With　the　increased　occurrence　of　terrorist　attacks　at　public　venues,　security　check　systems　(SCSs)　for　subways　have　attracted　more　attention　worldwide.　In　China,　a　two-stage　SCS　was　successfully　adopted　for　the　2008　Olympics　in　Beijing　and　has　been　promoted　in　other　cities.　Because　SCSs　would　generate　additional　operational　costs　and　delays　for　passengers,　improving　their　efficiency　is　a　concern　for　subway　managers.　In　this　research,　an　attempt　was　made　to　optimize　the　current　two-stage　SCS　in　Beijing.　The　speed　and　accuracy　operating　characteristic　curves,　which　described　the　relationship　between　inspection　rate　and　rejection　rate　of　the　preliminary　inspection,　were　investigated.　Two　types　(Type　A　and　Type　B)　of　paced　inspection　processes　were　designed　to　improve　the　overall　performance　of　subway　SCSs.　With　field　data　collected　from　eight　subway　stations　in　Beijing,　the　proposed　paced　inspection　SCS　was　verified　to　improve　the　overall　performance　of　the　current　two-stage　SCS.　In　the　Type　A　paced　scenario,　there　was　an　increase　of　23.8%　in　capacity　and　15.7%　in　accuracy　improvement.　Although　no　capacity　increase　was　achieved　by　the　Type　B　paced　scenario,　the　accuracy　improved　by　3.8%.　The　paced　inspection　design　proposed　in　this　study　would　incur　no　additional　costs　while　improving　the　efficiency　for　SCS　and　would　provide　a　universal　application　form　to　use　when　conducting　inspections　for　subway　operation　and　management.