Capital Airport Express

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Daxing Airport Express.
Capital Airport Express[1]
BJS Capital Airport Express icon.svg
L1-105 leaving Terminal 3 (20210108145502).jpg
A Capital Airport Express train leaving Terminal 3 station with a landing Boeing 737-700 on the background
Overview
Other name(s)M34[2]/L1[3] (planned name)
StatusOperational
LocaleDongcheng, Chaoyang, and Shunyi districts
Beijing
TerminiTerminal 3 / Terminal 2
Dongzhi Men
Stations4
Service
TypeAirport rail link
SystemBeijing Subway
Operator(s)Beijing Capital Metro Corp., Ltd.
Depot(s)Tianzhu
Rolling stock4-car Type LB (QKZ5)
Daily ridership31,300 (2014 Avg.)
49,100 (2014 Peak)[4]
Technical
Line length28.1 kilometres (17.5 mi)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Operating speed110 km/h[5]
Route map

Legend
 Terminal 2
Terminal 3
Tianzhu depot
Wenyu River
crossing
Beixiao River
Line 14 crossing
Ba River
Up arrow line 12
Left arrow line 10 outer
 Sanyuan Qiao
Line 10 Line 12 (to be opened 2021)
Left arrow line 12
line 10 inner Right arrow
Dongzhi Men
Line 13
Left arrow Xizhi Men
Line 2
Left arrow outer－inner Right arrow
Line 5
Left arrow Tiantongyuan Bei (N)－SongjiazhuangRight arrow
 Beixinqiao (to be opened 2021)
  • v
  • t
Capital Airport Express
Simplified Chinese北京地铁首都机场线
Traditional Chinese北京地鐵首都機場線

The Capital Airport Express[1] of the Beijing Subway (Chinese: 北京地铁首都机场线[1]; pinyin: Běijīng Dìtiě Shǒudū Jīchǎng Xiàn), also known by the initials ABC, Airport Beijing City, is an airport rail link from Dongzhimen station to the Beijing Capital International Airport.[6] The line became operational on July 19, 2008. On subway maps, the Capital Airport Express' color is Pantone 666C .[7]

Overview[]

Capital Airport Express trains first depart Dongzhi Men, stop at Sanyuan Qiao, then stop at Terminal 3. Trains then reverse at Terminal 3 and head to Terminal 2. Trains reverse again and proceed to Dongzhimen, stopping at Sanyuanqiao along the way.

A one-way fare on the Capital Airport Express costs RMB(¥) 25, with no free transfers from other lines.[8]

Stations[]

Service
routes 		Station Name Connections Nearby Bus Stops Time Distance
km[9] 		Location
English Chinese
Beixinqiao 北新桥  5  Dongcheng
● ● Dongzhi Men 东直门  2   13  3 18 24 44 75 106 107 117 123 130 132 135 142 200 359 401 404 413 416 418 612 850 850快 852 915 915快 916 916快 918 935 935快 942快 966 980 980快 夜6 夜10 夜20 夜32 0:00 0.000 0.000
● ● Sanyuan Qiao 三元桥  10 
 12  (U/C) 		18 95 104 132 300 300快 302 359 368 379 401 403 404 419 536 604 641 671 847 850 850快 852 915 915快 916 916快 918 935 935快 939 980 980快 夜18 夜30 0:04 3.022 3.022 Chaoyang
● ↑ Terminal 3 3号航站楼 Beijing Capital International Airport PEK 0:22 18.322 21.344 Shunyi
↳ ● Terminal 2 2号航站楼 Beijing Capital International Airport PEK 0:36 7.243 28.587 Chaoyang

History[]

The Airport Express was originally conceived to run non-stop between Dongzhimen and the Capital Airport. An intermediate stop at Sanyuanqiao was subsequently added for the convenience of passengers connecting to Line 10.[10][11]

Designers for the new line considered several types of technology for the Airport Express, including:

The linear motor option was ultimately decided upon.[10][12]

