The Beijing Subway is a rapid transit rail network that serves the urban and suburban districts of the Chinese capital. But now, it’s about to phase out all old carriages and replace them with new air-conditioned ones. Four new rail lines are also being added to the transport system.
北京地铁是一个服务于中国首都城区、郊区的快速运输铁路网。但是，现在差不多要淘汰所有旧车厢，换上新的空调车厢。四条新的地铁线也将加入到这个交通运输系统中。
It’s just another regular day for subway driver Zhang Xiaoyu. This marks the 12,960th day he has been on the tracks. In the past 36 years, he has witnessed the evolution of the Beijing Subway system.
这只是地铁司机Zhang Xiaoyu另一个平常的日子。这是他在轨道上的第12960个日子。过去36年，他见证了北京地铁系统的发展。
Zhang Xiaoyu said, "I have driven every type of train since the day I started working for Beijing Subway. From the oldest type without ventilation to the latest air-conditioned train Triple-V-F which makes it more comfortable for passengers, the new train uses less electricity and is more environmental friendly. "
Zhang Xiaoyu称：“从我开始在北京地铁工作的那天起，我开过所有类型的列车。从没有通风设备的最老一款到让乘客更加舒适的最新空调列车Triple-V-F，新的列车用电更少，更环保。”
I was fortunate enough to try out the driving simulator on the latest model the triple-V-F. Zhang said the subway was originally for tourism purposes, but it has become an essential public transport tool for everyone here in Beijing.
我很幸运，尝试过triple-V-F最新模型的模拟驾驶。张表示，地铁最初是为旅游业服务的，但是它现在成为北京这里的每个人的一种必不可少的公共交通工具。
Zhang Xiaoyu said, "I think the passenger load has grown exponentially in recent years, especially during the morning and evening peak hours.”
Zhang Xiaoyu称：“我觉得，近几年的客座率呈指数增长，尤其是早上和晚上的高峰期。”
To ease road traffic, the government has set a policy to restrict purchase of private cars. Over 5 million people use the subway every day. So that combined with a cheap 2 yuan fare has driven up the number of subway passengers significantly.
为了缓解道路交通压力，政府制定了限制购买私家车的政策。每天使用地铁的人超过500万人次。因此，再加上两块钱的便宜价格，地铁乘客的数量显著增加。
In response, Beijing Metro spokesman Jia Peng says the total mileage of the subway will be over 450 kilometres with the additional lines.
作为响应，北京地铁发言人Jia Peng表示，加上另外的路线，地铁的总里程将超过450公里。
Jia Peng said, "By the end of 2012, Beijing will open four new subway lines, the new lines will significantly expand the subway’s coverage, especially south and west of the city. One will be parallel to the current line 1 which crosses the entire Chang’an Street. Line 10, when fully completed, will form a complete loop around Line 2."
Jia Peng称：“到2012年年底，北京将开通四条新的地铁线，新的地铁线将增加地铁的覆盖范围，尤其是城市的南部和西部。一条将与现在穿过长安街的1号线平行。10号线全部完工的时候将在2号线周围形成一个闭合的环。
The opening of new lines also benefits real estate agencies.
新线路的开通也使房地产商受益。
"The property sales and rental business is getting better, especially with the opening of more subway stations which enable residents to travel more efficiently."
“房产销售和出租业务越来越好，尤其是更多使人们出行更加有效的地铁站开放之后。”
However network operations also posts great challenges.
然而，地铁网的运营也带来巨大的挑战。
"With the opening of the peripheral lines, more passengers will flow into the city, adding more pressure to subway stations, especially for stops like us - the intersection between urban and rural areas - the passenger flow is immense."
“随着边缘地铁线的开通，更多的乘客将涌入城市，给地铁站增加更多的压力，尤其是像我们地铁站这样的——城区和郊区的交叉点——客流量是极大的。”
Jia says there’s currently a push towards quality improvement for the entire subway system.
Jia表示，目前，需要整个地铁系统质量的提高。