Beijing opens 4 new subway lines on Sunday, December 30, 2012

Beijing opens 4 new subway lines

CNTV

BEIJING- The Chinese capital is scheduled to open 4 new subway lines on Sunday, December 30, 2012. It’s part of the city’s efforts to expand public transport and ease severe traffic congestion. Opening their doors from Sunday are Line 6, the southern section of the current Line 8, the north section of the current Line 9, and the southern and western stretches that complete a loop for Line 10. It means Beijing now has 16 subway lines, with a total track length of 442 kilometers (274.6 miles). Beijing’s public transport system carried an average of 20.6 million people per day in 2012.

About 44 percent of Beijing residents say they use public transport, the highest percentage of any city nationwide. But Beijing still suffers from daily traffic jams, and the subway expansion is set to continue, with more lines opening in the coming years to relieve the pressure on the roads.

The Deputy Director of Beijing’s Municipal Commission for Transport says the new lines will mean more convenience for residents. Li Xiaosong, deputy director of Beijing Municipal Commission for Transport, said, “The four new lines mostly cover the city’s central areas. These areas are densely populated and are home to lots of commerce and workplaces. Therefore the transport demand is high. The opening of the four lines will bring great convenience to people’s daily lives. ”

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Video: Beijing opens 4 new subway lines

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Beijing Subway line 1 broke ground on July 1, 1965 and started formally operation on October 1, 1969. By the end of 2010, Beijing subway network had 14 lines, 198 stations and 336 kilometers (208.7 miles) of tracks in operation.

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Beijing

Population: 19,612,368 (2010)

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Some metro systems in China