Planning accelerated after the city won the bid to host the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, which included a promise to connect the airport to the Olympic village by subway.[10] The project cost ¥5.4bn and involved a consortium of companies led by the Beijing Dongzhimen Airport Express Rail Company.[13]

The project operated under a tight delivery schedule, initially with very limited public disclosure.[13][14] During construction, officials from both the Beijing Dongzhimen Airport Express Rail Co. and Bombardier expressed concerns about whether the project would be completed, as originally planned, by the end of 2007, with test operations to start in April 2008.[14] At the time, Zhang Jianwei, chief country representative for Bombardier, called the short timetable for a project of this type unprecedented. Zhang expressed confidence that Bombardier would meet its responsibilities as its Chinese contractors routinely worked 24 hours a day, something not possible in other countries. He also noted, however, that even if the line were to open on time, the need for haste could compromise the quality of construction.[14]

There was also considerable uncertainty over the progress of the project, the identity of contractors and its operational arrangement. Construction was reported to have begun on June 14, 2005, but aspects of the project still awaited the central government's approval.[15] Local media reported in January 2005 that the train supplier had been “basically decided”, but was not officially selected and announced until March 2006.[14]

Track-laying began in March 2007 and was completed by November 2007.[16] Testing using empty trains commenced in April 2008 and official operations started on July 19 of that year, in time for the opening of the Summer Olympic Games on August 8, 2008.[17][18] The line delivered 2.17 million rides in 2008.[19]

Segment Commencement Length Station(s) Name
Dongzhimen — Terminal 3 / Terminal 2 19 July 2008 28.1 km (17.5 mi) 4 Initial phase
Dongzhimen — Beixinqiao 2021 (Planned) 1.8 km (1.1 mi)[20] 1 Western extension

Infrastructure and rolling stock[]

The Airport Express line adopts Advanced Rapid Transit (since renamed Innovia Metro) technology from Bombardier Transportation, with a fleet of 10 QKZ5 trains assembled by Changchun Railway Vehicles (CRV, now part of CRRC Corporation) under a technology transfer agreement.[21] The vehicles were based on those used on AirTrain JFK in New York City, with Bombardier providing bogies as well as the electrical, propulsion and brake systems, which were assembled by CRV.

As with the majority of Beijing Subway trains, the Airport Express trains use a 750 V third rail power supply, and have a maximum speed of 110 kilometers per hour.[5] Trains are configured in fixed sets of four cars with a total of 230 seats, arranged in a longitudinal layout to maximize their quantity.

The line uses Alstom's "Urbalis" communications-based train control system, which is capable of driving trains automatically, although staff still monitor the trains from the front (Grade of Automation level 2).[22] At the time of opening, this system made the Airport Express the first rapid transit line with automated operation in China, and the second such rail line of any kind, after the people mover in Terminal 3 at the airport, which was also supplied by Bombardier.[14]

In 2021, an eleventh train in blue livery was delivered, equipped with wider seats and mobile phone charging sockets.[23]

Model Image Manufacturer Year Built Amount in Service Fleet Numbers Depot
QKZ5 北京机场线车辆.JPG CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles
Bombardier Transportation 		2007 10 L1 101–L1 110 Tianzhu

Future Development[]

Western extension[]

The Western extension to Beixinqiao, which would provide an interchange with Line 5, is expected to enter operation in 2021. The extension is 1.8 km in length.[20]

Infill station[]

Reserved space for an infill station at Wangjing Nan (S), where the Capital Airport Express intersects with Line 14, is also part of long-term plans.[24]

Others[]

In the short term, there is little scope to increase the Airport Express line's capacity. The 4-car train sets used on the line have significantly lower capacity than those on other Beijing subway lines, which operate 6-car or 8-car train sets.[25][26] Also, the Airport Express track design requires trains from Terminal 3 to first travel to Terminal 2 before returning to the city. If trains were able to return directly from Terminal 3 to the city the capacity on the route could be increased.

