This week, technical experts have started complex testing of the first subway line for maglev trains in Beijing.
The first Beijing maglev train line called S1 will connect the Shijingshan and Mentougou districts, which are located in the western part of the Chinese capital. The line will be 10 km long and will have eight stations.
Once the construction is completed, the journey time between the final stations of the line will be approximately 20 minutes, three times faster than the current travel time by bus.
The new line uses advanced systems to keep an air gap between the train and the rail. The main principle of the maglev system is the creation of a powerful magnetic field between the train and the railway track with the help of high-temperature superconductors.
In 2004, China launched another maglev line that operates in Shanghai. It was the third line of its kind to open and is the fastest commercial high-speed electric train worldwide.
