Beijing Transportation Guide[/b]

    Finding your way around town takes time. One of the best ways to get oriented to Beijing is to spending time in a taxi or simply getting on a bicycle. In Beijing there are basically three types of Taxis (1.20,1.60, 2.00) the difference primarily being in the quality of the car in which you ride and the amount of fare that is charged.

    Of course, many expatriates don't feel altogether at home until they can experience the freedom of driving for themselves or knowing exactly where to point the taxi driver. But, getting a license to drive in the PRC is a fairly straightforward, if involved, procedure. It will take some time and running around, though, so if you have a company driver, delegate some of the tasks below and save yourself some mafan.




Taxi Service


Taxi drivers generally do not speak any English, so unless your Mandarin is excellent, be sure to have the Addressress written in Chinese. Collect business cards from any place you think you might want to frequent. The information desks at all the large hotels are helpful. Tell them where you want to go and they will write it on a card for you in Chinese. Write the name in English on the same card and keep it for future use. Taxis are available at all the hotels and are also easy to flag down on the street. The rate is posted on the window of each taxi. The fare rate now for the most popular Xiali, which takes up more than half of the city's taxi market, is only RMB1.2 yuan per kilometer, the fare rate for the better condition ones and new models is RMB1.6 per kilometer. Overcharging is almost unheard of. If you are stopping for only a minute at a store, take your belongings with you and ask the driver to wait - they generally will if it is ok to park.


Buses & Tour Bus


Beijing's bus network covers the entire urban area comprehensively and is very cheap. Buses can be very crowded and often move only slowly due to traffic congestion. Frequencies on main routes average once every five or ten minutes. A few routes have all-night services. There is a complex fare system based on the number of stops you pass; just ask the attendant what your fare is. Take some small change with you, and watch out for pickpockets. There are also minibuses which follow the standard bus routes and will pick up and let down passengers anywhere.

Buses equipped with air-conditioning use a rate based on distance, starting at either RMB1 or 2. If you have a work or student visa and plan to ride a lot of buses, you can pick up a bus pass offering unlimited rides during a given period. Passes, which range from RMB10 for a local student monthly pass to RMB 120 for an adult full season pass, can be bought at all McDonald's( from the last day of the previous month to the third of the current one). You can also buy passes at big bus terminals including the following, listed by district:

Chaoyang: Dongdaqiao bus terminal
Chongwen: Tianqiao bus terminal
Dongcheng: Andingmen bus terminal
Haidian: Dongwuyuan (zoo) bus terminal
Xicheng: Gangwashi bus terminal
Xuanwu: Guang'anmen bus termina



Subway


Traveling via the subway is quick and clean. If it goes where you want to go, definitely try it. It costs RMB 3 for however far you are going. There are two main lines, "1" is the horizontal line and "2" is the loop line that follows the inner ring road. You may need to transfer between line 1 and 2 but this is quick and easy.

Stations are announced over the train's speaker system, in Chinese and English, but, as it is often difficult to hear, it is better to count the number of stations until you reach your destination. The names of stations are displayed in Chinese characters and pinyin. If unfortunately you fail to get off at the right station in the Circle Line, you can take the next train back without buying another ticket. But, if this mistake happens in other lines, such as No. 13, you shall buy another ticket for going back.

The Beijing Subway is another transportation alternative. The Beijing Subway currently has 4 lines:

· Line 1, 38km long, from Pingguoyuan Sihui East
· Line 2, (loop line), 16km long, part of which is beneath the 2nd Ring Road
· Line 13, 40.8km long, from Xizhimen to Dongzhimen
· Batong Line, 18.9km long, extends from Sihui to Tuqiao

Metro Line 1

Ping Guo Yuan: Shi Jing Shan Carnie
Gu Cheng Lu: Xing Zuo shopping Center
Ba Jiao You Le Yuan: ShiJingShanHospital, Ba Jiao Park, Shi Jing Shan pleasure ground
Ba Bao Shan: Ba Bao Shan revolution memorial park,ChinaRadioInternationalBuilding
Yu Quan Lu: Yu Quan Plaza
Wu Ke Song: 307 Hospital
Wan Shou Lu: Shou Song Restaurant
Gong Zhu Fen: Xin Xing Hotel, HuaYingPlaza
Jun Shi Bo Wu Guan: Military museum
Mu Xi Di: Guo Hong Hotel, China information Center
Nan Li Shi Lu: Fu Xing Shopping Mall, ZhongHuaPlaza
Fu Xing Men: ParksonShopping Center, CCTV
Xi Dan: BeijingBookBuilding
Tian An Men Xi:ZhongShanPark
Tian An Men Dong: ChinaHistoryMuseum
Wang Fu Jing: Beijing Hotel, Wang Fu Jing Shopping street
Dong Dan: DongDanSportsCenter, OrientalPlazaShopping Center
Jian Guo Men: Chang Fu Gong Hotel, Gloria Plaza Hotel
Yong An Li: Gui You Department store, XiuShuiShopping Center, Jian Guo Hotel
Guo Mao: China World Shopping Center, China Hotel, China World Hotel, KerryCenter,
Da Wang Lu: SOHO New town, China Center Place
Si Hui: OceanPlaza, main bus station
Si Hui Dong: China Resources Hotel


Metro Line 2

Fu Xing Men (exchange stop): ParksonShopping Center, CCTV
Fu Cheng Men: HuaLianShopping Center, Bank of China
Che Gong Zhuang: GuanYuanPark
Xi Zhi Men:ChengMingPlaza
Ji Shui Tan: WestOcean
Gu Lou Da Jie: NorthBinRiverPark
An Ding Men: BaoJingPlaza
Yong He Gong: Yong He Palace, CapitalMuseum
Dong Zhi Men: EastGatePlaza
Dong Si Shi Tiao: PollyPlaza, Hong KongMacauCenter, Beijing Asian Hotel
Chao Yang Men: Sunshine Hotel, Full Link Plaza, China Life Tower
Jian Guo Men( exchange stop): Chang Fu Gong Hotel, Gloria Plaza Hotel
Bei Jing Zhan: Beijing Train Station
Chong Wen Men: Chong Wen Men Hotel, Maxim’s restaurant, Xin Qiao Hotel
Qian Men: Chairman Mao memorial hall
He Ping Men: Quan Ju De Duck Restaurant, He Ping Men Shopping Mall, Zhong Xing Hotel
Xuan Wu Men: CatholicismSouthChurch, Yue Xiu Hotel, Chong Guang Shopping Mall
Chang Chun Jie: GuoHuaShopping Center