Beijing Travel Guide

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Edition HistoryEdit Introduction

Olympic Period Transportation in Beijing: During the Olympic time, ONLY athletics, journalists and officials will be allowed to drive directly to the stadiums. The spectators and tourists will be required to use the subway or special Olympic buses.

Transportation options during the Beijing Olympics are Buses and Subways. The best option is to buy a Public Transportation Card in advance at authorized ticket outlets and recharged it as required. A deposit of 20 yuan (RMB/CNY) is required for each card. Simply add money to the card as needed. Every time when you board a bus or the subway, just swipe your card. When you leave Beijing, you can get a refund both of your card deposit and any unused money. If you choose not to use a card you will need to ensure that you have correct change each time you board a bus or use the subway. See a Beijing Subway Map.

Edition HistoryEdit Air

The Beijing Capital International Airport

The airport is Located 25.35 km northeast of the city and is about 961 square kilometers in size. It is  by far the largest and busiest international airport in China. With 168 international routes and domestic flights to 70 Chinese cities and 36 countries and regions in the world, Beijing Capital International Airport occupies a pivotal position in China's aviation network. 

Address: Beijing Capital International Airport, Airport Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100621, China

Information: Tel: 64563604/05/06/08

Beijing Nayuan Airport     

The old military airport- Beijing Nanyuan Airport is now open to civilian flights.  This airport see  fewer flights than the busy capital airport so it features quick check-in. Normally travelers do not have to queue up for check in or the security. Currently thee are flights to Wuxi, Dalian, Hohhot, Harbin, Chengdu. There are shuttle bus from the Xidan Civilian Aviation Tower to the airport.. Flight tickets are available at the Union Airline offices at the Xidan Civilian Aviation Tower, Huanteng Tower at the third east ring road.

Address: The intersection of JingBei Dong Lu and Jing Bei Xi Lu 

Service hotline: 67974055

Flight Tickets Office in Beijing
(1) China International Airway Ticketing Tower
Address: # 15 West Chang'an Avenue
Information hotline: 66017755
Domestic flight reservation: 66013336
International flight reservation: 66016667
Payment in advance 66017573

China Union Airline Ticketing Office:
Information: 65211581
Office at No. 1 Yaobao Road: 65253590
Office at the Beijing Hotel: 65007766---707
Office at Dengshixikou: 65252829
Office at Jia No. 14 Fuxing Road: 68653819

General Aviation Co. Ltd. Ticketing Office:
Office in the city of Beijing: 66024075
Office at the airport: 64562870

Shanghai Airline Ticketing Office:
Office in the city of Beijing: 65122473
Office at the airport: 65007766

The China Eastern Airline Ticketing Office:
Office in the city of Beijing: 66017590
Office at the airport: 64562870

North Airline Ticketing Office:
Office in the city of Beijing: 66024078
Office at the airport: 64562170

Northwest Airline Ticketing Office:
Office in the city of Beijing: 66017589
Office at the airport: 64562368

South Airline Ticketing Office:
Office in the city of Beijing: 66016899
Office at the airport: 64564089

Xinjiang Airline Ticketing Office
Office in the city of Beijing: 66024083
Office at the airport: 64562803

Southwest Airline Ticketing Office:
Office in the city of Beijing: 66017590
Office at the airport: 64562870
The flights of all the above airlines land in the Capital International Airport.

Tips: 

Arrival in Beijing Capital International Airport

When flying to Beijing from overseas, you will land at the recently opened Terminal 3, which is the largest building in the world. That means a few walking from distant gates.

The arrival process is convenient and streamlined. You have no longer to complete blanks of the "health form" but, you need to walk through the infrared sensors that scan everyone to see if you have an abnormal temperature and signs of fever. The notices say, "Taking temperature."

Then you will come to the immigration that the procedure is much the same as the U.S.  If you have the Olympic credentials, you can have the priority queues. Your steps should be quick to move through the. While the immigration officer checks your passport, you can rate the immigration officer for the service, and also reflect your immigration experience by pressing the buttons in front of you - from smiley to frowning face.

