Distance-based Subway Pricing Coming, But Still No Date When

Local media was once again flooded Tuesday with news that Beijing's subway fares are to change to distance-based pricing in the near future, as if they hadn't already told us that numerous times since last March.

This is yet another in a step of classic Chinese Water Torture style-information release about the fare adjustment, a process that started in 2013 when the city finally declared it could no longer support one of the world's busiest subway lines with one of the world's cheapest fares (at RMB 2 for unlimited distances).

The latest reports indicated the new fares will be either distance-based or based on the number of stations traveled, eliminating from contention other pricing plans such as congestion charges at rush hour. Prices were not revealed but officials were careful to say that the fare per kilometer "would not exceed the fares of similar domestic cities."

One can only surmise they are referring to Shanghai, where fares are RMB 3 for journeys under 6km, and RMB 1 yuan for each additional 10km (with a cap of RMB 15). So much for our theory that prices could rise to as much as RMB 25, and it goes without saying that city officials neglected to take the Beijinger columnist George Ding's fare-preserving suggestions to heart.

Details about timing remain obscure, with no specific date for a relaunch announced, though previous reports said the change would occur before the end of this year. Switching fares means a significant changeover of fare machines or at least their internal programming, so it seems like a tight squeeze with just over two months left in 2014. Our prediction: expect the final pricing structure to be announced during the October 1 holiday, when no one is paying particular attention.

The good news for commuters is that the subway system is set to grow by leaps and bounds by year-end

Line 7, which cuts east-west across the city between the second and third rings, is set to open by year's end, and will connect the West Railway Station to multiple lines, as well as hopefully relieve pressure on overcrowded Line 1.

The north-south section of Line 14, which runs on the east side of the city near the Fourth Ring, is also due to open, which will finally connect Chaoyang Park, the Lido area, 798, and the Indigo Mall into the network, and will also tie into the South Railway Station, making the speed train to Shanghai an even more attractive alternative to the brutality of modern air travel.

Finally, Line 6 is set to extend almost to the Hebei provincial border by the end of this year, with seven new stations coming online in December. The exits for the Materials College station, about two kilometers east of Caofang, can already be seen by Yanjiao and Tongzhou residents on their way to the line's current eastern terminus.

Photo: Michael Wester

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