Phase I of the Daxing Airport Express line is 41.36 km, and includes only 3 stations: Caoqiao, Daxing Xincheng and Daxing Airport; but it is due to be extended north by 3·5 km from Caoqiao to Lize Business District, due for completion in 2022; while a short extension to Daxing Airport South is also envisaged at the other end of the route.
Test runs on the line began in June 2019, and the line was opened on September 26, 2019 just days before the PRC’s 70th anniversary celebrations.
The trains deployed on the new subway line, named Baijing Hao (“White Whale”), are outfitted with six standard cabins, a business cabin and a baggage cabin. The seats in the standard cabin are laid out in a 2-2 configuration, while those in the business cabin in a 2-1 configuration.
Lessons have obviously been learned from the pretty-disastrous planning of the Capital Airport Express… Both overhead luggage racks and larger ones near train doors are available. The business-class carriages are equipped with folding tables and individual reading lights while the regular carriages are more spacious, giving their passengers the possibility to travel in comfort. There are even sockets available for passengers to charge their phones that are placed between every seat.
In total, each train is estimated to be able to carry 1500 passengers.