Subway users feel crowds and pinch after fare hike

Subway passengers fill a carriage on Batong Line in Beijing on the first morning after the fare hike on Dec 29, 2014. According to reports, the number of passengers dropped by only 10 percent. The new fares came into force on Sunday and rose from the previous two yuan ($0.3) to three yuan and more depending on the distance. People who travel 32 km and less will pay three to six yuan and those going further will pay one yuan more for every 20 km. [Photo/IC]

Beijing subway stations show flat traffic flow on the first workday after the hike in fares, although passengers waited in longer lines to get differentiated priced tickets, and felt the pinch. Some reported tightened security checks.

On Sunday Beijing started using a new ticket fare system, which is distance-based, and more expensive than the previous flat two yuan (32 cents) fare. And this morning's peak traffic flow is the first major test of the new system.

A worker at Huixinxijienankou, a transfer station on Line 5 and Line 10, told chinadaily.com.cn that this morning, the traffic flow didn't show any obvious change.