Beijing's Subway Line 22 launches empty-load trial operations

Subway Line 22, Beijing's first urban rail route spanning the capital and neighboring Hebei province, launched empty-load trial operations on Tuesday, advancing a scheduled year-end opening, municipal authorities said.

Stretching 79.1 kilometers, the line runs east from Hongmiao in Beijing's Chaoyang district to Pinggu new city, encompassing 20 stations — 15 in Beijing and five in Hebei.

It connects three Beijing districts — Chaoyang, Tongzhou and Pinggu — with Sanhe in Hebei, linking Beijing's central business district to residential areas across the provincial border.

The Beijing Major Projects Construction Headquarters Office and Beijing Metro Operation Administration Corporation said on Tuesday that the trial operation marks a critical milestone, putting the line on track to meet basic opening conditions by the end of this year.

Once fully operational, the line will deliver seamless connections between Sanhe, a county in Hebei's Langfang city, and Beijing's urban rail network.

Officials said the route will ease cross-region commutes and amplify the economic influence of Beijing's subcenter Tongzhou over three counties in Langfang — Sanhe, Dachang, and Xianghe.

The Beijing Major Projects Construction Headquarters Office said multiple transfer hubs are available along the line: Hongmiao connects with Line 14, Guanzhuang with Line 1 (Batong Line), Beiguan with Line 6, and subcenter station with both Line 6 and the Beijing-Tangshan intercity railway.

The line balances high-speed capacity and standard metro service frequency, with a maximum speed of 160km/h on elevated sections and 120km/h in underground tunnels.

The trip from Yanjiao — a town in Sanhe county and major residential areas for commuters — to Beijing's Tongzhou takes nine minutes, while rides to Hongmiao in the CBD core area take roughly 28 minutes, authorities said.

The rail operator noted the new line features Beijing's first passenger-focused intelligent video analytics platform. The system integrates real-time ridership monitoring, safety alert functions and passenger service support capabilities.

The trial period will proceed in two phases, with the first phase covering integrated testing of eight core systems, including rolling stock, signaling and communication equipment.

The second phase will conduct full simulated operations following official timetables, with comprehensive evaluations of key performance indicators such as train punctuality and schedule compliance.