The next is customs. You are supposed to fill out a special customs declaration form for gears that you are carrying and have them validated by the Chinese embassy or consulate in your countries.  Or you don’t make the customs declaration by exiting from the green channel. As travelers, we recommend you to do the declaration since you don’t work or have a long stay in China.

Edition HistoryEdit Train

Beijing is one of the country's railway centers. The Beijing Train Station is situated to the south of the Jian Guo Men Nei Da Jie, within walking distance to the center of the city. Many public buses and the subway connect the station with other parts of Beijing. One can take trains to such important tourist cities such as Harbin, Shanghai and Xian. The West Train Station of Beijing at the Lianghuachi East Road, opened in 1996, and is the largest train station in Asia. This station has services to bigger cities in every province. There are 140 arrival & departures daily and delivers 150, 000 to 180, 000 passengers each day. During such peak season as the  Spring Festival and the National Holidays, number may go up to 400, 000. There are some other smaller train stations in Beijing such as the South Train Station and the Xizhimen Train Station from where trains depart to destinations of a shorter distance like Hebei & Inner Mongolia for example.

Railway Tickets Offices in Beijing

Beixinqiao Ticketing Office
Address: Dongsi Bei Da jie 88
Mainly for sale of railway route of Jing – Shan, Jing – Lu, Jing – Lu, Jing –Bao and Jing – Cheng etc. Hard seat ticket only, except to Tianjing. (Normally train tickets can be bought five days prior to the date of departure.)
Service hotline: 64043460

Haidian Ticket Office
Address: Next to the People's University in Haidian District
Mainly for sale of tickets in advance.
Service hotline: 62552066

Xinanmen Ticket Office
Address: To the south of the Beijing North Railway Station
Mainly for sale of tickets in advance.

The Ticket Office at the Beijing Railway station
Address: Beijing Railway Station
Mainly for sale of tickets in advance.
Service hotline: 51019999

The Ticket Office at the Beijing West Railway station
Address: Beijing West Railway station
Mainly for sale of tickets in advance.
Service hotline: 51826273

The Ticket Office at the Beijing North Railway station
Address: Beijing North railway Station
Mainly for sale of tickets in advance.
Service hotline: 65636223   65636122

The Ticket Office at the Beijing south Railway station
Address: Beijing South Railway station
Mainly for sale of tickets in advance.
Service hotline: 65636222

Edition HistoryEdit Bus

12 national highways radiate from Beijing to the following major cities: Shenyang, Tianjing, Harbin, Guangzhou, Zhuhai, Nanjing, Fuzhou and Kunming and all parts of China. Beijing also has 9 high quality expressways: Badaling Expressway, the Capital International Airport Expressway, Jing – Sheng Expressway, Jing – Jing – Tang Expressway, Jing – Shi Expressway, Jing – Zhang Expressway, Jing – Cheng Expressway, Jing Ha Expressway and the Jing – Kai Expressway. There are altogether 12 long distance bus stations in Beijing.

Long distance bus station telephone number

Liuliqiao Office: 010-83831716010-83831717

Bawangfen Office: 010-87718844

Lianhuachi Office: 010-63322354

Muxiyuan Office: 010-67267149

Beijiaozhan Office: 010-82846760

Sihuizhan Office: 010-65574804

Yongdingmen Office 010-83109307

Lizeqiao Office: 010-63475092010-63403408

Zhaogongkou Office: 010-67229491010-67237328

Xinfadi Office: 010-83727241

Edition HistoryEdit Local Transport

Tourist Trains

A number of tourist trains serve attractions in the suburbs of Beijing. Tickets for these special trains can be bought at all the ticket counters around the city. Many train stations have green passage for these special trains through which tourist can board without booking a ticket in advance and ticket can be bought upon boarding. Groups of more than 10 people, can be book three to 10 days in advance through phone: 010-65636733.

Some train ticket booking center even sell attractions adminitration fee. Sometimes purchase of attrations fee may offer you a free train ride on train to these attractions.

