
- Passengers cannot take their pets into the subway trains. So, don't take the subway if you are traveling with pets.
- Chinese and English are both used for stop announcements on the subway trains.
- Passengers must keep out the yellow line when waiting for the trains
Beijing Subway History
Beijing's subway construction was proposed in September of 1953, as the local Beijing government wanted to expand the transport capacity of Beijing. At that time, the Beijing subway was constructed for both civilian and military use.
In 1957, a ring route and six more lines was planned with 114 stations and 172 kilometers (107 miles) of track. Two lines were planned to be built first: one line running east–west from Wukesong to Hongmiao and the other north–south from the Summer Palace to Zhongshan Park.
Recommended Beijing Tours:
Beijing Subway in 1965
The first line was completed and began trial operation in October 1969. This line forms part of Lines 1 and 2 of the present network. Beijing Subway Line 1 was the first subway line in China. The second line was opened to the public on September 20, 1984. The full-length of Line 1 was in operation on June 28, 2000. There were two lines running in the year 2000.
To welcome the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the Beijing government wanted to expand the subway quickly. From 2002 to 2008, Beijing subway formed a 'three ring, four horizontal, five vertical, and seven radial' subway network. Three new lines (Line 8, Line 10, and the Airport Express Line) were finished and opened to the public before the beginning of the Summer Olympics.
Recommended Beijing Tours:
Recommended Tours:
- 6-Day Beijing Chinese New Year Tour
- 1-Day Beijing Hutong Tour
- Half-Day Beijing Walking Tour in a Neighborhood
Discover Beijing with Us
Riding on subway will enable you to see most of the interesting places inside Beijing city, but it can't get you to the famous Great Wall which are outside of the city center. You can contact us for a tailor-made tour to great wall, or you can see our guide to how to plan a Great Wall tour.
Our recommended tours for inspiration:
- One-Day Private Great Wall Hiking Trip at Jinshanling
- One-Day Great Wall Hiking Tour from Jiankou to Mutianyu
- Emperor's Tour of Beijing
