Line 15 - It's Opened!

It happened two days later than expected, but the five new lines have finally opened. Of all the new lines, Line 15 is the most relevant to Beijing expats, connecting Shunyi and Wangjing to the Beijing Subway. So what does Line 15 actually offer for expats?

I certainly wasn't the only one itching to board the train. A modest media frenzy tramped up and down the Wangjing West station, hurriedly interviewing all. Yet, media presence aside, nothing really stood out. Let’s be realistic: this is only the opening of a subway line, not the “Bird’s Nest”.

Aside from a strong purple theme present in the trains, they don’t differ from the rest of the system. The stations have that very new feeling (dust from construction could still be seen in the air), with attractive glass elevators and bright red pillars. Contrary to rumor, the trains do not go at 100km/h, and I sincerely doubt Line 15 is the deepest line at 38 metres below the ground (Line 10 is obviously the winner in that category).

The journey between Wangjing West and Houshayu in Shunyi will take approximately 18 minutes. The line’s transfer at Wangjing West station onto Line 13 is annoyingly long, begging the question: Why are they making these new transfers longer and longer? Expect that transfer to take about 5 minutes in peak hour.

So is there anything worthwhile to visit? Sadly, for those who live in the city, Wangjing and Maquanying are the only stops worth going to. For those who love all things Korean, then Wangjing is a far cheaper substitute than going to Seoul. North and South Korean restaurants are in abundance (the Pork Fusion just outside Exit C prepares a scintillating Tak Galbi), not to mention numerous Korean inspired clothing markets. A gigantic Lotte shopping center and the Wangjing mall are both short walks from Exit C on Guangshun beidajie 广顺北大街。

Maquanying station is the other station worth visiting. Adjacent to exit C is the enormous Beijing Scitech Outlet Mall. If you love big brand shopping, discounted prices and want to escape the overbearing crowds in the city’s shopping centers, then this is worth the journey. Vast, oversized and in desperate need of some patronage.

The rest of the stations are above ground and for expats who live in the city are of zero relevance. For the families who live out in Shunyi, the subway is a traffic-free alternative to driving into the city. The monolithic Houshayu, Sunhe and Guozhan stations are a tad isolated but stations such as Houshayu and Sunhe do have ample parking available. For reference, the above ground stations are all on Jingmi Lu 京密路.

Ultimately, as wonderful as it is to get a new subway line, the only expats who are going to experience the real benefits will be those who live in Wangjing and Shunyi. For those who live in the city, Maquanying would be worth a visit for an afternoon of shopping with a stop at Wangjing for some Korean on the way home. Otherwise, there is little to no need for city dwellers to be using Line 15.

Additional information about Line 15 for expats making the opposite journey out of Shunyi can check out this blog on BeijingKids.