Ever wondered about floating above Beijing’s bustling streets? Today we explore the Beijing Subway S1 Line. It is no ordinary subway. It uses magnetic levitation or maglev technology.
The Beijing Subway S1 Line is a medium-low speed maglev line. Imagine a train gliding silently. It does not touch the tracks. This is thanks to electromagnetic forces. The carriages hover about one centimeter above the tracks. This reduces friction. It also provides an incredibly smooth ride.
This line is operated by the Beijing Mass Transit Railway Operation Corporation Limited. The Beijing Subway S1 Line opened on December 30, 2017. It runs between Pingguoyuan in Shijingshan District. It goes west to Shichang in Mentougou District.
The Beijing Subway S1 Line uses advanced magnetic levitation tech. Its top speed can hit 105 km/h. The usual operating speed is between 80 and 100 km/h. The whole line stretches 10.236 km. Most of it is elevated about 9.953 km. Only a small part is underground about 0.283 km. There are eight stations along the route.
CRRC Tangshan made the six-coach maglev trains. They are a subsidiary of CRRC. The Beijing Subway S1 Line is China’s third commercial maglev train. It represents Beijing’s commitment. Beijing wants to tackle environmental issues. These are caused by heavy car use and fast urbanization.
The Beijing Subway S1 Line designation has an interesting backstory. It was initially planned as a suburban railway line. It would reuse the Jingmen Railway. This connected Cishousi station to Mentougou District. That plan was shelved. The section between Pingguoyuan and Cishousi became part of Line 6. The remaining section was reborn as the Maglev S1 Line.
Construction began on April 20, 2015. By March 31, 2017, the main structure west of the Yongding River was complete. The initial section from Jin’anqiao to Shichang opened in late 2017.
Initially, the Beijing Subway S1 Line wasn’t connected. It was not connected to the rest of the subway network. But that changed with the opening of Line 6 Phase 3. Now passengers can transfer at Jin’anqiao. In July 2021, a major bridge was completed. This paved the way for extending the line to Pingguoyuan. This extension opened on December 31, 2021.
The Beijing Subway S1 Line has eight stations. They include Shichang, Xiaoyuan and Liyuanzhuang. Also, there are Shang’an, Qiaohuying and Sidao Qiao. Finally, Jin’anqiao and Pingguoyuan. Each station offers convenient access to bus routes.
The trains on the Beijing Subway S1 Line are unique. They are incompatible with other lines. Each train has six cars. It is 89 meters long and 3 meters wide.
So next time you are in Beijing consider a ride on the Beijing Subway S1 Line. It is a smooth silent journey. It offers a glimpse into the future of urban transport.