Beijing airport express

Beijing's airport express train line opened in early August. For 25RMB (2.5Euros) you can take the 30 minute journey from inside the airport to downtown and connect with the rest of Beijing's rapidly expanding subway system. It is one of three new subway lines opened in Beijing before the start of the Olympics.

Since the city terminal is only a 10 minute walk from our apartment we gave the train a go when we came back from London last month. All was smooth until we arrived at Dongzhimen station with three large suitcases and realised there were no lifts from the station concourse to street level. Questions to a staff member soon attracted a crowd of station staff, police and curious passers-by. Apparently there was a lift for disabled passengers but it only went up as far as a mezzanine level. Since we were not visibly disabled and, more importantly I think, it meant someone allowing us back through the ticket barrier - we couldn't use it. A kindly policeman offered to carry one of heavy bags up the stairs and eventually we made it home.

Surely no-one can design a airport train terminal without lift access?
Airport express train station at Beijing's new, Norman Foster designed, Terminal 3. The temperature under this glass canopy must have been 50C during August. It was like a sauna but with luggage.