Fewer passengers on Beijing subway on Sunday after ticket price hike

The Beijing subway saw fewer passengers during Sunday rush hour as the city began implementing new and more expensive public transportation ticket prices amid public concerns over growing travel expenses.

According to the Beijing Subway Group, Line 4 and the western section of Line 14 received 40,000 and 3,000 passengers, respectively, between 7 am and 8 am on Sunday, 8 percent and 12.9 percent lower than the passenger volume during the same period last Sunday.

Many netizens posted photos of empty seats on several different subway lines, presenting a stark contrast with the crowded trains the city often sees. However, criticism remained as many continue to complain about the increase in their travel expenses.

A previous survey conducted by China Youth Daily showed that 52.8 percent of over 2,200 respondents did not support the price hike.

"My daily travel expenses have now doubled from four yuan ($0.64) for a round trip to 10 yuan. A bus trip would cost almost the same when it used to cost 1.6 yuan per day," said a passenger surnamed Zhu, adding that she had to choose the subway since traffic above ground may get worse.

Deputy mayor Zhang Tingkun also said Sunday that he would spend four yuan more on his subway trip to and from work. "I will have to calculate my bills also," Zhang was quoted as saying by The Beijing News.

According to the price adjustment plan, each subway fare increases according to the distance a passenger travels. The minimum price for a subway ride is now three yuan for a ride of six kilometers or less.

A total of 527 kilometers of subway lines are currently in operation carrying 10 million passengers daily.

Zhang Zhuting, a law professor at the Transport Management Institute under the Ministry of Transport, told the Global Times that the price increase will better guarantee subway safety by limiting the number of passengers. "The rising price will stop unnecessary trips," he said.

The capital also began trial operations of four new subway lines on Sunday, including the second phase of Line 6, whose terminal station is only a few kilometers away from the town of Yanjiao in Hebei Province. It is expected that this "bedroom town" in Hebei will be connected with Beijing in the future.

"For residents living in 'bedroom towns,' this price hike will further increase their travel costs. Current traffic problems are the result of failed urban planning," said Luo Yameng, a Beijing-based urban planning expert.

Xinhua contributed to this story