Last news:New Beijing subway line begins test run

Beijing's first north-south subway line began non-passenger test runs on Tuesday.

The Beijing subway's No. 5 line, with a length of 27.6 kilometers, is scheduled to open on September 20, the Beijing Evening News reports.

The major difference of this subway line, from others in the city, is that a glass-curtain wall has been installed along each station's platform, in order to keep passengers away from the tracks.

The new trains are also considerably more spacious, being 200 millimeters wider and 50 millimeter higher than the current ones. And there is no barrier between adjacent carriages, the newspaper added.

The paper also added that these new trains are all made of stainless steel and produce less noise pollution.

At each station, passengers will be able to check the train schedule, news stories and weather forecast on public information screens. Elevators for the disabled will also be available.

There are 11 trains currently taking part in the initial non-passenger test runs. Following steps will be arranged based on the results of the test runs.