Subway endures growing pains

Former US President Abraham Lincoln famously once declared: "You can please most of the people some of the time and some of the people most of the time, but none of the people all of the time." His apt saying sums up the breakneck development of Beijing's subway network.

Lines 6 and 9, along with Line 10's extension, all recently opened. Ultimately, it's a question of catchment area and creating more problems as you solve existing ones.

Reports of extensive overcrowding at Shuangjing Subway Station on Line 10 are, of course, to be expected. This is where the yet-to-open Line 7, its nets cast wide in the southeast of the city, empties out onto the northbound Line 10.

Like bargain hunters waiting outside a store for a sale, subway commuters are going to make their presence on new lines felt from the beginning. The fact that established commuters at Shuangjing are complaining there are more people at the station now reflects the fact that the relatively quiet state of affairs up to now lulled them into a false sense of serenity.

But while some will be suffering over the next week, others will be rejoicing. I was one of the people who previously spent much time crammed in trains operating along Line 1.

In truth, if we had been cattle on those trains there would have been animal rights activists protesting the inhumanity of it all.

Instead, self-inflicted inhumanity is something to be tolerated. Long-suffering commuters from the Batong Line, the frontline infantry of the Beijing commuter network, will no longer feel my presence on a daily basis due to my proximity to Line 6. I have taken the Batong Line in recent days, where crowds seemed noticeably down and people savored the unusual sensation of personal space.

Ultimately, the development of Beijing's subway network is like a pyramid of glasses that you fill with champagne; many of them need to overflow before all are filled. Stations like Shuangjing will face difficulties until construction of the line that partially runs parallel to it, Line 14, is completed, presumably next year.

But while Shuangjing may be facing difficulties, transfers like Line 10 to Line 6 at Hujialou Station should take pressure off the Line 10 to Line 1 transfer at Guomao. As someone who has made the micro-shuffle journey down that long corridor to reach Guomao countless times, this is one bottleneck that needed to be relieved.

The impact on bus overcrowding is something that should also be observed. Even a hardened subway veteran like me balks at the idea of squeezing onto those mobile sardine cans during rush hour.

Perhaps the continued development of the subway network will lead to a renaissance in bus travel. If you don't mind waiting in traffic, you might actually have a seat and a pleasant journey.