Taking a trip on the subway is a must for anyone who wants to experience real Beijing, It’s very easy to navigate with signs and online announcements in English and Chinese. Also onboard some of the newer modern trains there are LED displays which indicate the current position or the train. I would suggest for those people who want to avoid getting squashed or the claustrophobic among you to avoid rush hour as this is the busiest time on the subway and when I say busy I mean it you cannot move and its really hot! I think Chinese people missed the memo about personal-space!
- The subway Train
The subway system is the oldest and busiest subway in mainland China, however it has recently undergone a major revamp and extension mainly thanks to the olympics. There are currently 11 lines in operation with 100 stations servicing 5 million people daily. The extension work is still ongoing estimated completion 2015, the planned work will allow a whopping 3million more people to get the train and will be 561 km of track making it bigger than most other major cities including London and New York. On April 30, 2010, the subway delivered a record 6.4 million rides making it the busiest of its kind.
The subway is very cheap at a flat far rate of only 2.00RMB regaurdless of where you go or how many changes are made. Apart from the newly installed airport Express which costs 25 RMB one way, children below 1.2m in height ride for free when accompanied by a paying adult. If you are staying in Beijing for a long period I would suggest to get a top up card for the subway. This card will make it easier and quicker to multiple trips. It is 20 RMB deposit which is refundable plus whatever amount you want to top up the card with. This can be very useful as sometimes during rush hour the line to get tickets can be up to an hour long.
Waiting for the train
The subway is very reliable and can be very useful when in a hurry especially at rush hour, it beats getting on the road and can be much faster than a taxi. Keep in mind the subway is generally closed after midnight, unless some special occasion prompts extended operating hours.The first trains depart terminals at around 5 am and the last leave at around 11 pm on some lines this can be as early as 10.30pm. For precise hours and frequency of service, check the official schedule.
The Beijing Subway system is also a great for anyone who is on a budget and wants to do some cheap sight seeing as it does connect some of the major tourist destinations such as Tiananmen Square/Forbidden City, Wangfujing, the Lama Temple, the main train station and the Olympic Park.
Beijing subway map
Beijing’s subway lines generally follow the checkerboard layout of the city. Most lines run parallel or perpendicular to each other and intersect at right angles
If this account has inspired you to want to travel Beijing but don’t know where to start for some great low cost travel idea’s go to China Tours. Or if you need advice on hotels go to China Hotels
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