Gallery[]

  • Capital Airport Express of Beijing Subway

  • Fare card showing sequence of stops

  • The Capital Airport Express at Terminal 3

  • The QKZ5 Type LB rolling stock on the Airport Express.

  • Approach to Terminal 3

  • Entering Terminal 3.

  • Capital Airport Express entrance at Terminal 2

  • Capital Airport Express train interior in 2008

  • Capital Airport Express train interior in 2020

  • Sanyuan Qiao Station entrance

  • Capital Airport Express platform at Sanyuan Qiao station

  • Dongzhi Men station platform

  • Phase II train

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c "改名了！机场线更名为首都机场线". 2019-09-24.
  2. ^ "北京市朝阳区国民经济和社会发展第十四个五年规划和二〇三五年远景目标纲要". 2021-03-18. Archived from the original on 2021-03-20.
  3. ^ "北京市城市快速轨道交通建设规划（2007—2015）". 2015-03-24. Archived from the original on 2020-09-16.
  4. ^ (Chinese) Retrieved 2012-04-28 "北京地铁昨天全路网日客运量首破800万高达839.1万人次". Beijing Subway Corporation. 2012-04-28.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b "首都机场快速轨道线首列直线电机车辆在长春下线". 2007-09-07. 最高运行速度110公里/小时
  6. ^ 地铁机场线今日开通 最大时速110公里用男乘务员 (in Chinese). Xinhua News. 2008-07-19.
  7. ^ "公共交通客运标志 第2部分：城市轨道交通" (PDF). 2016-04-01. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-08-09.
  8. ^ "Airport Express". Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  9. ^ "首都机场线路网车站站间距信息". Retrieved 2020-04-29.
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b c (Chinese) "全线运营点对点不建磁悬浮 机场轨道明年动工" 北京青年报 2003-12-14 [2012-08-25.
  11. ^ 北京机场轨道线再掀面纱 地下通道与十号线连接. 2005-03-25 [2012-08-25].
  12. ^ 5.0 5.1 北京市市政工程设计研究总院 北京市勘察设计研究院有限公司本卷主编.. 《再塑北京——市政与交通工程》. Beijing: 中国建筑工业出版社 [China Architectural and Industrial Press]. 2008. pp. 141－157. ISBN 978-7-112-09885-9.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b "Beijing Olympic Village Rail Link Construction, China" Railway-Technology.com. Retrieved [2012-12-29
  14. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Mure Dickie, "Fears over Beijing Olympic rail link" Financial Times 2006-08-18 Retrieved [2012-12-29]
  15. ^ 首都机场快速轨道首站开建 9月1日全线开工. 2005-06-15 [2012-08-25].
  16. ^ "Track laying completed for Beijing Subway Airport Line" The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Archived 2009-02-03 at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ 首都机场轨道线试运行 市区18分钟内可达机场. 2008-04-27 [2012-08-25].
  18. ^ 北京地铁周末“三线齐发” 机场线票价尚未公布. 2008-07-18 [2012-08-25].
  19. ^ 北京地铁2008年运送乘客突破12亿人次 (in Chinese). Beijing Morning News. 2009-01-02.
  20. ^ Jump up to: a b "图解：北京今年底将"一口气"开通7条（段）地铁". 2021-06-09.
  21. ^ "Bombardier Awarded Contract in China for the Beijing Capital International Airport Link With Connection to Summer 2008 Olympic Games Village" Business Wire Mar. 20, 2006
  22. ^ ^ 北京机场线将建无人驾驶地铁. 2006-08-08 [2012-08-25].
  23. ^ "能给手机充电，能放更大行李！机场线将添新车型"小蓝"". Beijing Daily (in Chinese). 2021-03-18. Retrieved 2021-04-07.
  24. ^ "关于首都国际机场线增加望京南站的提案". 2019-06-17. Archived from the original on 2021-03-06.
  25. ^ ^ a b "Linear Motor Commuter for Beijing" CNR website Accessed Mar. 27, 2010
  26. ^ "4条地铁线将装屏蔽门 (in Chinese). 法制晚报. 2010-01-20.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""