Line 5 (Beijing Subway)


Line 5 of the Beijing Subway is Beijing's only subway line with an entirely north-south route. It entered into operation on October 7, 2007. It runs for in a near straight line through the city center from in Changping District to in Fengtai District. Though Line 4 and Line 8 also broadly follow north-south routes, Line 5 remains the only line to follow an almost entirely straight north-south course. Line 5 is also notable for including three stations in the densely populated northern suburb of Tiantongyuan, as well as providing convenient access to the Temple of Earth and Temple of Heaven. Since Line 5 connects with Line 1, Line 2, Line 6, Line 7, Line 10, Line 13, Line 14 and Line 15, and also links densely populated suburbs directly to the city center, it tends to experience very crowded conditions during rush hour and even very late into the evening. Line 5's color is maroon.

Fare

Starting fare of RMB 3.00 that increases according to the distance fare scheme introduced in December 2014.
Regular subway users can use a Yikatong card, which offers even cheaper journeys, as well as mobile phone apps, which deploy payment via a QR code.

Hours of Operation

The first south-bound trains departs from Tiantongyuan North at 4:59am. The first north-bound train departs from Songjiazhuang at 5:19am. The last south-bound train leaves Tiantongyuan North at 10:47pm. The last north-bound train leaves Songjiazhuang at 11:10pm. For the official timetable, see.

Route

On a map, Line 5 runs vertically, beginning with three stops in the far northern suburb of Tiantongyuan in Changping District, about 5 kilometers outside the 5th Ring Road. Then, it enters Chaoyang District and connects to Line 13 at, which offers commutes to Dongzhimen in 20 minutes and Xizhimen in 35 minutes. At, it connects with Line 15, where many commuters transfer in order to go to. At, it links up with Line 10, which is a very large loop, essentially following the 3rd Ring Road. Further south, it passes immediately to the east of the Temple of Earth and meets the Line 2 Loop at . Then Line 5 cuts through the old neighborhoods of Dongcheng District. It connects with the east-west line, Line 6, at, and the old foreign Legation Quarter between and Chongwenmen. Further south, Line 5 stops at Tiantandongmen Station in Chongwen District, connects with another east-west line as well as Line 14 and eventually reaches Songjiazhuang and Line 10 again in Fengtai District south of the city. It takes 49 minutes to cover all the 23 stations.

Stations (North to South)

●: stop
▲: some SB PM peak trains skip
▼: some NB PM peak trains skip

Technology

Line 5 is the first subway line in Beijing to have platform screen doors in underground stations and automatic platform gates in elevated stations that prevent riders from falling onto the tracks. Line 5 stations also have LCD screens that display the wait times for the next train. Line 5 trains have digital voice announcements and LCD passenger information display.

History

Construction work on Line 5 got underway in late 2002 and the line opened to the public on October 7, 2007.

Timeline

SegmentCommencementLengthStationName
Songjiazhuang — Tiantongyuan North7 October 200723

Rolling Stock