In order to examine the factors which affect the range of heat transfer in earth surrounding subways, FLAC3D was adopted in this study to analyze these factors, under different conditions, in a systematic manner. When we compare these numeri-cal tests, the results show that the main factors, affecting the heat transfer range are the thermal properties of the surrounding earth, the initial ground temperature and the temperature in the tunnel. The heat transfer coefficient between air and linings has little effect on the temperature distribution around the tunnel. The current results can provide a reference for improving the thermal environ-ment in subways and optimizing the design of subway ventilation and air conditioning.