A　variety　of　seismic　design　methods　for　subway　structures,　which　are　present　popular　in　China,　are　introduced,　including　the　response　displacement　method　(RDM),　modified　cross　section　racking　deformation　method　(MCSRDM),　the　response　acceleration　method　(RAM)　and　the　pushover　analysis　method　(PAM).　A　comparison　calculation　was　then　made　for　the　same　typical　subway　structural　cross-section　under　the　same　typical　geological　conditions　in　Beijing　by　use　of　all　above　methods　and　dynamic　time　history　analysis　method.　It　was　shown　that　the　calculated　results　gained　from　the　RDM,　whose　coefficient　of　dynamic　subgrade　reaction　was　based　on　Japanese　railway　earthquake-resistance　designing　code　or　static　finite　element,　the　MCSRDM,　the　RAM　and　the　PAM　were　close　to　that　from　the　dynamic　analysis　method.　It　provided　some　reference　for　practical　seismic　design　of　subway　structures　in　the　future.　©　2011　IEEE.