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| Home > City Guide - Beijing - Getting Around | ||
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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 of RMB1-2 within the city (up to RMB2-10 for suburban bus routes) are paid to the conductor. Air-conditioned buses within the city cost between RMB2-8 depending on distance travelled. 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 lines: the East–West Line runs from Pingguoyuan to Sihui, and the Ring Line follows the Second Ring Road. Entrances are marked by a logo of a square inside a ‘C’ shape and there is a flat rate of RMB3 for each journey, irrespective of distance travelled. Tickets can be purchased from the ticket offices above the platforms and, as tickets are undated and valid for all journeys, it is worth buying a few at once to save queuing for each journey. However, by the end of 2002, individual tickets will be replaced by prepaid cards that have to be inserted into a machine to gain entry to the subway system. Signs and announcements are in Chinese and English. Taxis Taxis are plentiful, 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 four to five 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) 6852 4088). Tipping is not expected but always welcome. Limousines CITS, CITS Building, Fuxingmennei Avenue (tel: (10) 6601 1122 or 8292; website: www.cits.net) can arrange limousines for US$90 per day within the city limits. Driving in the City Few short-term visitors to Beijing attempt to drive there, as the 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. Very few road signs are in English and 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 Visitors wishing to hire a car in Beijing will find that they have to hire a car plus driver. CITS, Fuxingmennei Avenue (tel: (10) 6601 1122 or 8292; website: www.cits.net), and CTS, 2 Beisanhaun East Road (tel: (10) 6461 8959; website: www.ctsho.com), can arrange car hire with a driver and the cost for one day in the city limits starts at US$50-60. Hertz (tel: (10) 6595 8109) also have an office in Beijing at the Jianguo Hotel, 5 Jianguomenwei Avenue, but cars still have to be rented with a driver for around US$90 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 Crowne Plaza Hotel, Wangfujing Dajie (tel: (10) 6513 3388), for RMB20 per hour; the Peace Hotel, 3 Jingyu Hutong (tel: (10) 6512 8833), for RMB40 per half-day; and the Palace Hotel, Jingyu Hutong (tel: (10) 6512 8899), for RMB10 per hour but free for their guests. 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 (RMB0.20). Bringing one’s own cycle lock is recommended. |
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