Construction of the Yanfang Line was scheduled to commence in September 2011 and be completed by 2013.

[3] On October 17, 2011, the Ministry of Environmental Protection declined to approve plans for the line citing lack of approval for the project from the National Development and Reform Commission and uncertain environmental impact of the line on the South–North Water Transfer Project which has a channel and reservoir in Fangshan District.

The line is the first in Beijing to be capable of unattended train operations, and the first in China to exclusively use subsystems developed by domestic manufacturers.

Due to low passenger flow, the branch line will not be built in the short-term planning.

[9] In addition, Beijing Subway is evaluating the possibile merge with the Fangshan line.