Beijing plans to construct over 100 km of railroads over the next five years, increasing the city' s total railway length to some 150 km.

Key routes include the ongoing construction of the No. 5 subway line and two light railways, and the Chunyi and Wangjing extension rail lines that will be put into construction soon.

Construction of the 40.5 km light rail line connecting Xizhimen and Dongzhimen in west and east Beijing, respectively, will be completed by the end of 2005. And the 18.9-km elevated light railway, linking Bawangfen and Tongzhou, is expected to be put into operation by the end of 2002.

The 27.7 km No. 5 subway project running from the north to south part of Beijing is scheduled to be completed by 2005.

Beijing plans to finish construction on two more railroads in the coming five years. The Chunyi line, covering a distance of 4 km, will connect the Haidian District and the Summer Palace in northwest Beijing. The 16-km-long Wangjing extension route in the northeast, will go through the Wangjing residential community to Beijing International Airport.

A total of 54 km of railways have been put into operation so far in the city with an annual passenger transport capacity of 500 million, which accounts for 15 percent of Beijing's total passenger traffic volume.

(Xinhua 02/15/2001)