Beijing metro operation companies release data on rising costs

According to a report from Beijing News on Friday, data released by three major metro operation companies showed that the average operation cost for each passenger on the 24 metro lines in Beijing was 14 yuan ($1.9) in 2022. This amount is nearly double the cost in 2019.

Through November, Beijing has 27 metro lines running 807 kilometers in the city, 24 of which are under the operation of Beijing Subway Operation Ltd, Beijing MTR Corporation Ltd, and Beijing Metro Operation Administration Corporation Ltd.

The average operation cost for each passenger on those 24 lines was 14 yuan in 2022. This represents an increase of 83 percent from the 7.82 yuan per person cost in 2019. This data is based on the released operation cost totality and passenger volume, according to Beijing News.

Last year's soaring average operation cost may be related to the impact of COVID-19, which lowered the passenger volume, while some subway operation costs remained the same, according to Beijing News.

Data from the Ministry of Transport showed that Beijing's total passenger volume in 2022 was 2.28 billion, which was 25.72 percent lower than 2021 and 42.48 percent lower than 2019.

Data disclosed by relevant authorities in Beijing shows that the financial subsidies borne for subway operations exceeded 20 billion yuan in 2022.

Yang Zishuo contributed to this story.