Category Archives: beijing

Beijing Line 8 temporarily closes, extended version to open soon

Beijing Subway Line 8 has been temporarily closed. The current four-station line runs from Beitucheng through the Olympic Green to
South Gate of Forest Park. Don’t panic, the reason for the closure is the impending opening of Line 8, phase 2! The second phase, scheduled to open in late December, will extend the line to the north, with additional interchanges with the Changping Line and Line 13. The full list of new stations is listed below.
  • Zhuxinzhuang 朱辛庄 (Changping Line)
  • Pingxifu 平西府
  • Huoying 霍营 (Line 13)
  • Xisanqi 西三旗
  • Xisanqi South 西三旗南
  • Yongtai 永泰
  • Lincui Lu 林萃路
  • South Gate of Forest Park 森林公园南门
  • Olympic Green 奥林匹克公园
  • Olympic Sports Center 奥体中心
  • Beitucheng 北土城 (Line 10)

Round-up: Shanghai metro crash, Singapore Circle Line, Beijing interchange

Beijing Subway station names in Pinyin

We need your help! We’re planning to add Pinyin names to our metro maps to help you pronounce metro station names more easily. After your great help on the Shanghai names, we need your help to check the accuracy of the Beijing Subway transliterations. Take a look over the list of Beijing Subway stations below, and if you see any errors in the pinyin column, leave us a comment! In particular:
* Do all syllables have the correct pinyin, including tone mark?
* Are the word boundaries correct? The Beijing Subway tends to run multiple words together in Pinyin. We’ve tried to use more logical word breaks where possible.

