World City Guide

Getting Around

Public Transport
The public transport system, especially the bus system, is rarely attempted by foreign visitors unless they have a good understanding of Mandarin Chinese. Travel by subway or taxi (see Taxis below) is by far the easier option.

City buses run 0530-2300 and are very crowded, particularly in the rush hours (0630-0830 and 1700-1900). There is also a limited night service between 2300 and 0530 hours. Fares are paid to the conductor. It is important to have the destination written in Chinese as the conductor almost certainly will not speak English.

Clean, fast and efficient, the subway (0530-2300) is an appealing alternative, although the trains can be packed during rush hours. The subway consists of two main lines: the East-West Line runs from Pingguoyuan to Sihui Dong, and the Ring Line follows a circular route, mirroring the Second Ring Road. The ‘13 line’ operates in the north of the city, connecting Dongzhimen and Xizhimen Ring Line stations, and the ‘Ba Tong’ Line 1 extension threads further east as far as Tuqiao – though neither is of much use to tourists. Four new Beijing subway lines, including an airport link, are due for completion by 2008 (a total of 16 lines are planned by 2020). Entrances are marked by a logo of a square inside a ‘C’ shape and there is a flat rate depending on the length of the journey. Tickets can be purchased from the ticket offices above the platforms and, as tickets are undated and valid for all journeys. Signs and announcements are in Chinese and English.

Taxis
Taxis are plentiful (42,000 apparently ply the capital’s streets daily), cheap and metered. They wait around major department stores, hotels and railway stations and can be hailed on the street. Taxis in Beijing are mostly small, red hatchbacks or saloons (known as xiali) and, generally, the smaller and older the car, the cheaper the fare. All taxis have a sticker in the back window that indicates the rate per kilometre, but the usual rate is RMB10 for the first three kilometres and RMB1.2-1.6 per kilometre thereafter. There is a 20% surcharge after 2300. It is important to write the destination in Chinese as most drivers are unlikely to speak English. Taxis can be pre-booked through Beijing Taxi Co (tel: (10) 6837 3399). Tipping is not expected but always welcome.

Limousines
CITS, CITS Building, 1 Dongdan Beidajie, Dongcheng District (tel: (10) 6522 2991 or 8522 7930; website: www.cits.net) can arrange limousines for US$90 per day within the city limits. Beijing Limo (tel: (10) 6204 5156; website www.beijinglimo.com) provides a range of limousines and people carriers for airport pick-ups and city tours.

Driving in the City
Few short-term visitors to Beijing attempt to drive there, as hiring a car is a lengthy process, parking is difficult and car hire is restricted to the city limits. Visitors would also need to be in possession of a Chinese driving licence, which can only be obtained by those holding a Resident’s Permit. Although road regulations do exist, they are regularly ignored and it is not uncommon to see aggressive lane-swapping by buses and taxis or even traffic going the wrong way on roads or roundabouts. Theoretically, traffic drives on the right but on smaller roads this is not always adhered to. It is important to remember that in the case of an accident it will always be assumed that the foreigner is at fault.

Car Hire
Hire car options are beginning to open up in Beijing, though the car usually comes with a driver. Hertz China (tel: (10) 6463 4830/77 or 4787; website: www.hertz.net.cn) has an office at the Jianguo Hotel, 5 Jianguomenwei Dajie, rents cars (with driver) from around US$50 per day.

Bicycle Hire
As China has the highest number of bicycles anywhere in the world, it also has an enormous supply of bicycle rental outlets. Although Chinese roads are unpredictable and at times fairly lawless and dangerous, hiring a bike can be preferable to relying on public transport. There are bike lanes on all main roads in Beijing, although these are filled with several thousand cyclists during rush hours.

Bicycles can be rented from hotels, including the Peace Hotel, 3 Jingyu Hutong (tel: (10) 6512 8833) and the Palace Hotel, Jingyu Hutong (tel: (10) 6512 8899). Shops tend to be cheaper but rates can vary greatly. A deposit is always required. When parking, bicycles must be left in the special bike parking areas, which are guarded and are very cheap. Bringing one’s own cycle lock is recommended.