I think it took longer at Dongzhimen when you walked from Line 2 to Line 13 because you were walking to the Line 13 boarding platform, and the arrival platform is closer to Line 2
In ancient times Line 13 was in a different system from Lines 1/2 and to transfer at Xizhimen one had to exit the station. Later the section outside the station was eradicated but through the creation of a restricted passageway on the surface connecting the two stations, and it is rumored to be over a kilometer of walking that usually takes half an hour. It is also speculated that some transfers in the Beijing subway system are deliberately prolonged in order to trap more passengers in the passageways and feed the platforms more smoothly so that the platforms wouldn't become dangerously overcrowded.
Wow! Thanks for sharing this info. Appreciate it! I heard that you needed to go out of Xizhimen to transfer stations, which is so fascinating because it's very very rare to do so now in Beijing subway. It's all so connected.
The longest loop metro line record was just broke by Moscow line 11😄back to transfers stations, BJ's city road network is a very rectangle grid, 90 degree intersections everywhere, metro network design naturally matches this shape, the primary consideration is to move ppl cross surburban and center in the shortest way, so north-south and east-west straight along existing traffic corridors. The convienience of transfer is not priority at that time because the network at that time doesn't need much transfers. As the urban grows & changes fast, some early metro designs have outdated even before being built, the design has to change to accomodate new urban developments. Some transfer stations were not orginally designed to host more than 1 line, then later when plan changes it has to work around using long winding passages to make it work. Later network plan becomes more stable, so newer lines generally have better connection because the transfer passage is already considered with other factors like location/track/platform alignment in master plan. Hong Kong metro system is a very different design compared to BJ. HKMTR uses mostly parallel transfers, which is you transfer to another line by simply going to another side of the platform. HK's urban landscape is very scatterred because of its mountainous terrain, you have isolated urban areas here and there, and a lot of them are strip shape because you have to develop along the only flat space between hills and on seashore. So HKMTR lines can naturally share same corridor at population centers, then divert to different directions. When you have two lines running parallel for a section, it is possible to make parrallel transfer. It requires two tunnels for each line, one on top and one beneath it, and sometimes tunnels need to do a up-down swap between stations, so it is more expensive and difficult engineering.
You're a subway genius and I appreciate you for that! Thank you for this explanation. I read it with great pleasure. If you can point me to online resources or forums about China/ Beijing subway, I'd be thankful!
The London Underground has some short and long transfers too. In the short category changing to the Piccadilly line to go to either Uxbridge or Heathrow Terminal 5 from the District line is no distance at all, it's the opposite platform. Some long walks Northern to the Jubilee line at London Bridge (5 minute walk) and Victoria line to the Northern Line at Goodge Street (another 5 minute walk)
Why does line 8 avoid line 1 at 天安门? I did some digging and found these Beijing Subway Line 8 avoids intersecting with Line 1 at Tian'anmen Square primarily due to historical, structural, and logistical reasons: 1. Preservation of Historical and Cultural Heritage Tian'anmen Square is one of China's most significant cultural and political landmarks. The square, along with the nearby Forbidden City, is heavily protected by heritage conservation laws. Constructing a subway interchange beneath or extremely close to these areas could pose risks to the structural integrity of these historical sites. 2. Geological and Structural Challenges The area around Tian'anmen Square has complex underground conditions, including existing tunnels, utilities, and foundational structures of historical buildings. Building an interchange station there would require extensive excavation, which could destabilize these structures. 3. Security Concerns Tian'anmen Square is not just a tourist site but also a politically sensitive area. Increased pedestrian traffic from an interchange station might complicate crowd control and security management in the square. 4. Existing Connectivity Although Line 8 does not directly intersect Line 1 at Tian'anmen Square, it connects with Line 1 at nearby transfer stations like Wangfujing Station (Line 1) and Qianmen Station (Line 2). This provides sufficient passenger flow distribution without requiring a direct interchange beneath the square. 5. Planning and Urban Design When planning subway lines, urban designers aim to balance passenger flow and avoid overcrowding at key transfer hubs. An interchange at Tian'anmen Square might have created excessive passenger congestion in an already busy area. In short, the decision reflects a combination of heritage protection, structural feasibility, security considerations, and urban planning principles.
