Getting There/Around

Getting There

Beijing is China's vibrant cultural center. In order to see everything it has to offer, you'll need to spend a lot of time commuting. This guide provides an overview of the city's various transportation options.

Air

Beijing's main airport, (PEK; BJS) the Beijing Capital International Airport (+010 6456 3220 / http://www.bcia.com.cn/en/index.jsp), is operated by the Civil Aviation Administration of China. BCIA is located 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) from the city center in the Shun Yi district. The airport consists of three terminals and houses the following airlines:
Air China (+86 10 6601 6667 / http://www.airchina.com.cn)
Air France (+86 10 6588 1388 / http://www.airfrance.com/)
All Nippon Airways (+86 10 6590 9191 / http://www.ana.co.jp)
British Airways (+86 10 6512 4070 / http://www.british-airways.com/)
China Southern Airlines (+1 86 10 6601 7596 /http://www.cs-air.com/en)
Dragon Airway (+86 10 6518 2533 / http://www.dragonair.com)
Finnair (+86 10 6512 7180 / http://www.finnair.com)
Japan Airlines (+86 10 6513 0888 / http://www.jal.co.jp)
Korean Air (+86 10 6505 0088 / http://www.koreanair.com/)
Lufthansa (+86 10 6465 4488 / http://www.lufthansa.com/)
Northwest (+86 10 6505 3505 / http://www.nwa.com)
Quantas Airways (+86 10 6467 4794 / http://www.qantas.com.au)
Thai Airways (+86 10 6460 8899 / http://www.thaiair.com/)
United (+86 10 6463 8551 / http://www.ual.com )

From the Airport

Bus:
There are a number of services that provide transportation from Beijing Capital International Airport to destinations in and around Beijing. The Airport Shuttle bus (+86 10 6459 4375) offers three bus lines to points along the Xidan, Gongzhufen, and Zhongguancun routes.

Taxi:
Metered taxis are available outside the airport, but it is advisable for travelers to have their destination written in Chinese.

Car Rental:
Having access to a car is the easiest way to travel to rural areas outside Beijing but beware of the city’s hectic traffic. Rental car companies in Beijing include:
Avis (http://www.avischina.com )
5i5 Cars (http://zwey.com/)
Beijing Veteran Car Rental Company (http://www.bjlbzc.com/)
Beijng TOP-A Car Service Co (http://www.expatslife.com/)

Train

Beijing is accessible by Chinese Railways (www.chinamor.cn.net). The Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (http://www.kcrc.com) offers transportation to Hong Kong. Beijing is also situated along the Trans-Siberian Railway, which offers service to London via the Trans-Mongolian and Trans-Manchurian routes. Domestic destinations include Tianjin, Shanghai, Qinghuangdao, Harbin. Beijing Train Station (Beijing Zhan), the central station, is located at Jian Guo Men within the Second Ring Road. The Beijing Subway has a Train Station stop and buses to several parts of the city leave from the west part of the station (follow the signs).
Beijing West Train Station (Beijing Xi Ke Zhan) (10-9510-5105) is in the Feng Tai district and is not immediately accessible by subway at this time. It is the biggest train station in Asia and 300,000 passengers go through its doors daily. Trains to China’s west and south are available here, including direct trains to Lhasa, which can be booked up to ten days in advance. Typically, train tickets to any destination in China can be purchased at any train station three days in advance. During crowded times such as major holidays, assistance through CITS may make your travel plans easier.
Other stations in Beijing include Beijing North Train Station (Tel: 10-6563 6122; 10-6563 6223) and Beijing South Train Station (Tel: 6563 5222)

Bus

The five major bus stations offering citywide and national service:
Dongzhimen (10-6204-7095) near the Lama Temple with a stop on Metro line 2,
Muxiyuan(10- 67267149) in Feng Tai District,
Lian Huan Chi (10-6346-4027) near Liu Li Qiao on the Third Ring Road
Liu Li Qiao (10-6386-1262) in Feng Tai District
Zhao Song Kou (10-6722-9491) on South Third Ring Road


Getting Around

Subway

Beijing has an extensive subway system that is currently being renovated. All of the signs in the stations are written in both Chinese and English. Tickets can be purchased at any subway station, with fares varying according to line. The average cost is RMB2. If you will be using the subway often, the best idea is to purchase a Public Transportation Card, called a Yikatong. The minimum deposit for a Yikatong card is RMB20, and it can be refilled as needed at select subway stations.
The Beijing subway is comprised of five main lines: Line 1, Line 2, Line 5, Line 13 and the Batong Line. Line 1 runs in a straight line from east to west, through Tiananmen Square and other major commercial areas. Line 2 runs in a loop following the old city walls, with stops at each of the gates, most major tourist attractions and the Beijing Railway Station. Line 5 runs in a straight line from north to south and also stops at various tourist attractions. Line 13 runs through the northern end of the city. The Batong Line runs from the eastern end of Line 1 to the suburbs.
The plans to expand the subway include three new lines to be ready for the 2008 Olympics. Line 8, also known as the Olympic Branch Line, will run south to north from the National Art Museum through the main Olympic areas, including Olympic Park. Line 10 will run along a larger loop around Line 2. The Airport Line will run from the center of the city to Beijing Capital International Airport.

Bus

Understanding how the bus system operates can be confusing since there are hundreds of different routes. A first-time tourist may want to use the subway or take a taxi. If you have a comfortable understanding of the bus lines, however, you'll be able to navigate your way around the city quickly and affordably. Lines 1 through 199 are used for day transportation in the inner city. Lines 200 through 299 are used for night transportation in the inner city. Lines 300 through 399 are used throughout the outer city and suburbs. Lines 400 through 599 travel from the inner city to the outer city.
There are also 24 lines that link Olympic venues to other transportation sources and will only operate on competition days. Buses numbered below 200 charge RMB1. Buses between 300 and 599 charge RMB1 for the first 12 kilometers and an extra RMB0.5 for every 5 kilometers after that. Please visit http://www.bjbus.com/ for more information.

Taxi

Beijing is one of the easiest cities to get a cab in. A licensed cab always displays the driver’s license with photograph and official seal just above the meter on the dashboard. A sticker in the back window tells you the rate of the cab, usually varying between 1.6 and 2RMB. The larger and more luxurious the cab, the higher the rate. Cab drivers in Beijing often do not speak English so having your destination written out in Chinese or on a map is very useful. Having the card of your hotel will also make getting home by cab trouble free.
Most cab drivers have a personal business card and cell phone. If you particularly enjoy a cab ride or want to take a longer trip outside the city, these can be arranged in advance with a driver. Day fares, depending on destination, typically start around 500RMB.

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