Beijing Transportation

Beijing transportation links are extremely convenient and facilities are constantly improving.

Cycling

One of the most convenient and cleanest ways to travel around the city. There are bike lanes literally on the side of each road, many of them being protected with a fence. Being completely flat, Cycling requires hardly any effort. It is also safe, but you do need to be aware that traffic rules are not always respected in China (though in Beijing the situation has improved a lot) and always need to look both sides when crossing the road even if the light is green.

Beijing transportation links are excellent, though foreigners often avoid the bus system until their understanding of Mandarin Chinese has improved past the basics. Travel by subway or taxi are the easiest and most common options.

Buses

City buses run from 05:30-23:00. They are very crowded, particularly in the rush hours (06:30-08:30 and 17:00-19:00). There is also a limited night Beijing transportation service between 23:00 and 05:30 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 form of Beijing transportation, the subway (05:30-23:00) 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. Line 13 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 xia li) 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 kilometer, but the usual rate is RMB 10 for the first three kilometers and RMB 2 per kilometer thereafter. There is a 20% surcharge after 23:00. 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).

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 license, 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. It is by far the least recommended form of Beijing transportation.

Trains

China has one of the biggest and busiest rail networks in the world. The best Chinese trains are very safe, modern and comfortable. Beijing transportation links include five railway stations but Beijing's West Railway Station at Lianhuachi is the newest and largest. Each station has lines running to almost all provincial capitals, and to all China's major cities. There are four kinds of seats available: soft berths, hard berths, soft seats, and hard seats. Most overnight trains have dining cars.

Purchasing Train Tickets

You can book your train ticket by yourself but the process can be rather confusing and time-consuming. You can contact Study – China for assistance with your travel plans and we will help you book tickets at cost price. However, you must notify us in advance of your departure as demand for tickets tends to be very high and unlike in the West it is not easy to purchase them right before departure.

Reservations for the best Z-category express trains open 20 days in advance, but for most other trains bookings only open between 4 and 10 days before departure. The rules appear to vary..! However, you can't buy a ticket before bookings open. You can generally only book a train journey at the station where your journey starts, so (for example) the reservations office at Shanghai can sell you a Shanghai-Beijing ticket but not a Beijing-Xian ticket. Berths are best booked at least 2-3 days in advance, apart from peak periods (the Spring Festival, May Day 1st May, National Day 1st October) when they should be booked as soon as reservations open.

If you opt to book your ticket by yourself, the process can be rather Beijing Railway Station and Beijing West Railway station do however have special counters, which sell tickets to foreigners and overseas Chinese for up to five days in advance. When purchasing your own, remember to bring your passport or ID as these may sometimes be requested.