The　rapid-developed　COVID-19　has　been　defined　as　a　global　emergency　by　the　World　Health　Organization.　Meanwhile,　various　evidence　indicates　there　is　a　positive　correlation　between　the　transmission　and　population　density,　especially　in　closed　and　semi-closed　space.　The　urban　rail　transit,　as　one　of　the　major　mode　choices　for　people　to　commute　in　big　cities,　carries　thousands　of　passengers　every　day　with　relatively　closed　and　limited　space,　which　provides　favorable　conditions　for　the　spread　of　the　virus.　If　the　surrounding　area　of　any　station　was　disrupted　under　COVID-19,　not　only　the　individual　line　but　also　the　entire　urban　rail　transit　network　will　have　the　risk　to　be　affected.　Therefore,　it　is　necessary　to　identify　and　explore　the　distribution　law　of　key　stations　during　the　spreading　process　of　the　COVID-19　virus　in　the　urban　rail　transit　network　during　the　COVID-19　pandemic.　Based　on　the　spatial　distribution　of　epidemic　area　and　the　demand　of　urban　rail　transit　passengers,　we　have　proposed　a　construction　method　of　the　rail　transit　network　and　use　the　improved　shortest　path　algorithm　to　determine　the　route　diversity　index　of　each　station　which　indicates　its　importance　in　the　urban　rail　transit　network.　On　this　basis,　we　identify　the　key　stations　of　the　Beijing　rail　transit　network　to　ensure　that　passengers　avoid　high-risk　stations　during　the　epidemic.　The　results　show　that　the　number　of　reasonable　routes　between　any　two　stations　is　1　to　5　during　the　COVID-19　pandemic.　Moreover,　the　routes　diversity　index　of　the　Beijing　rail　transit　network　was　1.235　during　the　COVID-19　pandemic　and　2.2574　in　the　normal　period.　According　to　the　reasonable　route　diversity　index,　we　have　identified　the　key　stations　of　the　Beijing　rail　transit　network　during　the　COVID-19,　such　as　Qi-Li-Zhuang　station.　©　2020　Elsevier　B.V.