Beijing to change flat rate subway fares  

北京公交地鐵票價將實行計程票制

近期，北京市發改委將召開公共交通價格調整聽證會，公交和地鐵的公共交通票制票價改革的思路和原則也已基本確定。昨天，北京市發改委透露，發改委收到24079人提出的40222條意見建議。市發改委表示，現行票價政策已不能適應公共交通快速發展的形勢和要求，此次改革將全面實行計程票制，多乘坐多付費，同時增加地鐵通勤票價優惠政策，并堅持票價改革與服務提升兩手抓。[查看全文]

Beijing will end an era of flat rate subway fares as authorities discuss plans to implement a metered option for public transportation.

The Beijing Municipal Development and Reform Commission has released a basic outline which says in the future ticket fares will be based on distance or stop numbers.

Currently, the city still adopts a flat rate subway fare with unlimited transfers. A single-ride ticket costs two yuan (32 US cents), which is believed nowhere near operation costs.

Owed to swelling population and huge losses by the public transport system, the government has been considering a raise after gathering public opinion on fare pricing in July.

But the commission said the new price will not surpass that of other first-tier cities in the country.

Discounts will be given to daily commuters and preferential policies will be given to elders, students, disabled passengers and soldiers. In addition, the Beijing municipal government will continue to invest in and subsidize the public transport system.

The number of passengers taking subways hit 3.2 billion last year, an increase of 350 percent from 2007. Subsidies also jumped from 13.5 billion yuan in 2010 to 20 billion yuan in 2013.

The city has changed the bus and subway ticket prices four times since China's reform and opening up in 1978.

The latest was seven years ago when Beijing reduced bus tickets to as low as four jiao (six US cents) and two yuan for subway tickets.

A public hearing will be held later, the commission said.