Beijing's No.10 subway, currently under construction for the 2008 Olympic Games, will be connected in 2010 to the No.5 and No.4 subway lines, also under construction.

Work on the lengthened section of the No.10 line will begin next year and will be one kilometer longer than the 6.85 km-extension that was originally planned in order to connect the No.4 line with lines 5 and 10, according to the Beijing Municipal Rail Transit Construction Management Co., Ltd.

The No.10 subway line will form a semi-loop line from Beijing's northwest to southeast. Its southeastern terminus, Jinsong, will be connected with Songjiazhuang on line 5 and Shiliuzhuang Lu on line 4.

Construction of the 24-km first phase of the No.10 line began in late 2004. It is expected to be completed and put into operation before the 2008 Olympics, together with the No.4 and 5 subway lines, a rail link from the No.10 line to the Olympic village and a light-rail track to the international airport.

By 2008, the total length of subway lines in operation in the capital city will increase to 200 km from the current 114 km. Four subway lines are in operation in Beijing.

Beijing is also upgrading its No.1 and No.2 subway lines by purchasing new trains and updating old ones, according to the Beijing Subway Operation Co., Ltd.

(Xinhua News Agency October 25, 2006)