English Chinese Pinyin
Pingguoyuan 苹果园 Píngguǒyuán
Gucheng 古城 Gǔchéng
Bajiao Amusement Park 八角游乐园 Bājiǎo Yóulèyuán
Babaoshan 八宝山 Bābǎoshān
Yuquanlu 玉泉路 Yùquán Lù
Wukesong 五棵松 Wǔkēsōng
Wanshoulu 万寿路 Wànshòu Lù
Gongzhufen 公主坟 Gōngzhǔfén
Military Museum 军事博物馆 Jūnshì Bówùguǎn
Muxidi 木樨地 Mùxīdì
Nanlishilu 南礼士路 Nánlǐshì Lù
Fuxingmen 复兴门 Fùxīngmén
Xidan 西单 Xīdān
Tian’anmen West 天安门西 Tiān’ānmén Xī
Tian’anmen East 天安门东 Tiān’ānmén Dōng
Wangfujing 王府井 Wángfǔjǐng
Dongdan 东单 Dōngdān
Jianguomen 建国门 Jiànguómén
Yonganli 永安里 Yǒng’ānlǐ
Guomao 国贸 Guómào
Dawanglu 大望路 Dàwàng Lù
Sihui 四惠 Sìhuì
Sihui East 四惠东 Sìhuì Dōng
Xizhimen 西直门 Xīzhímén
Chegongzhuang 车公庄 Chēgōngzhuāng
Fuchengmen 阜成门 Fùchéngmén
Changchunjie 长椿街 Chángchūn Jiē
Xuanwumen 宣武门 Xuānwǔmén
Hepingmen 和平门 Hépíngmén
Qianmen 前门 Qiánmén
Chongwenmen 崇文门 Chóngwénmén
Beijing Railway Station 北京站 Běijīng Zhàn
Chaoyangmen 朝阳门 Cháoyángmén
Dongsi Shitiao 东四十条 Dōngsì Shítiáo
Dongzhimen 东直门 Dōngzhímén
Yonghegong Lama Temple 雍和宫 Yōnghégōng
Andingmen 安定门 Āndìngmén
Guloudajie 鼓楼大街 Gǔlóu Dàjiē
Jishuitan 积水潭 Jīshuǐtán
Tiantongyuan North 天通苑北 Tiāntōngyuàn Běi
Tiantongyuan 天通苑 Tiāntōngyuàn
Tiantongyuan South 天通苑南 Tiāntōngyuàn Nán
Lishuiqiao 立水桥 Lìshuǐqiáo
Lishuiqiao South 立水桥南 Lìshuǐqiáo Nán
Beiyuanlu North 北苑路北 Běiyuànlù Běi
Datunlu East 大屯路东 Dàtún Lù Dōng
Huixinxijie Beikou 惠新西街北口 Huìxīn Xījiē Běikǒu
Huixinxijie Nankou 惠新西街南口 Huìxīn Xījiē Nánkǒu
Hepingxiqiao 和平西桥 Hépíngxīqiáo
Hepinglibeijie 和平里北街 Hépínglǐ Běijiē
Beixinqiao 北新桥 Běixīnqiáo
Zhangzizhonglu 张自忠路 Zhāng Zìzhōng Lù
Dongsi 东四 Dōngsì
Dengshikou 灯市口 Dēngshìkǒu
Ciqikou 磁器口 Cíqìkǒu
Tiantandongmen 天坛东门 Tiāntándōngmén
Puhuangyu 蒲黄榆 Púhuángyú
Liujiayao 刘家窑 Liújiāyáo
Songjiazhuang 宋家庄 Sòngjiāzhuāng
Beitucheng 北土城 Běitǔchéng
Olympic Sports Center 奥体中心 Àotǐ Zhōngxīn
Olympic Green 奥林匹克公园 Àolínpǐkè Gōngyuán
South Gate of Forest Park 森林公园南门 Sēnlín Gōngyuán Nánmén
Bagou 巴沟 Bāgōu
Suzhoujie 苏州街 Sūzhōu Jiē
Haidian Huangzhuang 海淀黄庄 Hǎidiàn Huángzhuāng
Zhichunli 知春里 Zhīchūnlǐ
Zhichunlu 知春路 Zhīchūn Lù
Xitucheng 西土城 Xītǔchéng
Mudanyuan 牡丹园 Mǔdānyuán
Jiandemen 建德门 Jiàndémén
Anzhenmen 安贞门 Ānzhēnmén
Shaoyaoju 芍药居 Sháoyàojū
Taiyanggong 太阳宫 Tàiyánggōng
Sanyuanqiao 三元桥 Sānyuánqiáo
Liangmaqiao 亮马桥 Liàngmǎqiáo
Agricultural Exhibition Center 农业展览馆 Nóngyè Zhǎnlǎnguǎn
Tuanjiehu 团结湖 Tuánjiéhú
Hujialou 呼家楼 Hūjiālóu
Jintaixizhao 金台夕照 Jīntái Xìzhào
Shuangjing 双井 Shuāngjǐng
Jinsong 劲松 Jìnsōng
Dazhongsi 大钟寺 Dàzhōngsì
Wudaokou 五道口 Wǔdàokǒu
Shangdi 上地 Shàngdì
Xi’erqi 西二旗 Xī’èrqí
Longze 龙泽 Lóngzé
Huilongguan 回龙观 Huílóngguān
Huoying 霍营 Huòyíng
Beiyuan 北苑 Běiyuàn
Wangjing West 望京西 Wàngjīng Xī
Guangximen 光熙门 Guāngxīmén
