Beijing south railway station
Encyclopedia
The current Beijing South Railway Station is a large railway station on the south side of Beijing
that opened on August 1, 2008. The new station replaced the old Beijing South Station, first known as the Majiapu Railway Station and later known as the Yongdingmen Railway Station before 1988, which stood 500 m away and operated from 1897 to 2006. The new Beijing South Station, is the second largest in Asia,after Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station
,and joins the Beijing Railway Station
and the Beijing West Railway Station
as the third major passenger rail hub in the Chinese capital. It serves as the terminus for high-speed trains to the city, including the Beijing–Tianjin Intercity Rail, which can reach speeds above 350 km/h.
.
The enormous oval-shaped station was designed by the UK/Hong Kong architecture firm of Terry Farrell
and Partners in collaboration with the Tianjin Design Institute. It was built from more than 60,000 tons of steel and 490,000 cubic meters of concrete by 4,000 workers in less than three years. The glass ceiling is outfitted with 3,246 solar panels to generate electricity. The structure spreads out like a ray
or trilobite
and covers 320,000 square meters, more than the Beijing National Stadium
's 258,000 m. Its 24 platforms have the capacity to dispatch 30,000 passengers per hour or 241,920,000 a year. The 251,000 m waiting area can accommodate 10,000 passengers.
On the elevated concourse level, there are designated waiting areas (with better seating) for passengers travelling First or Deluxe/VIP Class, as well as passengers holding deluxe soft sleeper tickets. Automated ticket machines, which sell tickets to and from Tianjin
, are available throughout, as well as traditional ticket counters.
. It is also accessible by bus, including Routes 300 and 458, and taxi. It is situated about 7.5 km south of the city centre, between the 2nd and 3rd ring roads.
). This station also runs other trains operated by CRH
.
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
that opened on August 1, 2008. The new station replaced the old Beijing South Station, first known as the Majiapu Railway Station and later known as the Yongdingmen Railway Station before 1988, which stood 500 m away and operated from 1897 to 2006. The new Beijing South Station, is the second largest in Asia,after Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station
Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station
Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station is one of the four major railway stations in Shanghai, China, the others being Shanghai Railway Station, Shanghai South Railway Station, and Shanghai West Railway Station...
,and joins the Beijing Railway Station
Beijing railway station
Beijing Railway Station is one of Beijing's railway stations, opened in the 1950s, as can be seen from its architecture . It is located in the city's central location, just next to Jianguomen, and is within the confines of the city's 2nd Ring Road...
and the Beijing West Railway Station
Beijing west railway station
Beijing West Railway Station, also known as Beijing West or West Passenger Station is located in western Beijing's Fengtai District. Opened in early 1996 after three years of construction, it was the largest railway station in Asia with 510,000m². The station serves in average 150,000–180,000...
as the third major passenger rail hub in the Chinese capital. It serves as the terminus for high-speed trains to the city, including the Beijing–Tianjin Intercity Rail, which can reach speeds above 350 km/h.
Design and construction
The terminus occupies a 32 hectare site in FengtaiFengtai District
Fengtai District is a suburban district of the municipality of Beijing. It lies to the southwest of the urban core of the city.-History:In Qing Dynasty times, Fengtai was where the Imperial Manchu Army had its camps, trained, and held parades on festive occasions.It is 304.2 square kilometers in...
.
The enormous oval-shaped station was designed by the UK/Hong Kong architecture firm of Terry Farrell
Terry Farrell (architect)
Sir Terry Farrell, CBE, RIBA, FRSA, FCSD, MRTPI is a British architect.-Life and career:Farrell was born in Sale, Cheshire. As a youth he moved to Newcastle upon Tyne, where he attended St Cuthbert's High School. He graduated with a degree from Newcastle University, followed by a Masters in urban...
and Partners in collaboration with the Tianjin Design Institute. It was built from more than 60,000 tons of steel and 490,000 cubic meters of concrete by 4,000 workers in less than three years. The glass ceiling is outfitted with 3,246 solar panels to generate electricity. The structure spreads out like a ray
Batoidea
Batoidea is a superorder of cartilaginous fish commonly known as rays and skates, containing more than 500 described species in thirteen families...
or trilobite
Trilobite
Trilobites are a well-known fossil group of extinct marine arthropods that form the class Trilobita. The first appearance of trilobites in the fossil record defines the base of the Atdabanian stage of the Early Cambrian period , and they flourished throughout the lower Paleozoic era before...
and covers 320,000 square meters, more than the Beijing National Stadium
Beijing National Stadium
Beijing National Stadium, also known officially as the National Stadium, or colloquially as the Bird's Nest , is a stadium in Beijing, China. The stadium was designed for use throughout the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.-History:...
's 258,000 m. Its 24 platforms have the capacity to dispatch 30,000 passengers per hour or 241,920,000 a year. The 251,000 m waiting area can accommodate 10,000 passengers.
On the elevated concourse level, there are designated waiting areas (with better seating) for passengers travelling First or Deluxe/VIP Class, as well as passengers holding deluxe soft sleeper tickets. Automated ticket machines, which sell tickets to and from Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
, are available throughout, as well as traditional ticket counters.
Local transportation
The Beijing South Station is served by Subway Line 4Line 4, Beijing Subway
Line 4 of the Beijing Subway is the 9th subway line in Beijing's mass transit network. It entered into operation on September 28, 2009, and runs from north to south, parallel and to the west of Line 5, through Haidian, Xicheng, Xuanwu and Fengtai Districts in the western half of the city. It is...
. It is also accessible by bus, including Routes 300 and 458, and taxi. It is situated about 7.5 km south of the city centre, between the 2nd and 3rd ring roads.
Trains
Beijing South Station services the world's second fastest train (After the Shanghai Airport Express TrainShanghai Maglev Train
The Shanghai Maglev Train or Shanghai Transrapid is a magnetic levitation train, or maglev line that operates in Shanghai, China. It is the first commercially operated high-speed magnetic levitation line in the world...
). This station also runs other trains operated by CRH
CRH
CRH can refer to:* Choate Rosemary Hall, a private boarding school in Wallingford, Connecticut* Crimean Tatar language, ISO 639-2 code for Crimean Tatar language* Celtic Resources Holdings plc, an Irish mining company...
.