Beijing Central Axis Metro Line 2 Special Train Launched to Promote Historical and Cultural Communication

On September 7, 2024, to celebrate the successful UNESCO World Heritage listing of the Beijing Central Axis and to promote its historical and cultural significance, Beijing Central Axis Protection Foundation and Beijing Subway Operation Co., Ltd. jointly held the launch ceremony for the "Images of the Ancient Capital: Metro Tour" Beijing Central Axis Metro Line 2 Special Train and the donation ceremony of Beijing Central Axis Metro commemorative tickets at Taipinghu Depot. Yu Ping, Counselor of Beijing Municipal People's Government, Mei Song, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of Beijing Central Axis Protection Foundation, Zhang Dayu, Deputy Party Secretary and President of Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, and Jia Jianping, Deputy General Manager of Beijing Subway Operation Co., Ltd., along with other relevant officials, attended the event.

At the launch ceremony, Counselor Yu Ping explained the significance of the Beijing Central Axis becoming a World Cultural Heritage site for the capital's development. She stated that the Central Axis special train is not only a creative presentation but also a respect for and inheritance of cultural heritage. Deputy General Manager Jia Jianping noted that Beijing Subway Line 2's loop coincides with the Second Ring Road, forming a "中" shape with the north-south arterial Line 8. Following the launch of the Beijing Central Axis Metro Line 8 special train in February this year, today's launch of the Line 2 special train aligns perfectly with the traditional Chinese culture embodied by the Beijing Central Axis, fully showcasing the historical culture, landscape rhythm, and magnificent order of the ancient capital.

The newly launched Beijing Central Axis Metro Line 2 special train is based on the typical architecture and historical culture of the 15 heritage sites along the Beijing Central Axis. It incorporates spatial order into the timeline, utilizing the continuity and integrity of the subway space to mirror the historical and cultural landscape of the Beijing Central Axis, reflecting the perfect unity of humanity and nature, time and space, tradition and modernity. The design scheme for the Beijing Central Axis Metro Line 2 special train was jointly created by the design team from the School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture. The Beijing Central Axis Metro Line 2 special train will run from September 7, 2024, to March 7, 2025.

During this event, Beijing Subway introduced 13 Beijing Central Axis cultural metro ticket cards. The cards feature designs based on representative buildings of the Beijing Central Axis, using realistic design and decorative techniques to showcase the Central Axis landscape. Beijing Subway also donated sets of these metro ticket cards to the Beijing Central Axis Protection Foundation to support the protection and inheritance of Beijing Central Axis cultural heritage.

To further enhance passenger engagement and experience, Beijing Subway set up Beijing Central Axis cultural exhibition boards and special heritage stamps at Gulou Dajie Station from 1 PM to 5 PM on September 7. Passengers could collect stamps and experience the Beijing Central Axis culture. Additionally, they could scan a WeChat QR code to view the "Cloud Central Axis" exhibition online and have a multi-dimensional, multi-angle, and multi-level in-depth experience of Beijing Central Axis culture.

Since early 2024, Beijing Central Axis Protection Foundation has collaborated with the "Zhongteng Foundation" and Tencent Digital Culture Lab, working with Beijing Subway Operation Co., Ltd. to create the Beijing Central Axis Metro Line 8 and Line 2 special trains. Through activities such as issuing Beijing Central Axis cultural metro ticket cards and stamp collecting, they have strengthened the promotion of Beijing Central Axis cultural heritage values, providing passengers with high-quality travel services and experiences.