light rail tourist

If you ever looked at Beijing Subway's map, you might've noticed that Line 3 is missing. No, they didn't just forget about it. Here's the history of Beijing Subway's missing Line 3, a thread🧵(1/14) 

The first mention of a “Line 3” was in a planning map in 1965, following the alignment via Tsinghua University and Summer Palace, similar to today's Line 4. Unlike Lines 1 and 2, construction didn't start for Line 3 due to limited resources. (2/14) 

However, a full set of platforms at Xizhimen station was built in anticipation of this Line 3. These platforms are now used by Line 4 (note the high ceilings and pillars compared to other Line 4 platforms). (3/14） 

Later plans in 1983 and 1993 had Line 3 in a wide U-shape, extending east via Di'anmen to Capital Airport, with differing alignments in the east. (4/14） 

This means Line 3 would use another set of reserved platforms built during Line 2's construction, at Dongshi Shitiao. The unused transfer staircase can be seen fenced off on Line 2's platform. (5/14) 

The 1998 plan had Line 3 go straight west at around today's National Library station instead of turning north. The segment north would be a separate line, like a northern extension of today's Line 9. (6/14) 

Development plans and growth in Beijing's northern suburbs like Wangjing and Huilongguan in the 90s pushed Line 3 further down the list of projects, with an old railway line along those suburbs converted into Beijing Subway's third metro line, Line 13. (7/14)

Then with Line 6's planning in the mid-2000s, the western half (originally via Fuchengmen) was shifted north via Di'anmen due to close proximity to the Forbidden City in its previous alignment. This had Line 6 take over part of the proposed Line 3 alignment. (8/14) 

With Line 3's proposed alignment via Tsinghua/Summer Palace taken over by Line 4, Di'anmen alignment taken over by Line 6, and the eastern part closely parallel to Line 6, it would seem like the Line 3 concept is dead, right? Nope. (9/14)

In 2015, a new version of Line 3 came, with the first phase starting at Dongshi Shitiao in the west to Dongba North in the east. Construction started in 2020, and is projected to open in 2024, ending Beijing Subway's Line 3 drought. (10/14） 

The line will use driverless 4-car Type A trains with platforms long enough for 8A (two 4A trains coupled). Due to the larger trains, the reserved platform (for 6B) at Dongshi Shitiao won't be used. Instead, new platforms for Line 3 would be built under it. (11/14） 

Extensions to Line 3 past both ends are planned. There's one to the east 4 stops to Caogezhuang North Station, which is planned to open later this decade. (12/14) 

A western "Phase 2" would follow the Di'anmen alignment initially planned for Line 3 in 1993, running under Line 6 from Nanluoguxiang to Ping'anli, then turn south to follow the 1993 planned Line 6 alignment via Fuchengmen to Tiancun. (13/14) 

When Line 3 gets fully built out, it will provide further relief to Lines 1 and 6 (two of the busiest Beijing Subway lines) with its high capacity trains, and filling in network gaps that was planned decades ago. (14/14)