Also. why is it called line 13? Here's why: Beijing Subway's Line 13 was the third subway line to be constructed, yet it was named "13" due to a combination of historical planning, long-term urban development goals, and numerical alignment with Beijing's subway master plan. Here's why: 📊 1. Early Planning and Master Plan Designation In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Beijing's subway network was planned with multiple future lines in mind. During this planning stage, each proposed line was assigned a number based on its position in the future network, not the order of construction. Line 13 was envisioned as a "semi-loop" suburban line in the northern part of the city, connecting rapidly growing suburban areas. 🛠 2. Construction Order vs. Planned Numbering Beijing's Line 1 (east-west) and Line 2 (circular loop) were already established. When the third line was built in the early 2000s, it was always intended to fit into the larger pre-assigned numbering system, and not necessarily take the next available number in construction order. 🚇 3. Integration into the Network Plan The numbering system prioritized geographical and functional organization, not construction sequence. Line 13's location and function fit the number it was given in the master plan, which aimed for a logical, predictable layout of the subway system as it expanded. 📈 4. Avoiding Renaming Confusion Changing the line number to match construction order after planning would have caused confusion among planners, engineers, and the public. Keeping the pre-assigned number ensured consistency across planning documents and future subway maps. 🗺 5. Line 13’s Unique Role Line 13 was essentially designed as a "suburban commuter line", linking northern districts to the city center. Its alignment and purpose were distinct enough to warrant maintaining its assigned number, regardless of its construction order. In summary, Line 13 retained its number because it was pre-assigned in the city's subway master plan, which prioritized logical network growth over construction sequence.
I'm starting to think that, the newer the line, the deeper they have to dig. Take Line 19 for example, 10 stations on the line, (I honestly don't get why they needed 8 cars on one train for only 10 stations) and extremely deep, as in, deeper than Line 10 and Line 6. But Line 9 is higher than Line 6, even though Line 6 is newer. Another example is Line 10 and Line 7. Line 10 was the 5th... I think line to have been constructed and Line 7 is newer. I'm still confused by this.
You know, when I moved to Beijing, there were only two subway lines. I still remember the scene when Line 13 opened. I have been away from Beijing for three years. After watching your video, I found many new changes! Thank you!
Line 13 for me will always be the most iconic line for me, because that's all I knew when I first arrived in China (was studying in Wudaokou). In the past three years, Beijing subway has seen a lot of changes. I hope you get to see them for yourself soon!
Speaking of how many cars you need on a train, honestly 6 cars is enough (I'm not saying I hate you, Lines 6,7,16,17 and 19) it's just that for a shorter line (Line 19) 8 cars is just unnecessary.
Haha! It was either Xizhimen or Dongzhimen, they both connect Line 13 and Line 2. But I read online that Dogzhimen was longer. I'm thinking of a part #2 and will definitely see whether Xizhimen can prove the internet wrong.
I think it took longer at Dongzhimen when you walked from Line 2 to Line 13 because you were walking to the Line 13 boarding platform, and the arrival platform is closer to Line 2
Thoroughly satisfying video. Well done!
In ancient times Line 13 was in a different system from Lines 1/2 and to transfer at Xizhimen one had to exit the station. Later the section outside the station was eradicated but through the creation of a restricted passageway on the surface connecting the two stations, and it is rumored to be over a kilometer of walking that usually takes half an hour.
It is also speculated that some transfers in the Beijing subway system are deliberately prolonged in order to trap more passengers in the passageways and feed the platforms more smoothly so that the platforms wouldn't become dangerously overcrowded.
Wow! Thanks for sharing this info. Appreciate it! I heard that you needed to go out of Xizhimen to transfer stations, which is so fascinating because it's very very rare to do so now in Beijing subway. It's all so connected.
