(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-02-28 14:26

The No 10 subway line connecting new city zones of Beijing opened for engineering trials on Thursday as part of the subway expansion for the Olympic Games and as relief for the city's congested roads.

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The first phase of Line 10 connects new regions built in the past two decade in southeast and northwest Beijing.

The line's color scheme is black, white and gray and combines old and new in its design - including Chinese traditional elements, like traditional painting, and hi-tech style, like space-capsule shaped walls.

The orange-colored Huangzhuang Station is the line's most eye-catching station. "The station has a hi-tech flavor as it is in Zhongguancun, a hi-tech district of Beijing", designers said.

The futuristic style also can been seen in Jintaixizhao Station, which is named after a beautiful golden sunset, as it is one of the eight famous scenic sites of the city.

The Jintaixizhao station is decorated with many round lights and round orange spots on the arc walls shaped like a big space capsule. The C entrance of the capsule is in the new CCTV building, currently under construction.

Guomao Station in the central business district has traditional Chinese paintings of bamboo on the walls. Designers hope the bamboo can give serenity to the restless hearts.

Another traditional Chinese element of blue and white porcelain can been seen in Beitucheng Station, at the start of the Olympic Branch Line. The station is at the site of Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) city wall.

"The platform of Line 10 is colored dark gray, looking like the city wall, while the pillars on the platform of the Olympic Branch Line are painted with different blue and white patterns of porcelain as china represents Chinese culture in the world," designers said.

Beijing plans to expand subway service for the Olympic Games and into the future. The No 5 subway line connecting south and north Beijing opened last October, transporting more than 340,000 passengers on its first day. Tracks of the No 4 subway line, the main line running south to north in west Beijing, will be laid this June.