Water, electricity, restrooms and office hours in Beijing

Water

Tap water in China is considered hard and needs to be boiled before drinking. Tap water in all hotels in China is not drinkable. Inquire with the staff when you check into a hotel, and they will provide bottled water, hot or cold.

Power Supply

China uses a 220-voltage power supply for standard domestic and business purposes. Hotels generally provide wall sockets in every room, accommodating both 'straight two-pin plugs' and 'triangular 3-pins plugs'.

Restroom

Travelers can easily find restrooms/toilets on the street, in office buildings, shopping centers, supermarkets, hotels and fast food restaurants. Applicable fees should be posted.

Office Hours

In China, standard working hours are usually from 8am to 5pm and some from 9am to 6pm. Major malls are generally open from 8:30am or 9am and close around 8:30pm during the winter, and 9pm, and sometimes even later, in summer. Because traffic is bad during rush hours with the mass movement of people in and around the city, tourists are advised to avoid peak hour traffic at 7-9am and 5-7pm.