The longest loop metro line record was just broke by Moscow line 11😄back to transfers stations, BJ's city road network is a very rectangle grid, 90 degree intersections everywhere, metro network design naturally matches this shape, the primary consideration is to move ppl cross surburban and center in the shortest way, so north-south and east-west straight along existing traffic corridors. The convienience of transfer is not priority at that time because the network at that time doesn't need much transfers. As the urban grows & changes fast, some early metro designs have outdated even before being built, the design has to change to accomodate new urban developments. Some transfer stations were not orginally designed to host more than 1 line, then later when plan changes it has to work around using long winding passages to make it work. Later network plan becomes more stable, so newer lines generally have better connection because the transfer passage is already considered with other factors like location/track/platform alignment in master plan.
Hong Kong metro system is a very different design compared to BJ. HKMTR uses mostly parallel transfers, which is you transfer to another line by simply going to another side of the platform. HK's urban landscape is very scatterred because of its mountainous terrain, you have isolated urban areas here and there, and a lot of them are strip shape because you have to develop along the only flat space between hills and on seashore. So HKMTR lines can naturally share same corridor at population centers, then divert to different directions. When you have two lines running parallel for a section, it is possible to make parrallel transfer. It requires two tunnels for each line, one on top and one beneath it, and sometimes tunnels need to do a up-down swap between stations, so it is more expensive and difficult engineering.
You're a subway genius and I appreciate you for that! Thank you for this explanation. I read it with great pleasure. If you can point me to online resources or forums about China/ Beijing subway, I'd be thankful!
Line 19 has 8 cars. Does each car got 4 or 5 doors?
The London Underground has some short and long transfers too. In the short category changing to the Piccadilly line to go to either Uxbridge or Heathrow Terminal 5 from the District line is no distance at all, it's the opposite platform.
Some long walks Northern to the Jubilee line at London Bridge (5 minute walk) and Victoria line to the Northern Line at Goodge Street (another 5 minute walk)
Good to know! The first time I switched lines by walking to the opposite side of the same platform, I genuinely felt confused 😅
Why does line 8 avoid line 1 at 天安门? I did some digging and found these
Beijing Subway Line 8 avoids intersecting with Line 1 at Tian'anmen Square primarily due to historical, structural, and logistical reasons:
1. Preservation of Historical and Cultural Heritage
Tian'anmen Square is one of China's most significant cultural and political landmarks. The square, along with the nearby Forbidden City, is heavily protected by heritage conservation laws. Constructing a subway interchange beneath or extremely close to these areas could pose risks to the structural integrity of these historical sites.
2. Geological and Structural Challenges
The area around Tian'anmen Square has complex underground conditions, including existing tunnels, utilities, and foundational structures of historical buildings. Building an interchange station there would require extensive excavation, which could destabilize these structures.
3. Security Concerns
Tian'anmen Square is not just a tourist site but also a politically sensitive area. Increased pedestrian traffic from an interchange station might complicate crowd control and security management in the square.
4. Existing Connectivity
Although Line 8 does not directly intersect Line 1 at Tian'anmen Square, it connects with Line 1 at nearby transfer stations like Wangfujing Station (Line 1) and Qianmen Station (Line 2). This provides sufficient passenger flow distribution without requiring a direct interchange beneath the square.
5. Planning and Urban Design
When planning subway lines, urban designers aim to balance passenger flow and avoid overcrowding at key transfer hubs. An interchange at Tian'anmen Square might have created excessive passenger congestion in an already busy area.
In short, the decision reflects a combination of heritage protection, structural feasibility, security considerations, and urban planning principles.
Well explained. Thanks William. Appreciate you spreading the knowledge.
Also. why is it called line 13? Here's why:
Beijing Subway's Line 13 was the third subway line to be constructed, yet it was named "13" due to a combination of historical planning, long-term urban development goals, and numerical alignment with Beijing's subway master plan. Here's why:
📊 1. Early Planning and Master Plan Designation
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Beijing's subway network was planned with multiple future lines in mind.
