A giant “underground city” is taking shape in Lucheng Town, Tongzhou District — the Beijing Sub-Center Railway Station. Organized by Beijing Infrastructure Investment Co., Ltd. and jointly constructed by several state-owned enterprises including Beijing Construction Engineering Group Co., Ltd., Beijing Urban Construction Group Co., Ltd., China Railway Construction Engineering Group Co., Ltd., and China Construction First Group Corporation Limited, this project is expected to be fully ready for operation by the end of this year.
A train arrives at the Beijing Sub-Center Railway Station. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
The Beijing-Tangshan Intercity Railway’s Beijing Sub-Center section has begun trial operations, marking the final step before full opening. Once operational, the line will provide direct connections from Beijing’s Sub-Center to Tangshan in Hebei Province, as well as Baodi and Beichen districts in Tianjin, significantly reducing travel times across the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
The Beijing Sub-Center Railway Station is a landmark project supporting the coordinated development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the relocation of Beijing’s non-capital functions.
The underground hub covers approximately 1.28 million square meters across three levels, integrating six main functions: intercity rail, subway transit, transfer and connection facilities, public service spaces, municipal infrastructure, and comprehensive hub support systems. Above ground, the station is part of a mixed-use urban complex with office, commercial, residential, and hotel developments.
Construction began in November 2019. Upon completion, the station will become Asia’s largest underground transport hub, greatly improving regional mobility and driving economic development.
The Beijing Sub-Center Railway Station is designed with eight platforms and 14 tracks (including main lines). Four platforms and seven tracks will be used by the Beijing-Tangshan Intercity Railway, which has been partially opened since December 2022. Now with the Beijing Sub-Center section undergoing trial runs since November 11, 2025, full-line operation of the 149-kilometer railway is expected within the year.
(Executive editor: Yuan Ting)
