Beijing Thursday started to construct a new subway line that will run 47.7 km through the city.

Beijing Subway Line No. 14 runs from west to northeast with 36 stops in three districts of Fengtai, Chongwen and Chaoyang, according to a spokesman with the Beijing Metro Transport Construction Management Company.

The line is expected to cost 27.2 billion yuan (US$4 billion) wand be completed in 2014. And a western section of it will be launched for public use by 2013, he added.

Beijing plans to have a subway system that runs more than 300 km by the end of 2010, 420 km by 2012 and 561 km by 2015.

(Xinhua News Agency April 30, 2010)