Public Bus

Beijing has a fleet of modern, air-conditioned vehicles, using environmentally friendly fuel systems. The Beijing bus system is more complicated than the subway as it is a maze of different routes. Some buses have conductors, the others have not. The most important thing to know in the correct bus number and the stop you want. The cost of travelling on the subway is only 0.4 yuan per person each time you swiping the card. The cost is 1 yuan each time if paid by cash.

Tips:

Beijing Subway

Beijing was the first city in China to have a city subway network, currently Subway Line 1, Line 2(the loop line), Line Batong, or Bawangfen to Tongzhou and the light rail Line No. 13 are in use. The northern part of the city, is services by the light rail Line No. 13

Line 1 (Straight Line)
a. Departure time of the first train from Pingguoyuan: 5:10 AM
Departure time of the last train from Pingguoyuan: 10: 55 PM
b. Departure time of the first train from Sihuidong: 5:05 AM
Departure time of the last train from Sihuidong: 11:15 PM
Current Line 1 stations are: Pingguoyuan, Guchenglu, Bajiao Amusement Park, Babaoshan, Yuquanlu, Wukesong, Wanshoulu, Gongzhufen, Junshibowuguan, Muxidi, Nanlishilu, Fuxingmen (interchange to Line 2), Xidan, Tian'anmen West, Tian'anmen East, Wangfujing, Dongdan, Jianguomen (interchange to Line 2), Yong'anli, Guomao, Dawanglu, Sihui (interchange to Batong Line) and Sihuidong (interchange to Batong Line).

Line 2 (Loop Line)
Departure time of the first train from Jishuitan: 5:03 AM
Departure time of the last train from Jishuitan: 11:00 PM
Current Line 2 stations are: Xizhimen (interchange to Line 13), Chegongzhuang, Fuchengmen, Fuxingmen (interchange to Line 1), Changchunjie, Xuanwumen, Hepingmen, Qianmen, Chongwenmen, Beijing Railway Station, Jianguomen (interchange to Line 1), Chaoyangmen, Dongsishitiao, Dongzhimen (interchange to Line 13), Yonghegong, Andingmen, Guloudajie and Jishuitan.

Line Batong
a. From the Station of Sihui 
Departure time of the first train: 6:00 AM
Departure time of the last train: 10:45 PM
b. From the Station of Tuqiao
 Departure time of the first train: 5:20 AM
Departure time of the last train: 10: 05PM
Current Batong Line stations are: Sihui (interchange to Line 1), Sihuidong (interchange to Line 1), Gaobeidian, Broadcasting Institute, Shuangqiao, Guanzhuang, Baliqiao, Tongzhoubeiyuan, Guoyuan, Jiukeshu, Liyuan, Linheli and Tuqiao

Line 13 (the light rail)
a. From the Station Huoying
Departure time of the first train: 5:25AM
Departure time of the last train: 9:30 PM
b. From the Station of Xizhimen
 Departure time of the first train: 6:00AM
Departure time of the last train: 9:00PM
c. From the Station of Dongzhimen
 Departure time of the first train: 6:00 AM
Departure time of the last train: 9:00 PM
Current Line 13 stations are: Xizhimen (interchange to Line 2), Dazhongsi, Zhichunlu, Wudaokou, Shangdi, Xi'erqi, Longze, Huilongguan, Huoying, Lishuiqiao, Beiyuan, Wangjingxi, Shaoyaoju, Guangximen, Liufang and Dongzhimen (interchange to Line 2).

Taxi

Travelers who get off  the Beijing Train Station may heading to the taxi station, opposite to the station for a taxi or wave one one the way. However  taxi drivers may be reluctant to take you to locations nearby. The flagfall for taxis in Beijing is 10 Yuan.

Tourist Pedicab

Pedicabs are another option to see this ancient city. During rush hours pedicab are a favorite means of transport.  Basically pedicabs can be called in the busy and crowded city center or famous attractions. The fare is higher than a taxi and the tourists are supposed to tip the rider if the service is good.

Bicycle

China is reputed as the "Kingdom of Bicycle," but in recent years more and more Chinese city dwellers use cars. George W. Bush, the current president of the USA rode a bike in Beijing on his first visit to China about 30 years ago. Many hotels offer bicycle rental service at 20 to 30 Yuan per day however a deposit is required.