Liufang 柳芳 Liǔfāng
Gaobeidian 高碑店 Gāobēidiàn
Communication University of China 广播学院 Guǎngbò Xuéyuàn
Shuangqiao 双桥 Shuāngqiáo
Guanzhuang 管庄 Guǎnzhuāng
Baliqiao 八里桥 Bālǐqiáo
Tongzhou Beiyuan 通州北苑 Tōngzhōu Běiyuàn
Guoyuan 果园 Guǒyuán
Jiukeshu 九棵树 Jiǔkēshù
Liyuan 梨园 Líyuán
Linheli 临河里 Línhélǐ
Tuqiao 土桥 Tǔqiáo
Beijing Capital Airport Terminal 3 首都机场3号航站楼 Shǒudū Jīchǎng Sān Hào Hángzhàn Lóu
Beijing Capital Airport Terminal 2 首都机场2号航站楼 Shǒudū Jīchǎng Èr Hào Hángzhàn Lóu
Anheqiao North 安河桥北 Ānhéqiáo Běi
Beigongmen 北宫门 Běigōngmén
Xiyuan 西苑 Xīyuàn
Yuanmingyuan Park 圆明园 Yuánmíngyuán
East Gate of Peking University 北京大学东门 Běijīng Dàxué Dōngmén
Zhongguancun 中关村 Zhōngguāncūn
Renmin University 人民大学 Rénmín Dàxué
Weigongcun 魏公村 Wèigōngcūn
National Library 国家图书馆 Guójiā Túshūguǎn
Beijing Zoo 动物园 Dòngwùyuán
Xinjiekou 新街口 Xīnjiēkǒu
Ping’anli 平安里 Píng’ānlǐ
Xisi 西四 Xīsì
Lingjing Hutong 灵境胡同 Língjìng Hútòng
Caishikou 菜市口 Càishìkǒu
Taoranting 陶然亭 Táorántíng
Beijing South Railway Station 北京南站 Běijīng Nánzhàn
Majiapu 马家堡 Mǎjiāpù
Jiaomen West 角门西 Jiǎomén Xī
Gongyixiqiao 公益西桥 Gōngyì Xīqiáo
Xihongmen 西红门 Xīhóngmén
Gaomidian North 高米店北 Gāomǐdiàn Běi
Gaomidian South 高米店南 Gāomǐdiàn Nán
Zaoyuan 枣园 Zǎoyuán
Qingyuan Lu 清源路 Qīngyuán Lù
Huangcun Xidajie 黄村西大街 Huángcūn Xīdàjiē
Huangcun Railway Station 黄村火车站 Huángcūn Huǒchē Zhàn
Yihezhuang 义和庄 Yìhézhuāng
Biomedical Base 生物医药基地 Shēngwù Yīyào Jīdì
Tiangongyuan 天宫院 Tiāngōngyuàn
Xingong 新宫 Xīngōng
Xiaocun 肖村 Xiàocūn
Xiaohongmen 小红门 Xiǎohóngmén
Jiugong 旧宫 Jiùgōng
Yizhuangqiao 亦庄桥 Yìzhuāngqiáo
Yizhuang Culture Park 亦庄文化园 Yìzhuāng Wénhuà Yuán
Wanyuanjie 万源街 Wànyuán Jiē
Rongjingdongjie 荣京东街 Róngjīng Dōngjiē
Rongchangdongjie 荣昌东街 Róngchāng Dōngjiē
Tongjinanlu 同济南路 Tóngjì Nánlù
Jinghailu 经海路 Jīnghǎi Lù
Ciqu South 次渠南 Cìqú Nán
Ciqu 次渠 Cìqú
Yizhuang Railway Station 亦庄火车站 Yìzhuāng Huǒchē Zhàn
Wangjing 望京 Wàngjīng
Wangjing East 望京东 Wàngjīng Dōng
Cuigezhuang 崔各庄 Cuīgèzhuāng
Maquanying 马泉营 Mǎquányíng
Sunhe 孙河 Sūnhé
China International Exhibition Center 国展 Guó-Zhǎn
Hualikan 花梨坎 Huālíkǎn
Houshayu 后沙峪 Hòushāyù
Life Sciences Park 生命科学园 Shēngmìng Kēxuéyuán
Zhuxinzhuang 朱辛庄 Zhūxīnzhuāng
Gonghuacheng 巩化城 Gǒnghuàchéng
Shahe 沙河 Shāhé
Shahe University Park 沙河高教园 Shāhé Gāojiàoyuán
Nanshao 南邵 Nánshào
Dabaotai 大葆台 Dàbǎotái
Daotian 稻田 Dàotián
Changyang 长阳 Chángyáng
Libafang 篱笆房 Líbafáng
Guangyangcheng 广阳城 Guǎngyángchéng
Liangxiang University Town North 良乡大学城北 Liángxiāng Dàxuéchéng Běi
Liangxiang University Town 良乡大学城 Liángxiāng Dàxuéchéng
Liangxiang University Town West 良乡大学城西 Liángxiāng Dàxuéchéng Xī
Liangxiang Nanguan 良乡南关 Liángxiāng Nánguān
Suzhuang 苏庄 Sūzhuāng

