rki.news | Sources: Xinhua
Beijing launched a pilot program on Sunday allowing passengers to bring bicycles onto selected subway trains, responding to growing cycling popularity and demand for cross-district travel in the capital.
According to the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport, passengers can carry single-seat, human-powered two-wheel bicycles with wheel diameters up to 28 inches on designated subway lines. The pilot covers 11 stations across four lines: Line 6, Line 17, the Changping Line, and the S1 Line.
Officials said the routes were selected after consultation with cycling groups and based on passenger flow, station capacity, and links to suburban cycling routes. The initiative aims to improve last-mile connectivity and promote integration between cycling and public transit.
The service operates on Saturdays and Sundays during full subway operating hours but is suspended on weekdays and public holidays. Each trip costs 30 yuan (about 4.38 U.S. dollars), covering one passenger and one bicycle. Tickets are available through the “Yitongxing” mobile app, which also provides QR code access to Beijing’s rail network.
Authorities introduced safety regulations. Electric bicycles and motorized vehicles are prohibited. Passengers cannot transfer to non-pilot lines or enter non-designated stations with bicycles.
Cycling, skating, or blocking passenger flow areas inside stations and trains is forbidden. Officials said the rules ensure safety, maintain order, and prevent obstruction of emergency evacuation routes across the metro system.