Beijing Subway's Line 18 has just begun its trial operation without passengers on board and is scheduled to open to the public by the end of the year.

Route Map of Line 18

The line, 20.8 kilometers long, runs through Haidian and Changping districts. The stations in Haidian District are Malianwa, Shangdi Ruanjianyuan, and Dongbeiwang, while those in Changping District are Beijiaonongchang Qiao, Huilongguan Xidajie, Wenhua Lu, Huilongguan Dongdajie, Huoying Dong (E), Tiantongyuan, Taipingzhuang, and Tiantongyuandong. Among them, Malianwa is a transfer station between Line 18 and Line 16.

A subway car during its trial operation phase

[Photo via the Haidian District Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development]

Line 18 has a maximum passenger capacity of 2,016 people with a top operating speed of 80 km/h. In order to enhance passenger comfort and safety services, the cars employ air-conditioning units that feature dual-end air outlets with side ducts, ensuring a uniform air distribution inside, while the grilles adopt a horizontal airflow mode to further improve passenger experience. In addition, the cars are equipped with carbon fiber heated seats to significantly improve passengers' riding comfort, the first use of such a technology in subway cars in China.

Once operational, Line 18 will strengthen connections between large residential communities in northern Haidian, the "Huitian Area" (Huilongguan and Tiantongyuan) of Changping, and major employer hubs such as Zhongguancun Software Park and those along Beiqing Road. It will greatly reduce the travel time among these areas and better meet the local residents' commuting needs.

(Source: Beijing Fabu)