Introducing Explore Metro maps 3.0 for iPhone and iPad

Today, we’re launching a major update to our apps! Explore Beijing, Explore Shanghai, Explore Guangzhou, Explore Hong Kong, Explore Taipei and Explore Singapore have all been updated to version 3.0. This includes new native support for iPad and iPad 2!

We’ve taken the best features of the iPhone/iPod touch experience and redesigned them to work on the iPad’s larger screen. Here’s what you’ll see when you start Explore Shanghai.

 

Of course, the metro map takes centre stage. You can search for a station with the search bar, or tap on any station for timetables and route-planning:

 

Notice the “flip” button? A great new feature is the ability to “flip” the screen to see a large Google Map of the station and surrounding area:

Other nearby stations are highlighted. You can also tap the “locate” button  to centre the map on your current location.

Because the apps are “Universal” apps, they work both on iPhone/iPod touch (including retina graphics!) and iPad/iPad 2. If you’ve already bought one of our apps for iPhone, you can install it on iPad for free. And of course, updating to version 3.0 is free. Not downloaded yet? Our apps cost just $1.99 on the iTunes App Store: download now!

We’d love to hear your feedback about ways to improve our apps. Do get in touch if you find any bugs or have any suggestions!

More Metro construction kicks off in Shanghai and Beijing

A couple of announcements this week: the Shanghai Metro announced that work was underway on three new lines: Metro Line 12, Line 13 and Line 16, as well as an extension to the existing Line 11.

Line 12, linking the northeast of the city to the southwest, will have 32 stations along 40 kilometers, passing through eight districts. Passengers will be able to transfer to Line 1 and 13 at Hanzhong Road Station, to Line 2 and 13 at Nanjing Road W. Station and to Line 1 and 10 at Shaanxi Road S. Station.

Line 13 will include 14 stations, with 16 kilometers of track stretching from suburban Jiading District to downtown Jing’an District. Three stops on Line 13 were in operation during the World Expo last year. The full line is expected to include this section, and extend to Pudong New Area, said the authority.

Line 16, which will have 13 stations, will mainly operate in Pudong’s Nanhui area. It will connect to Line 2 and 7 at Longyang Road and end at Lingang New City.

In addition to the three new lines, the authority is extending Line 11. Its 21-kilometer second phase stretches from Jiangsu Road Station, crossing the Huangpu River and linking to Pudong’s Luoshan Road Station.

Not to be outdone, Beijing announced EIGHT lines were now under construction, all scheduled to open between 2013 and 2015, including the world’s first “low-speed” maglev line.

ExploreMetro will soon be making an exciting announcement of it’s own! Our iPhone apps will soon support the iPad (and of course, the iPad 2)! Check out the video for a preview!

Beijing Subway Challenge

Alex Taggart, who writes for the Global Times Metro Beijing will be heading underground on Wednesday, January 26th as he attempts to visit every Beijing Subway station in one day!

I’m excited to see how he does, as I attempted the same feat in Shanghai in 2009.

So why’s he doing it?

“I’m hoping that in taking up and hopefully beating the challenge, I’ll bring attention to the fact that for less than the price of a jianbing, it’s possible to navigate the whole of Beijing and beyond (336km of track) in a day, with a good few hours to spare if my calculations are correct. In a taxi, the same journey would be super-slow, cost at least 1042 kuai (or 297.7 jianbings), and leave Beijing covered in nasty pollution.

You can follow Alex on Twitter to see how well he does. Good luck!

More updates for our Shanghai Metro and Beijing Subway iPhone apps

The latest updates (version 2.9) of our Shanghai Metro iPhone app and Beijing Subway iPhone app are now available on the iTunes App Store.

The Beijing app includes updated first/last train times for the Changping Line, Yizhuang Line, Daxing Line, Line 15 and Fangshan Line, as well as details of the connecting bus for the Fangshan Line, while the Shanghai app adds the new Line 7 extension.

Both updates are free for all our users, or you can download Explore Shanghai or Explore Beijing directly from the iTunes App Store.

We have lots more updates planned for 2011, so stay tuned!