The Beijing rail management company announced on Tuesday that it
has completed laying the tracks on an express rail between the
downtown area and Beijing Capital International Airport.
The 28-km light rail runs from Dongzhimen, on the northeast
corner of the second ring road which encircles downtown Beijing, to
the airport in the northeast suburbs.
Sources with the company said they would test run trains on the
rails, and continue with installing electricity, signal and
telecommunications equipment.
Passengers bound for the airport can get boarding passes and
check in luggage at the Dongzhimen station and only have to go
through security checks at the airport before taking off.
The railway, with four stops at Dongzhimen, Sanyuan Bridge and
two terminals (T2 and T3) of the airport, will be in operation
before the Olympics in August 2008.
The rail's highest speed will be 110 km per hour, making the
journey from Dongzhimen to the airport to about 16 minutes.
Beijing, with a population of 17 million, had 3.08 million
registered motor vehicles as of August. It has implemented a slew
of measures, including slashing bus fares, metro ticket prices and
improving public transit infrastructure to ease traffic pressure
and improve air quality ahead of the Olympics.
Beijing has five existing rail lines, extending 141 kilometers.
The newest, the No. 5 line, runs through the heart of Beijing from
north to south. The city will have nine lines totaling 200 km by
2008, and 19 lines totaling 561.5 km by 2020.
(Xinhua News Agency November 7, 2007)