To explore the reasonable lining section thickness of shallow buried soft soil excavation channels under vehicle loads, two-dimensional finite element models were established using load structure method and strata structure method, respectively. The stress characteristics and safety factors of subway excavation channels under different burial depths, vehicle loads, and lining thicknesses were quantified. The research results indicate that regardless of the presence or absence of vehicle loads, the maximum bending moment of the tunnel is located at the arch foot or arch shoulder, and the minimum safety factor is located at the arch crown. According to the original design reinforcement, regardless of whether there is vehicle load, the safety factor decreases with increasing burial depth and increases with increasing secondary lining. Under shallow burial conditions, the safety factors calculated by the load structure method are smaller than those calculated by the stratum structure method. The calculation results of load structure method show that under vehicle load and surrounding rock pressure, the secondary lining thickness is 60, 90, 100 cm respectively, and the burial depth does not exceed 8, 12, 14.6 m respectively, meeting the safety factor requirements of the specifications. The calculation results of the stratum structure method show that under vehicle load and surrounding rock pressure, when the thickness of the secondary lining is 60, 80, 100 cm respectively, its burial depth does not exceed 12, 15.5, 19 m, which can meet the safety factor requirements of the specifications.