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Local City Transport2006/07/26
By Buses In Beijing, there are plenty of local and long-distance buses. City centre buses tend to be overcrowded at times and traffic jams can add to the misery, however, improvements are on the way in preparation for the 2008 Beijing Games. About 4,000 new environmentally friendly buses were added to the fleet in late 2005 and 2006, but many more are planned. Generally, the buses operate between The first number of buses differentiates the function. Buses with 7 or 8 as the first number usually come with air conditioning. Buses with 9 as the first number run between suburban and urban areas. Buses beginning with 2 work at night.
Beijing also has tour buses that travel between its major resorts. They begin with the word “tour” or “Y”. 1. Departure each day for Y*1 to Y*2. 2. Departure on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays for Y*6 to Y*18. 3. The price covers one-round ticket and it does not include the ticket for the scenic tours. Tour Buses Tel: +86 10 6779 7546
Departing Every Day
Transportation Web site and consultative number 交通信息网站及咨询电话 Beijing Transport Information WWW: http:// www.1039.com.cn See Beijing maps here: http://www.go2map.com Beijing bus information: http:// www.bjbus.com Hot line: 96166
Subways and Light Railways Although sometimes crowded, this is often the fastest way to get around the city. The Beijing subway system (ditie) currently consists of two underground rail lines and two light-rail lines. The two most used lines, Line 1 (the east–west line or yixian) and Line 2 (the loop line or huanxian), have been joined to the Batong Light-rail Line (extending out of the city to the east) and to Line 13 (shisan hao xian), which operates in the north of the city connecting to the loop line at the Xizhimen and Dongzhimen stations. Tickets cost a flat rate of between 3 yuan and 5 yuan, regardless of destination. The price depends on whether you will be making a transfer to another line. When buying a ticket, try to let the seller know where you are going, either by showing them a map or by stating your destination. If you will be making a transfer off Lines 1 and 2, the price is either 4 yuan or 5 yuan. For a transfer to Line 13 you will be required to swap your paper ticket for a magnetic token at the interchange station. And make sure you retrieve your token at the electronic gates upon entrance as you will need it to get out once you reach your destination. Subway/light-rail trains arrive every few minutes, generally speaking from 5: Subway lines Nos. 4, 5, 9 and 10 are under construction and will be completed before 2008. During the Olympics, 80 percent of the sport facilities will be accessible by subway.
By Taxi There are more than 70,000 taxis in use in Beijing. Taxi “flag-falls” begin at 10 yuan during the day and 11 yuan from 11 p.m. until About 30,000 new, colourful, more comfortable Beijing Hyundai Sonata and Elantra models were being added to the city’s mid-sized taxi fleet in early 2006. Air-conditioned and capable of meeting Euro III international auto emissions standards, the new cars are a vast improvement of Beijing’s taxi culture.
Taxi Survival Skills It would be very difficult to find a foreigner in Beijing who doesn’t use the taxi system, so our top five survival skills for the non-Chinese speakers are: (1) Try to know where you’re going—a map or a card with your destination is extremely helpful to the driver. (2) Carry small change—your driver may not be able to change a 100-yuan note. (3) Sit in the front seat to make hand gestures more visible, being aware of the seat belt. Zuo guai is a left turn, you guai right. (4) Say tingxia to stop. (5) Ask for your receipt by saying fapiao.
Drive Travel Tips Driving is convenient and interesting in Beijing. Here are some tips for you: (1) Use expressway and main roads of the Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Ring roads. (2) Traffic jams are the norm from 7 a.m. to 9: (3) There are different levels of parking fees in Beijing. Wangfujing, Xidan, Dongdan, Financial Street, Chaowai Dajie, CBD area, Zhongguancun Dajie, Chongwenmen Dajie and the Qianmen commercial area. Expect to pay 2.5 yuan per half an hour outside the Third Ring Road; 3 yuan per hour within. (4) You can also visit http://www.bjjtgl.gov.cn to get detailed information about the immediate traffic situation in Beijing.
Pedicab and Bicycles China used to be called “the sea of bicycles” and in Beijing today the bicycle is still a convenient vehicle for most people. Renting a bike may be a good way for you to see the city at your own pace. You can rent a good bike from a hotel, paying 20–30 yuan for the day (deposit required). You can also rent from bigger booths (for repairing bikes and pumping tires) where the charge is lower but the bikes are not as new. When you need to, put your bike in a bike park. They are easily identified by large amounts of bikes on the roadside and cost a very affordable 1 yuan. Pedicabs are three-wheeled, partly covered tricycles that are a good choice for sightseeing, especially through the hutong, (traditional laneways) on your own. They are available everywhere and are a good value. Be warned: you should bargain with the driver first, asking how much it will cost, giving clear directions to avoid disputes. A legally registered pedicab has a certificate, and the driver should have a card hanging around his neck.
Boat Tired of traffic jams? For a change, you can travel around Beijing by boat. There are four waterway tours developed by the Beijing Municipal Government: the Changhe, Kunyuhe, Nanhu, Zhuanhe courses. In addition, there are tourist boats available in some scenic places. Feel the cool breeze in a boat, while seeing “another side” of Beijing.
Main Watercourses 1. Kunyu Course The course runs 10 kilometres from Kunmen Hu to Yuyuan Tan, passing Yuheyuan dock, Changhewan dock, Linglong Park, Enji Park, Benjiaoyuan dock, CCTV tower dock, Yuyuan Tan (Bayi Hu dock), Aquatic Fairyland, Song Qingling Children's Park. Later the course will be extended to Gaobeidian Hu. Visitors will be able to enjoy more scenic spots on boats, such as the White Cloud Taoist Temple (Baiyun Guan), Tianning Temple, Grand View Garden, Temple of Heaven, Longtan Hu Park. The boat leaves Bayi Hu hourly at 8–10 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., and 4:30 p.m. and leaves Yiheyuan at 9:05 a.m., 10:05 a.m., 11:05 a.m., 2:05 p.m. and 4:05 p.m. 2. Changhe Course The course is nine kilometres long, running from Kunmen Lake to Beizhanhou Lake. The boat passes Yiheyuan dock, Changhewan dock, Wanshou Temple, Ziyuwan dock, Zizhuyuan Park, Beijing Library, Beijing Zoo, Beijing Aquarium, Beijing Exhibition Hall, a bridge: Maizhong Qiao, Guangyuanzha, Five Pagoda Temple (Wutasi), Gaoliang Qiao. This course used to be the channel imperial families used to travel westward in the summer. The boat leaves from Beizhanhou Dock at 9:30 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. and at 10:45 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. from Yuheyuan daily. 3. Shichahai In Shichahai, as well as the Hutong Tour, you can also travel by a southern-style boat with a long scull; fully enjoy the old Beijing lifestyle. Course one: back gate of Beihai–Drum Tower–Yinding Bridge–Hutong Tour–back gate of Beihai. Course two: back gate of Baihai–Shichahai Front Water–Yinding Bridge–Shichahai Back Water–Hutong Tour–Gongwangfu Garden. Tel: ＋86 10 6852 9428
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