Transportation in Beijing
Beijing is a throbbing nerve centre of ring roads, highways and subways connecting local spots, railway stations and airports. The city is enclosed by four ring roads, with nine expressways in the four major directions and eleven national highways.
One of the biggest concerns with traffic in Beijing deals with its apparently ubiquitous traffic jams, so learn to relax, you are after all in the most populous nation in the world!
[read more] Our Beijing transportation guide will give you information on getting to and getting around Beijing. To help you see this wonderful city we have many tours on offer. We also have general information if you want to know more about travelling to and within magnificent China.
Beijing Transportation Guide
By AirAbout 25 kilometres to the north-east of Beijing city lies the Beijing Capital Airport. Almost 36 international airlines, 21 domestic airlines, 1 Macao and 1 Hong Kong airline use this airport. Dial 64653604 for the Beijing Capital International Airport. Liangxiang Airport, Nanyuan Airport and Badaling Airport are three other fully functional but lesser known airports of Beijing.
After arriving in Beijing Capital Airport you can go into the city by one of the following means:
Airport Shuttle
The airport shuttle runs every 30 minutes from 5:30 to 20:00, covers different routes, and the cost is 16RMB (about USD2). The bus stops at certain places in the city and you could continue to other destinations in the city by Taxi.
Airport Taxi
Right outside the Arrival Hall at the airport you can book yourself a taxi to get to Beijing City. These registered taxis charge by the meter. The ride from the airport to Beijing city costs around 100RMB, and this includes an expressway toll of 15RMB. An additional charge is levied for trips made after 11p.m.
Don’t get put off by the long queue at this counter. It moves fast. Also, remember to retain the taxi number given to you by the booking clerk, in case you need to complain!
Hotel Shuttle
The best and easiest way is to go by hotel shuttle. Most major hotels will offer this service. When making a hotel reservation, be sure to ask for airport shuttle service from the airport.
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By Rail
Beijing is a large city with four railway stations servicing it – Beijing Railway Station in East Beijing, Yongdingmen Station in the South, Xizhimen Station in the North, and Beijing West Railway Station in the West. You can reach downtown Beijing by one of the many buses that ply from each of these stations.
Beijing is accessible by train from any part of China. However, train travel may be daunting as it takes longer than air travel (China being a big country). Also, not much English is spoken on the trains. So check the travel time, the destination station, train numbers etc. before you start.
The schedule here will give you a broad idea of the travel time on the major routes:
- Xi’an to Beijing: Approx. 10 hours
- Guangzhou to Beijing: Approx. 30 hours
- Harbin to Beijing: Approx. 20 hours
- Shanghai to Beijing: Approx. 14 hours
By Bus
One of the most comfortable ways to get to Beijing from cities close by is the Luxury Express Bus. You can get on to these from one of the four bus stations:
- Dongzimen, in the northeast at Dongzimenwai Xiejie
- Muxiyuan, at Haihutun in Fengtai District, in the south
- Beijiao, at Deshengmenwai in the north
- Majun or Guangqumen at Guangqumenwai in the east
Getting around Beijing
Taxi
For newcomers to Beijing, taxis offer travellers the most convenience. Taxis line up for passengers at the airport, railway, and bus stations. If the taxi is not the type you want, keep looking. The taxi fee in Beijing starts from RMB10 for the first 3 kms; then the charge for the following journey depends on the taxi type. Usually, lower class cabs charge RMB1.2 per additional kilometre, while the higher standard, more spacious taxis charge RMB1.6 or 2 per km.
Due to the traffic situation in Beijing, taxis charge not only according to their meters, but also for waiting time in traffic! For every five minutes of waiting time you will be surcharged a one-kilometre fee. Though taxis are somewhat expensive for many travellers, they are convenient in the middle of the night or early morning. After 11 pm, taxis charge a 50 percent late-night surcharge, no extra charge for luggage.
Train
The Tourism Department runs special trains from the four railway stations of Beijing to areas of tourist interest. The tickets, some of which include the entry fee for the sights as well, are available at the tourist offices, with travel agents and on the trains as well.
Subway
Four subway lines connect prominent areas like Tian’anmen Square, the railway stations and Quianmen to the outskirts of Beijing. These are open from 5.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m. and their fares range from RMB2 to RMB6. The subways of Ghangzou and Shanghai are better than that of Beijing, but the Beijing subway is a good option to escape the traffic snarls of the city.
Public Bus
Buses are very popular in Beijing. Many of them operate on a self service basis, so do remember to carry adequate small change before taking the bus. Buses are differentiated by the first digit of their numbers. Air conditioned bus numbers begin with 8.
Risckshaw
The best way to experience the typical Beijing flavour and culture is to take a rickshaw ride through the hutongs of the city. Though they are more expensive than taxis, rickshaws are great time savers as they can run through the narrow alleys. You can pick up a rickshaw near places of tourist interest but don’t forget to bargain before you get in!