During this planning stage, each proposed line was assigned a number based on its position in the future network, not the order of construction.
Line 13 was envisioned as a "semi-loop" suburban line in the northern part of the city, connecting rapidly growing suburban areas.
🛠 2. Construction Order vs. Planned Numbering
Beijing's Line 1 (east-west) and Line 2 (circular loop) were already established.
When the third line was built in the early 2000s, it was always intended to fit into the larger pre-assigned numbering system, and not necessarily take the next available number in construction order.
🚇 3. Integration into the Network Plan
The numbering system prioritized geographical and functional organization, not construction sequence.
Line 13's location and function fit the number it was given in the master plan, which aimed for a logical, predictable layout of the subway system as it expanded.
📈 4. Avoiding Renaming Confusion
Changing the line number to match construction order after planning would have caused confusion among planners, engineers, and the public.
Keeping the pre-assigned number ensured consistency across planning documents and future subway maps.
🗺 5. Line 13’s Unique Role
Line 13 was essentially designed as a "suburban commuter line", linking northern districts to the city center.
Its alignment and purpose were distinct enough to warrant maintaining its assigned number, regardless of its construction order.
In summary, Line 13 retained its number because it was pre-assigned in the city's subway master plan, which prioritized logical network growth over construction sequence.
This is an amazing explanation! Thank you.
I'm starting to think that, the newer the line, the deeper they have to dig. Take Line 19 for example, 10 stations on the line, (I honestly don't get why they needed 8 cars on one train for only 10 stations) and extremely deep, as in, deeper than Line 10 and Line 6. But Line 9 is higher than Line 6, even though Line 6 is newer. Another example is Line 10 and Line 7. Line 10 was the 5th... I think line to have been constructed and Line 7 is newer. I'm still confused by this.
In Mexico there is a Subway transfer which is 880 m long
Now that's what i call a challenge!
Hello, brother. Can I ask what application can be used for Google maps? Thanks
You know, when I moved to Beijing, there were only two subway lines. I still remember the scene when Line 13 opened. I have been away from Beijing for three years. After watching your video, I found many new changes! Thank you!
Line 13 for me will always be the most iconic line for me, because that's all I knew when I first arrived in China (was studying in Wudaokou). In the past three years, Beijing subway has seen a lot of changes. I hope you get to see them for yourself soon!
@@longinchina Wow, I'm also at Wudaokou.
@@pptskills Wudaokou rules!! Was there a couple of months on a day visit. The 枣糕 place is heavenly, if you've never been. Right next to 森马。
@@longinchina Okay, thank you.
@@longinchinayou were in Tsinghua University?
Sanyuanqiao is having an extra line added to make 3.
Which app you use in the video? 😄
The app is called Keep! 😁
you need those shoes with the wheels in them
Haha. Not sure if I can find them in size 44.
To anyone that's ever been on Line 14:
Just why on God's Green Earth does each of the six cars need 5 doors?
You sound like an American. Well, I was also impressed by NY subway 35 years ago when coming from China.
How much has the NY subway changed since?
My home is only 50 kilometers away from Tiananmen Square.
Speaking of how many cars you need on a train, honestly 6 cars is enough (I'm not saying I hate you, Lines 6,7,16,17 and 19) it's just that for a shorter line (Line 19) 8 cars is just unnecessary.
Xizhimen, Qianmen, and Shilihe are honorable mentions, too
You can only want to remove faults .
西直门，西直门，西直门
下次吧！哈哈。
I was expecting you to do the Xizhimen transfer haha. I heard its dreadful
Haha! It was either Xizhimen or Dongzhimen, they both connect Line 13 and Line 2. But I read online that Dogzhimen was longer. I'm thinking of a part #2 and will definitely see whether Xizhimen can prove the internet wrong.
Do you have such a subway in your country.
Nope. A subway won't work in Lebanon. It's costly and the country is small.
微生物
Complicate